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Book of Forbidden Words: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 17 Feb 26From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel about an encrypted manuscript that unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, set in a world of banned books, fear of new ideas, and the dangers of censorship, perfect for fans of
The Briar Club
and
Weyward
.
"What power lay there in words on a page. And with that thought, Charlotte knew she would not rest until she had seen what was in the manuscript that Lysbette so desperately wanted to preserve in print.”
1552, Against a backdrop of turmoil, suspicion, and paranoia, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives one day at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas.
1952, New Milly Bennett, lonely and unmoored, is a seemingly ordinary housewife with a secretive past. Balancing the day-to-day boredom of keeping house and struggling to find her way with the mothers at her children’s school, she finds her life taking an unexpected turn as conspiracies spread amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. When a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, she is reluctantly pulled into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world.
From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them.
Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.
"What power lay there in words on a page. And with that thought, Charlotte knew she would not rest until she had seen what was in the manuscript that Lysbette so desperately wanted to preserve in print.”
1552, Against a backdrop of turmoil, suspicion, and paranoia, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives one day at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas.
1952, New Milly Bennett, lonely and unmoored, is a seemingly ordinary housewife with a secretive past. Balancing the day-to-day boredom of keeping house and struggling to find her way with the mothers at her children’s school, she finds her life taking an unexpected turn as conspiracies spread amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. When a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, she is reluctantly pulled into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world.
From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them.
Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 17, 2026
6 people are currently reading
7369 people want to read
About the author
Louise Fein
4 books853 followersLouise is an internationally bestselling and prize winning author of historical fiction, focusing on unheard voices or from unusual perspectives. Her fourth novel, Book of Forbidden Words, will be published in February 2026.
Louise, holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University and now writes full time. Equally passionate about historical research and writing, she loves to look for themes which have resonance with today’s world. Louise lives in the Surrey countryside, UK, with her family, and is a slave to the daily demands of her pets.
Louise, holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University and now writes full time. Equally passionate about historical research and writing, she loves to look for themes which have resonance with today’s world. Louise lives in the Surrey countryside, UK, with her family, and is a slave to the daily demands of her pets.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 13, 2025
As someone deeply fascinated by both the hidden history of Bletchley Park coders and the world of rare books and manuscripts, Book of Forbidden Words was an absolute delight to read. It weaves together multiple timelines, most vividly the 1500s/1600s and the 1950s; showing how, across centuries, women’s voices have been suppressed, silenced, or dismissed. Yet, the resonance of their resilience and brilliance still shines through.
Through the characters of Lysbette, Charlotte, and Milly, the novel highlights the unbroken thread of women pushing against the constraints of their time. Lysbette’s fight to have her words preserved, Charlotte’s determination to honor them despite danger, and Milly’s struggles in post-war England and America all mirror one another, demonstrating how little some challenges have changed even four hundred years apart. As a woman in 2025, I found myself relating to each of them such as the frustration of being dismissed, the yearning for independence, the hunger to leave behind more than silence.
The manuscript at the heart of the story, hidden and rediscovered, felt like a metaphor for women’s history itself: fragile, easily buried, but when uncovered, capable of rewriting narratives. The layers of espionage, censorship, forbidden books, and code-breaking were captivating, but what stayed with me most was the emotional truth; the courage it takes for women to think, write, and live beyond the roles assigned to them.
The author’s attention to historical detail was remarkable, from the echoes of McCarthyism in the 1950s, to the religious crackdowns of the 1500s, to the lingering secrecy of Bletchley. Each era felt immersive, and I appreciated how the narrative wove them together seamlessly without losing emotional depth.
This is not only a story about manuscripts and codes, but about the enduring fight for women’s intellectual and personal freedom. A sweeping, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspiring novel that I couldn’t put it down.
Through the characters of Lysbette, Charlotte, and Milly, the novel highlights the unbroken thread of women pushing against the constraints of their time. Lysbette’s fight to have her words preserved, Charlotte’s determination to honor them despite danger, and Milly’s struggles in post-war England and America all mirror one another, demonstrating how little some challenges have changed even four hundred years apart. As a woman in 2025, I found myself relating to each of them such as the frustration of being dismissed, the yearning for independence, the hunger to leave behind more than silence.
The manuscript at the heart of the story, hidden and rediscovered, felt like a metaphor for women’s history itself: fragile, easily buried, but when uncovered, capable of rewriting narratives. The layers of espionage, censorship, forbidden books, and code-breaking were captivating, but what stayed with me most was the emotional truth; the courage it takes for women to think, write, and live beyond the roles assigned to them.
The author’s attention to historical detail was remarkable, from the echoes of McCarthyism in the 1950s, to the religious crackdowns of the 1500s, to the lingering secrecy of Bletchley. Each era felt immersive, and I appreciated how the narrative wove them together seamlessly without losing emotional depth.
This is not only a story about manuscripts and codes, but about the enduring fight for women’s intellectual and personal freedom. A sweeping, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspiring novel that I couldn’t put it down.
August 4, 2025
A timely and compelling read following the dual timeline of a post WW2 housewife in the McCarthy years and then of a 16th century printer and former nun who are risking everything to imagine a world where dissenting voices (especially those of women) arent silenced. Plucky and prophetic. 4.5 stars rounded up.
I’m grateful to Netgalley for an ARC for review.
I’m grateful to Netgalley for an ARC for review.
August 15, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read Book of Forbidden Words by Lois Fein.
Book of Forbidden Words was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be like many WWII books that approach the topic of banned books or books used to pass coded messages during the war. Yes there is a book that is encrypted, but it is 400 years old.
Book of Forbidden Words takes place in the 1950s, where the fear of communism was very real. Milly, as far as anyone knows, is a typical housewife, but she is far from ordinary. During the war, Milly had a top secret job, the kind she can never talk about. When someone from her past shows up unexpectedly with a 400 year old manuscript, she has to come up with a cover story to keep her past a secret.
Book of Forbidden Words tells the story of how this manuscript came to be. Like Milly, it too has secrets that could be dangerous if the truth ever came out. The reader is taken back in time to 1552 Paris, where we learn about the author of the manuscript, ex-nun Lysbette, and the woman who helped her print it, Charlotte.
Throughout history there has been the issue of banning books and censorship. Whether it is Lysbette and Charlotte in 1552 Paris or Milly in 1952 New York, new ideas are feared and considered dangerous. The three women in this story face the challenge of protecting the manuscript and its contents. They struggle with the consequences of what they are doing, as well as the consequences if they don't.
I enjoyed this book. The issues the characters face are just as real today as they were then. People fear change, are resistant to new ideas, and often see information as dangerous. So, they try to control it by banning books, censoring information, and denying access.
Book of Forbidden Words was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be like many WWII books that approach the topic of banned books or books used to pass coded messages during the war. Yes there is a book that is encrypted, but it is 400 years old.
Book of Forbidden Words takes place in the 1950s, where the fear of communism was very real. Milly, as far as anyone knows, is a typical housewife, but she is far from ordinary. During the war, Milly had a top secret job, the kind she can never talk about. When someone from her past shows up unexpectedly with a 400 year old manuscript, she has to come up with a cover story to keep her past a secret.
Book of Forbidden Words tells the story of how this manuscript came to be. Like Milly, it too has secrets that could be dangerous if the truth ever came out. The reader is taken back in time to 1552 Paris, where we learn about the author of the manuscript, ex-nun Lysbette, and the woman who helped her print it, Charlotte.
Throughout history there has been the issue of banning books and censorship. Whether it is Lysbette and Charlotte in 1552 Paris or Milly in 1952 New York, new ideas are feared and considered dangerous. The three women in this story face the challenge of protecting the manuscript and its contents. They struggle with the consequences of what they are doing, as well as the consequences if they don't.
I enjoyed this book. The issues the characters face are just as real today as they were then. People fear change, are resistant to new ideas, and often see information as dangerous. So, they try to control it by banning books, censoring information, and denying access.
August 25, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this engrossing, thoughtful and deeply researched historical novel. This is my first time reading Louise Fein - I’m going to seek out all of her other books. She is a fantastically talented storyteller!
December 7, 2025
📚Book of Forbidden Words
✍🏻Louise Fein
Blurb:
From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel about an encrypted manuscript that unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, set in a world of banned books, fear of new ideas, and the dangers of censorship, perfect for fans of The Briar Club and Weyward .
"What power lay there in words on a page. And with that thought, Charlotte knew she would not rest until she had seen what was in the manuscript that Lysbette so desperately wanted to preserve in print.”
1552, Against a backdrop of turmoil, suspicion, and paranoia, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives one day at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas.
1952, New Milly Bennett, lonely and unmoored, is a seemingly ordinary housewife with a secretive past. Balancing the day-to-day boredom of keeping house and struggling to find her way with the mothers at her children’s school, she finds her life taking an unexpected turn as conspiracies spread amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. When a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, she is reluctantly pulled into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world.
From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them.
Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.
My Thoughts:
Book of Forbidden Words focus so heavily on women and the unfairness of our lives but also our strength and bravery in the face of that unfairness. Especially given the climate of our world right now these books are more important than normal. I would’ve been burned at the stake or arrested for communism if I was Charlotte, Lysette, or Milly and it would’ve been worth it because these books show us that we, as women, are capable. These characters are the types of women we need in the world now and I love that authors are giving them their voices.
Filled with strong and intelligent female characters, "Book of Forbidden Words" is a thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy piecing together narratives. Fein's intricate and engaging writing keeps readers enthralled as they explore the connections between the two eras. While I found myself wanting to re-read the ending for clarification on one character's fate, the novel's overarching themes of female solidarity and resilience are unmistakable.
Thanks NetGalley, William Morrow Paperbacks and Author Louise Fein for the advanced copy of "Book of Forbidden Words" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#LouiseFein
#BookofForbiddenWords
#WilliamMorrowPaperbacks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings:Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Infertility, Excrement, Grief, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Minor: Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Terminal illness, Torture, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, War
✍🏻Louise Fein
Blurb:
From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel about an encrypted manuscript that unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, set in a world of banned books, fear of new ideas, and the dangers of censorship, perfect for fans of The Briar Club and Weyward .
"What power lay there in words on a page. And with that thought, Charlotte knew she would not rest until she had seen what was in the manuscript that Lysbette so desperately wanted to preserve in print.”
1552, Against a backdrop of turmoil, suspicion, and paranoia, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives one day at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas.
1952, New Milly Bennett, lonely and unmoored, is a seemingly ordinary housewife with a secretive past. Balancing the day-to-day boredom of keeping house and struggling to find her way with the mothers at her children’s school, she finds her life taking an unexpected turn as conspiracies spread amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. When a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, she is reluctantly pulled into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world.
From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them.
Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.
My Thoughts:
Book of Forbidden Words focus so heavily on women and the unfairness of our lives but also our strength and bravery in the face of that unfairness. Especially given the climate of our world right now these books are more important than normal. I would’ve been burned at the stake or arrested for communism if I was Charlotte, Lysette, or Milly and it would’ve been worth it because these books show us that we, as women, are capable. These characters are the types of women we need in the world now and I love that authors are giving them their voices.
Filled with strong and intelligent female characters, "Book of Forbidden Words" is a thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy piecing together narratives. Fein's intricate and engaging writing keeps readers enthralled as they explore the connections between the two eras. While I found myself wanting to re-read the ending for clarification on one character's fate, the novel's overarching themes of female solidarity and resilience are unmistakable.
Thanks NetGalley, William Morrow Paperbacks and Author Louise Fein for the advanced copy of "Book of Forbidden Words" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#LouiseFein
#BookofForbiddenWords
#WilliamMorrowPaperbacks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings:Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Infertility, Excrement, Grief, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Minor: Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Terminal illness, Torture, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, War
November 23, 2025
Louise Fein's "Book of Forbidden Words" masterfully weaves together the stories of three resilient women across two timelines, one in the 1500s and the other in the 1950s. This gripping historical fiction novel explores the consequences of speaking out against societal expectations and the treatment of women in both eras.
In the earlier timeline, the women conspire to document their truths in an encoded manuscript meant only for the eyes of future women, using a strategy that would be more apparent to female readers. As the story unfolds, the women in the earlier timeline face persecution, while their counterpart in the 1950s discovers that the world has not changed as much as one might hope over the intervening centuries.
Filled with strong and intelligent female characters, "Book of Forbidden Words" is a thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy piecing together narratives. Fein's intricate and engaging writing keeps readers enthralled as they explore the connections between the two eras. While I found myself wanting to re-read the ending for clarification on one character's fate, the novel's overarching themes of female solidarity and resilience are unmistakable.
In conclusion, Louise Fein's "Book of Forbidden Words" is a compelling tale of women fighting against the constraints of their time, with powerful parallels drawn between the past and present. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate a well-crafted story with rich historical detail and engaging characters.
September 21, 2025
I feel I should start this review be saying that I’m not that girl who is ‘wrecked’ by a book. I have a hard time remembering even one book that made me shed the odd tear, but this one… I went through an entire box of tissues in the final chapters. This book will stay with me for a long time!
The novel weaves together the lives of three women across two timelines: the 1550s and the 1950s. One lives in England under the dangerous King Henry VIII, another in France during fierce religious repression, and the third in suburban America at the height of McCarthyism. Though separated by continents and centuries, they face eerily similar battles.
Lysbette writes a manuscript that Charlotte is entrusted to protect and Milly is sourced to translate. Each woman risks everything for the words on those pages, and each is forever changed by the choice to protect them
What hit hardest for me was how relevant it felt. Reading about censorship and the silencing of ideas in 1550 and 1950, then thinking about the headlines in 2025, was unsettling and profound. This book isn’t just historical fiction, it’s a mirror.
This is an absolute must-read, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know, Its beautifully written, meticulously researched, and a powerful reminder that history has a way of repeating itself if we aren’t paying attention
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC.
The novel weaves together the lives of three women across two timelines: the 1550s and the 1950s. One lives in England under the dangerous King Henry VIII, another in France during fierce religious repression, and the third in suburban America at the height of McCarthyism. Though separated by continents and centuries, they face eerily similar battles.
Lysbette writes a manuscript that Charlotte is entrusted to protect and Milly is sourced to translate. Each woman risks everything for the words on those pages, and each is forever changed by the choice to protect them
What hit hardest for me was how relevant it felt. Reading about censorship and the silencing of ideas in 1550 and 1950, then thinking about the headlines in 2025, was unsettling and profound. This book isn’t just historical fiction, it’s a mirror.
This is an absolute must-read, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know, Its beautifully written, meticulously researched, and a powerful reminder that history has a way of repeating itself if we aren’t paying attention
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC.
October 14, 2025
This is my first book by this author and I found myself immediately drawn in to a story that spans hundreds of years. And yet it seems the themes of this book still echo even in todays world. I think that is what made this book so relatable to women in general - but also what will shape it to be a timeless book that will not lose its place among literary works of this age.
Many WWI and WWII books read the same. The themes usually about courage, persistence, survival against odds, the enduring human spirit. If any time in the modern world holds sway still it is the time during and between these wars that shaped the world, crushed some and yet showed that even in the crushing circumstances the human spirit is resilient. However, this book, although sharing some of these themes, shows us more about the spirit of women in history.
400 years seperates the three women in this book, 400 years of culture changes, wars, politics, government changes. Four-hundred years ..... yet we find that one thing remains the same. Change, or even the hint of change causes problems. And it is often women that shoulder the burden of carrying the secrets and quietly ushering change while keeping secrets close. For women understand the risk, the challenge and the issues - and they seem build for endurance.
The character arcs are great in this book. The writing is immersive. The story line is well written and the relatable. Over all this is an excellent read.
Many WWI and WWII books read the same. The themes usually about courage, persistence, survival against odds, the enduring human spirit. If any time in the modern world holds sway still it is the time during and between these wars that shaped the world, crushed some and yet showed that even in the crushing circumstances the human spirit is resilient. However, this book, although sharing some of these themes, shows us more about the spirit of women in history.
400 years seperates the three women in this book, 400 years of culture changes, wars, politics, government changes. Four-hundred years ..... yet we find that one thing remains the same. Change, or even the hint of change causes problems. And it is often women that shoulder the burden of carrying the secrets and quietly ushering change while keeping secrets close. For women understand the risk, the challenge and the issues - and they seem build for endurance.
The character arcs are great in this book. The writing is immersive. The story line is well written and the relatable. Over all this is an excellent read.
December 29, 2025
Book of Forbidden Words is a multi-timeline historical fiction novel about three women, Lysbette Angiers and Charlotte Guillard in France and England of the mid 1500s, and Milly Bennett in the post WWII Red Scare of America in the 1950s. This book revolves around an encrypted manuscript that Milly is given by an acquaintance from her work during the war at Bletchley Park, and the book follows her as she attempts to crack the cypher used to hide the true meaning behind the manuscript, while also following Lysbette as she grows from a young girl in Thomas More's household, to a nunnery as a young adult, and eventually writing the manuscript after being inspired by More's Utopia, and then giving the manuscript to Charlotte to print for her, all while trying to escape persecution for her ideas in a very turbulent time. Milly encounters similar issues during the red scare of 1950s America, as she deciphers the manuscript while struggling to fit in as a wife and mother newly arrived in the United States from England after WWII.
Each character has their own unique voice, and they were easy to distinguish from each other, with each timeline eventually connecting to show us how the manuscript was conceived, and printed, and eventually encrypted to hide its radical ideas from those who would destroy it. It was interesting how the religious fervor of the mid 1500s connected with the anti-Communism movements of the 1950s and how they weren't all that different from each other.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.
Each character has their own unique voice, and they were easy to distinguish from each other, with each timeline eventually connecting to show us how the manuscript was conceived, and printed, and eventually encrypted to hide its radical ideas from those who would destroy it. It was interesting how the religious fervor of the mid 1500s connected with the anti-Communism movements of the 1950s and how they weren't all that different from each other.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.
September 5, 2025
On our ‘dual timeline’ panel at the HNSNA conference '25, Louise explained how she'd linked two (really three!) timelines across 400 years in this novel and I was fascinated to see how she’d do it. And do it she did! I fell straight into the pages, and felt completely swept up in Charlotte, Lysbette and Milly’s stories. They were beautifully written, the timelessness of womanhood spanning centuries: plenty of different challenges … and some very much the same. Milly’s story particularly fascinated me - that struggle between the expectations of a 1950s ‘housewife’ in America vs
It’s a daring, intelligent story about daring, intelligent women … woven together across time and space by the written word in a world gripped by censorship. Impeccable in its research, incredible in its scope, imperative in these times. I loved it.
It’s a daring, intelligent story about daring, intelligent women … woven together across time and space by the written word in a world gripped by censorship. Impeccable in its research, incredible in its scope, imperative in these times. I loved it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Told across two timelines set in the 1500s, the novel reveals the strict limits placed on thought and expression—and the grave risks faced by those deemed “heretical,” especially women. Despite the danger, women come together to record their forbidden ideas, encoding them for safekeeping in the hope that a future generation might one day uncover and share them.
During the McCarthy era, a former code-breaker begins translating this hidden script, only to find herself facing threats eerily similar to those endured by her counterparts centuries earlier.
Though the author notes that some characters are inspired by historical figures while others are entirely fictional, all feel believable—current, vivid, and real.
The Book of Forbidden Words is an excellent choice for a personal read and an especially strong pick for book discussion.
During the McCarthy era, a former code-breaker begins translating this hidden script, only to find herself facing threats eerily similar to those endured by her counterparts centuries earlier.
Though the author notes that some characters are inspired by historical figures while others are entirely fictional, all feel believable—current, vivid, and real.
The Book of Forbidden Words is an excellent choice for a personal read and an especially strong pick for book discussion.
August 30, 2025
Someone take away my historical fictions. I love that so many I’ve read, including this one focus so heavily on women and the unfairness of our lives but also our strength and bravery in the face of that unfairness. Especially given the climate of our world right now these books are more important than normal. I would’ve been burned at the stake or arrested for communism if I was Charlotte, Lysette, or Milly and it would’ve been worth it because these books show us that we, as women, are capable. These characters are the types of women we need in the world now and I love that authors are giving them their voices.
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 13, 2025
This book nearly left me speechless. A well woven tale of historical fiction with a good deal of complex layers and a lot of food for thought. Women in two entirely different eras, believers in the written word, and yet falling victim to the frenzied fears and intolerances of the day. As different as the conditions were in each woman's lifetime, there was a strikingly similar chord of truth. This is a book that should be read by women of any age, but it seems more important to those women who are approaching the choices that will frame their lives. We need to learn and remember history, as we humans have a strange but strong urge to repeat mistakes that have already been made, with disastrous outcomes. And fiction can sometimes be the best teacher.
November 2, 2025
I was excited to read this given both the synopsis and the fact that the author's previous book "The London Bookshop Affair" had left quite a mark on me afterwards. This one did not disappoint. There were three timelines (though two were quite close together) featuring three different women. In such cases, I usually gravitate toward one storyline more than another. In this case, however, I found myself equally engaged. All three women had stories I wanted to hear. I found the book suspenseful, especially the closer it got to the end, and it was quite striking to see how the more things change, the more they stay exactly the same. I loved the author's notes and the real-life inspiration behind the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and to William Morrow for the early read.
Thank you to NetGalley and to William Morrow for the early read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a book with 3 POV characters from 2 different time periods...two from the time of Henry VIII and one in the 1950s, and unfortunately all of it felt like it could still be happening today. A 1950s housewife (who used to work at Bletchley Circle during WWII) comes into possession of an encrypted manuscript from the 1500s. What ideas were so dangerous at the time the manuscript was created that it had to be encrypted?
The story was really interesting, it all just felt a little too real so I couldn't quite lose myself in the story. During the times we live in, I think I need my books a little more escapist. That being said, there is a hopeful ending.
The story was really interesting, it all just felt a little too real so I couldn't quite lose myself in the story. During the times we live in, I think I need my books a little more escapist. That being said, there is a hopeful ending.
September 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this dual timeline narrative and the stories of Charlotte and Millie. The themes woven in their stories are timely for today's women as they were for women in the past. I loved that the focus on this book was on the power and intellect that women can hold, and how threatening that can be for others, and how women have always had to carve out their place in the world. This book hits different than other historical novels and I really enjoyed being immersed in the world created by Louise Fein.
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to review this ARC.
September 26, 2025
Fascinating historical fiction in dual timelines of 1552 and 1952. 400 years apart but still dealing with the same issues of repressed women, forbidden books and ideas and outspoken people in fear for their lives. A courageous nun and female printing press owner in 1552 produce an illustrated manuscript that is in code to pass on to future generations. In 1952, it is found and decoded by a woman who worked at Bletchley Park in WWII but cannot confess that due to the War Secrets Act. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. Expected publishing in the US February 2026.
July 30, 2025
Fabulous book and such a timely read considering what is happening in the world at the moment. I love the three very cleverly interwoven timelines and felt emotionally invested in Lysbette, Charlotte and Milly's stories. I loved the author's portrayal of the various different locations in the book loved being transported to New York in the 1950's. I've read and very much enjoyed all of Louise Fein's books, but I think this is my favourite so far. Highly recommended.
November 26, 2025
A compelling, page-turning masterpiece, Book of Forbidden Words had me gripped from the first page. Cleverly interconnecting multiple eras and three smart, bold women who dare to stand up to censorship and the constraints against women of their time, Louise Fein brilliantly delivers an enthralling, intimate tale of love, daring, secrecy, and suspense that reminds us how little has changed, and of the enduring importance of the written word. A must read! I loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This thrilling story brings together three fascinating women - Milly, Charlotte, and Lysette - in a tale centering around a mysterious manuscript that comes into Milly's possession in the 1950s and traces all the way back to the 1500s. The research that went into this book is extraordinary, and I loved this powerful story exploring McCarthyism, censorship, and women who refuse to stifle their hearts or minds.
October 26, 2025
I loved this, especially as a fan of histories but told through a more female perspective! I think as the world turns toward AI, it seems more important than ever to hold onto the physical word.
I found the characters inspiring and interesting, with their journeys well paced, and their fight fierce.
Defo would recommend!
I found the characters inspiring and interesting, with their journeys well paced, and their fight fierce.
Defo would recommend!
November 2, 2025
I thought that Fein did an excellent job of creating an argument that was well centered within the historical context of her fictional story. While some of the point of view shifting threw me in the beginning, the writing was well done. Fein writes a narrative that is interesting and poignant for the message of keeping written works accessible even in the moments where they are questioned most.
November 26, 2025
I want to thank William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book before its release.
This book was a page turner for me.
The challenges that the characters faced in 16th century and 20th century are the same as we face in the early 21st century.
I could relate to the characters easily.
Well done, Louise Fein! Thank you for crafting this story.
This book was a page turner for me.
The challenges that the characters faced in 16th century and 20th century are the same as we face in the early 21st century.
I could relate to the characters easily.
Well done, Louise Fein! Thank you for crafting this story.
October 6, 2025
This was an interesting read to say the least. It was my first book by this author I will check out more of their books.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
fantastically effective book with amazing plotting and impeccable vibes. would recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was excited to read this book because I'm a fan of historical fiction and the author, Louise Fein, is a bestselling author. The story takes place in multiple timelines, 1500s and 1950s. A theme of women's voices have been suppressed across centuries shines through. The story revolves around a rare manuscript and censorship in both timelines. Through the story I learned a bit more about the Bletchley Park coders and the McCarthy era life in America. What a thought provoking story! Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.
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