The Bookbinder

Annabelle Tudor’s expressive performance transports the listener to WWI-era England, in Oxford and its suburb of Jericho. Twins Peggy and Maude work at Oxford University Press, folding book pages before sending them to the binders. Since their mother’s death, Peggy has cared for Maude, whose neurodivergence makes it impossible for her to live alone. A voracious reader, Peggy dreams of studying at the university. However, the Great War changes everything, as the “gowns” (from elite Oxford University) and “towns” (from working-class Jericho) work side by side to care for wounded soldiers and to welcome Belgian refugees. The possibilities of education and romance do battle with Peggy’s responsibilities, forcing her to decide if she can have it all. The story is told in first-person, through Peggy’s eyes. Tudor skillfully narrates, helping listeners to visualize Peggy’s world. She captures the young woman’s myriad of emotions, heightened by the effects of the war; secondary characters, regardless of age, gender, personality, or place of origin, also come alive through her portrayal.