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chloereadsbooksyoutube's review against another edition
I found this one really interesting - I felt like I learnt a lot of new little facts!
portanbeag's review
challenging
dark
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.0
I read this book as a way into my current Horrible Histories nostalgia trip, which I'm having immense fun with. I picked up this book specifically to “celebrate” Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, which is happening this weekend, in order to educate myself more about the Empire that collapsed and formed the Commonwealth largely during her reign. Nothing like a lovely bit of brutal colonialism under the rule of the British monarch-emperors, aristocracy and government of the past to make you feel better about the British monarch, aristocracy and government of today. /s
While this book was interesting, informative, and enlightening, I found it a bit of a difficult read - the combination of the jokes and the violent subject matter made it harder to retain the information I was reading, and I found that I didn't have the wealth of knowledge that I usually come away with after reading another book from this series (or watching the TV show; it's so good, oh my gosh, aaagh.✨)
I also thought that having the section on cruel and violent deeds performed by the native peoples of conquered lands was a little insensitive. It juxtaposed the horrific imperialist actions of the British Empire with cultural rituals or defence tactics against them, and since it came after the British army tactics section, gave the lasting impression that the native people might have deserved what came to them. (Obviously they didn't.) I felt that this was handled clumsily for what it was, and probably shouldn't have been part of the book at all; if the book was about, say, the Beninese and their horrible history, then by all means write about gross things they did, but when the book is about the people who murdered and enslaved them, it seemed unnecessary, kind of like it was there for hyper-BBC-style impartiality on a subject that you can't (and rightfully shouldn't) be impartial on, unless you're a white supremacist.
Overall, I felt the tone and the content of this book was a bit lacking compared to its siblings in the series. Perhaps it's merely out-of-date, and a new revised edition is needed to keep up with the times and helpfully educate the kids of today.
While this book was interesting, informative, and enlightening, I found it a bit of a difficult read - the combination of the jokes and the violent subject matter made it harder to retain the information I was reading, and I found that I didn't have the wealth of knowledge that I usually come away with after reading another book from this series (or watching the TV show; it's so good, oh my gosh, aaagh.✨)
I also thought that having the section on cruel and violent deeds performed by the native peoples of conquered lands was a little insensitive. It juxtaposed the horrific imperialist actions of the British Empire with cultural rituals or defence tactics against them, and since it came after the British army tactics section, gave the lasting impression that the native people might have deserved what came to them. (Obviously they didn't.) I felt that this was handled clumsily for what it was, and probably shouldn't have been part of the book at all; if the book was about, say, the Beninese and their horrible history, then by all means write about gross things they did, but when the book is about the people who murdered and enslaved them, it seemed unnecessary, kind of like it was there for hyper-BBC-style impartiality on a subject that you can't (and rightfully shouldn't) be impartial on, unless you're a white supremacist.
Overall, I felt the tone and the content of this book was a bit lacking compared to its siblings in the series. Perhaps it's merely out-of-date, and a new revised edition is needed to keep up with the times and helpfully educate the kids of today.
luzbella's review against another edition
4.0
honest and funny. i think it isnt anti british at all. it is just telling the truth. very good read.
58/365 2022
58/365 2022
lileuw's review against another edition
4.0
I read and own all of the Horrible Histories books, I'm a big fan. This is the only one out of all of them that I had to put them because it made me so upset reading about it. The British were absolutely AWFUL to people they deemed 'other', and it made me sick to my stomach. Be aware of that when you read this one but other than that, it's a great one! :)
si0bhan's review
4.0
As a child history was one of my favourite school subjects thus making Horrible Histories the perfect books for me.
Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.
Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.
Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.
Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.
eoppelt's review
3.0
This is a bit scattered and there are some culturally problematic statements. But it's a good introduction to British imperialism and easy to read.