Reviews tagging 'Classism'

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome by Emma Southon

8 reviews

inkwellimps's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

4.75

At first, I wasn't sure about this book. As someone more interested in Roman history than in true crime or popular culture, I hesitated in the introduction, as the author asserts that this book is Roman history for fans of true crime. I wasn't really fond of how Southon made a point to mention several times how "dull" aspects of Rome's history beyond the scope of the book were as a funny transition. This was probably exacerbated by the audiobook performance by Sophie Ward. Her haughty performance I found funny for the first hour and then for the next two I was thinking "how on Earth am I going to get through all of this?" After that though, I was able to get used to her delivery. 

The book really shines in the later half once it has your attention. Southon interprets "murder" broadly and gives details about gladiator fights that were completely new to me, amongst a plethora of other topics including murder within families and what society deemed as murder via magic. I would say the most important part of this book is how it  paints a detailed picture of slavery in Roman society. I had not realized quite how widespread the practice was. It was also interesting to me how Southon paints a realistic picture of Rome by assessing the biases that determine what history was written about and what history was not. I do recommend this book despite my rocky first impressions, and I intend to read more of Southon's works. I think for a general audience the writing style is approachable and the occasional modern analogy is welcome, I may have just had a problem with the audiobook's narrator.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual violence, Classism, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Slavery

Minor: Suicide and Child death

danimacuk's review against another edition

dark funny informative slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Rape, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse

Minor: Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

another_dahlia's review against another edition

dark funny informative medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Sexism, Murder, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Racism, Slavery, War, Animal cruelty, and Classism

allisonmeyette's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Animal death, and Classism

tlholmes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty

mint_julippe's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Blood, Child death, Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder

nassuada's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative sad slow-paced

4.5

A really interesting read, particularly when the author covers how the life of women, enslaved people, and children were regarded in Rome. Her writing style really elevates the content and it reminded me of a true crime podcast (but one of the good ones where they actually respect the lives of the victims and don't just use them for entertainment value). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Classism, Death of parent, Slavery, Animal cruelty, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: War, Rape, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Child abuse, and Abortion

anneshamitha's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative medium-paced

4.75

I really liked this book. I love how it grounded Rome in the slave state that it was, and never lost sight of that. I also appreciated how she walked us through her sources, including those that conflict, instead of presenting a singular narrative as fact. Unfortunately, she tries way too hard to be cool. This almost turned me off entirely, but because the actual substance of the book was so good it kind of felt like rolling your eyes at a professor who tries to be too hip, but that you like anyway because you’re actually learning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Rape, War, Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Classism, and Child death

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Genocide