Scan barcode
lucyatoz's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.0
For Women's History Month 2024, I read Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of it by Janina Ramirez. It is an interesting telling of history, with details on physical archaeology and historic documents punctuated with research from new scientific methodology, such as DNA analysis, weaved with a fictional narrative, which is mainly sensible, to round out each chapter.
Each chapter tells the story of some well-known and some much lesser known women starting with the Suffragettes Movement of the late 1800's and early 1900's before moving onto women from the Middle Ages including Hildegard of Bingen, the Birka Warrior, Jadwiga, Aethelflaed, Margery Kemp and Cathars. We are taken around Europe as we learn about each of these women and the world in which they lived.
I own a copy of this book and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 39, non-fiction recommended by a friend, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Each chapter tells the story of some well-known and some much lesser known women starting with the Suffragettes Movement of the late 1800's and early 1900's before moving onto women from the Middle Ages including Hildegard of Bingen, the Birka Warrior, Jadwiga, Aethelflaed, Margery Kemp and Cathars. We are taken around Europe as we learn about each of these women and the world in which they lived.
I own a copy of this book and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 39, non-fiction recommended by a friend, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Religious bigotry
Moderate: War, Antisemitism, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Cursing
ginger_socks's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual assault
frantically's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.5
Just couldn't hold my attention! While I'm always for introducing women's history to a wider audience, I don't think this was the way to do it.
The essays don't feel connected at all, there's no red string to guide you along besides the fact that they are, well, women.
In the introduction the author puts a heavy emphasis on how we need to start seeing the middle ages as more than just a time where women were oppressed and not allowed to speak their thoughts and opinions. Sadly, her essays do just that because that's the way, especially in the later middle ages, that most medieval women experienced their lives. There's no need to falsely rewrite history, make the middle ages into a world of feminism and female power to argue why this book is important. Things to have to be perfect or morally right for us to research them, after all.
Still, as a fellow (aspiring) gender historian, as I said before, I'm just glad more people were able to have a look (maybe their first!) into medieval gender history :) This isn't the be-all-end-all book on medieval women but I'm sure it's a good start if you're just getting into the topic.
The essays don't feel connected at all, there's no red string to guide you along besides the fact that they are, well, women.
In the introduction the author puts a heavy emphasis on how we need to start seeing the middle ages as more than just a time where women were oppressed and not allowed to speak their thoughts and opinions. Sadly, her essays do just that because that's the way, especially in the later middle ages, that most medieval women experienced their lives. There's no need to falsely rewrite history, make the middle ages into a world of feminism and female power to argue why this book is important. Things to have to be perfect or morally right for us to research them, after all.
Still, as a fellow (aspiring) gender historian, as I said before, I'm just glad more people were able to have a look (maybe their first!) into medieval gender history :) This isn't the be-all-end-all book on medieval women but I'm sure it's a good start if you're just getting into the topic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
biobeetle's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: War and Violence
arcturus_b's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
0.5
It's just ... bad. It promises to focus on the women of the middle ages, but it doesn't. Some chapters focus on medieval men instead. One chapter focuses on a adult/minor relationship and it reads like juicy gossip straight out of you favorite yellow press. (The one with Jadwiga.)
And then there is that one chapter that is way to close too conspiracy theories (and Nazis - yes, literal Nazis. Third Reich-Nazis), like way too close.
Just no.
And then there is that one chapter that is way to close too conspiracy theories (and Nazis - yes, literal Nazis. Third Reich-Nazis), like way too close.
Just no.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Misogyny
nell71's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
Great book, pity about the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexism, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
morgancleaver's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism, Violence, Sexual violence, and Antisemitism
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
I need more time to focus on other books - I will return to this one eventually.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
More...