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601 reviews for:
Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners
Therese Oneill
3.76 AVERAGE
601 reviews for:
Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners
Therese Oneill
3.76 AVERAGE
What a hysterical, sarcastic, and blunt look at the reality of life for a woman in the Victorian Era. Swooning over an impeccably groomed Mr. Darcy was not real every day life. Women had it hard back then....I'm glad I'm in this century. :-p This is a funny book--I laughed so hard!
I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I had known less about the topic and if the narrator had been less condescending.
Based on a review written by one of Olive from A Book Olive, I wanted to check this book out.
The author takes readers on a ride back to the Victorian days and keeps reminding us not to impose our 21st century expectations on what life was like for women back in the past.
Oneill offers a window into the fascinating, perilous, gross and of course misogynistic practices imposed on, or expected of, women in the 19th century.
One of my favorite parts about the book are the photographs, illustrations, and advertisements from the time. I especially enjoyed the author's snarky captions.
The author tackles a variety of topics all related to women, from social norms and practices, expectations for bodily cleanliness, courting practices, 19th century bathrooms which range from dangerous cosmetics, to undergarments, to the lack of indoor plumbing, and how to walk down the street.
The most interesting part of the book for me was about how (male) doctors viewed women, their bodies and the catchall category they labeled female hysteria. I think it's a sad commentary on society that, similar to the Victoria era, even today women's concerns about their bodies are still not taken always seriously by doctors.
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed by the information presented in this book, nor by all of the commentary, which felt like the author was trying to hard to make the reader laugh. But if you don't know much about this time period, I wouldn't not recommend this book.
The author takes readers on a ride back to the Victorian days and keeps reminding us not to impose our 21st century expectations on what life was like for women back in the past.
Oneill offers a window into the fascinating, perilous, gross and of course misogynistic practices imposed on, or expected of, women in the 19th century.
One of my favorite parts about the book are the photographs, illustrations, and advertisements from the time. I especially enjoyed the author's snarky captions.
The author tackles a variety of topics all related to women, from social norms and practices, expectations for bodily cleanliness, courting practices, 19th century bathrooms which range from dangerous cosmetics, to undergarments, to the lack of indoor plumbing, and how to walk down the street.
The most interesting part of the book for me was about how (male) doctors viewed women, their bodies and the catchall category they labeled female hysteria. I think it's a sad commentary on society that, similar to the Victoria era, even today women's concerns about their bodies are still not taken always seriously by doctors.
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed by the information presented in this book, nor by all of the commentary, which felt like the author was trying to hard to make the reader laugh. But if you don't know much about this time period, I wouldn't not recommend this book.
Fun and really entertaining for the most part, though the humor felt totally inappropriate when applied to the darker topics mentioned like spousal abuse, racism and slavery. I learned a bit but I don't know a ton more than I knew before reading this book.
Unmentionable lifts up the lace-trimmed skirts of modern-day depictions of Victorian life to reveal the stained and torn petticoats of reality underneath.
Was that metaphor a stretch? Then so was the completely over the top presentation of this book’s history.
Look. There’s some incredible research behind this book. Therese Oneill has combed through probably every volume of Victorian health, manners, and fashion ever written. I learned fascinating aspects of Victorian domestic life in every chapter.
There’s even some good critical thought happening here—Oneill discusses feminism and classism and how some of these absurd practices have carried into today’s world.
But all of this good stuff is so layered under mounds and mounds of slapstick humor and schlocky sarcasm that is nearly impossible to get through. A Jezebel post or two, sure. But 300 pages? It got old, and worse, eclipsed the good work underneath.
Was that metaphor a stretch? Then so was the completely over the top presentation of this book’s history.
Look. There’s some incredible research behind this book. Therese Oneill has combed through probably every volume of Victorian health, manners, and fashion ever written. I learned fascinating aspects of Victorian domestic life in every chapter.
There’s even some good critical thought happening here—Oneill discusses feminism and classism and how some of these absurd practices have carried into today’s world.
But all of this good stuff is so layered under mounds and mounds of slapstick humor and schlocky sarcasm that is nearly impossible to get through. A Jezebel post or two, sure. But 300 pages? It got old, and worse, eclipsed the good work underneath.
A funny book which guides you through life as a middle to upper class woman in the 19th century. I found this book enjoyable, but not noteworthy. I learned a lot about the female experience during this time period, however I wish it had been a more inclusive perspective. Rather the author completely bypassed the experience of women of color, lower economic status, or facing any real marginalization - likely a result of trying to keep it short and not too serious.
funny
slow-paced
What a delight! A must read for anyone who likes historical fiction (especially of the romance variety). The tone of the book is hilariously snarky and the audiobook narration is perfect.
Quite funny, while addressing the reality that all those historical romances I love tend to gloss over (or just ignore entirely). This was an easy book for me to put down, with some chapters being more entertaining than others. For those interested in women's and social history of this time period, an accessible read.
Written in a sardonic but highly entertaining style that parodies 19th century romances, "Unmentionable" takes the reader to the dark, gritty, unhygienic side of the 1800s and just how awful it would be to live during that time. The book focuses on the particular trials facing women of the higher classes, as life as a commoner was generally much more brutal and short.
While I don't wish to discount the trials of the modern age, "Unmentionable" really brings home how bad life was (and still is in some parts of the world) for women in the so-called civilized world. We've come a long way and should not forget that fact.
Recommended for fans of 19th century romances, period dramas, historians, and feminists.
While I don't wish to discount the trials of the modern age, "Unmentionable" really brings home how bad life was (and still is in some parts of the world) for women in the so-called civilized world. We've come a long way and should not forget that fact.
Recommended for fans of 19th century romances, period dramas, historians, and feminists.