3.0
informative medium-paced

A gorgeously designed book I had been looking forward to reading, but it never moved beyond a "look at this cool thing" intro-level survey. 

Decent choice for someone who hasn't read a recent (~last 20 years) medieval history, but the choice of a subject-matter theme (the body) without a clear thesis made it read like a supremely forgettable cabinet of curiosities: fun and nicely assembled, but lacking in coherent synthesis of information. People familiar with the era are likely to be familiar with many of the anecdotes, too.