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A review by frantically
Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages by Janina Ramírez
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