Machinedreamread reviewed Femina by Janina Ramirez
Thought Provoking… but I have some notes
3 stars
I am very glad to have listened to this book because the author has an entertaining speaking style. (She’s also a BBC historian). Many of the chapters were very interesting to me because the famous women she discusses are less often discussed than their male counterparts. But , that was perhaps the main issue I had with it… I feel like as much as she tried to incorporate information on regular women, she often referred back to those of privilege, or royals. I am not trying to undermine the significance of these women, but it is something that caught me as a potential downside to this book. Interestingly I found chapter 4 about artists and patrons to be a bit boring, and I think this is the chapter that was supposed to revolve around the artwork: and I am an art historian! So, I liked it some parts more than …
I am very glad to have listened to this book because the author has an entertaining speaking style. (She’s also a BBC historian). Many of the chapters were very interesting to me because the famous women she discusses are less often discussed than their male counterparts. But , that was perhaps the main issue I had with it… I feel like as much as she tried to incorporate information on regular women, she often referred back to those of privilege, or royals. I am not trying to undermine the significance of these women, but it is something that caught me as a potential downside to this book. Interestingly I found chapter 4 about artists and patrons to be a bit boring, and I think this is the chapter that was supposed to revolve around the artwork: and I am an art historian! So, I liked it some parts more than others, and overall I am glad to have read it because it inspired me to do my own research and take greater interest in female experiences of medieval life. Also something I feel she didn’t adequately address is that this book is literally only about European medieval life. I found myself wishing the author explored women across a more global view.
