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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: Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism, and War
Minor: Cursing
biobeetle's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Violence and War
skyelerbear's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.75
Femina is a testament to the diversity and beauty of women of the Middle Ages. We often think back on history and think that life for all women was servitude and violence. But there have always been extraordinary women with extraordinary lives. This book made me so emotional- women have always had such rich and beautiful inner lives, complex emotions, dreams, hopes and aspirations. It’s amazing to read about these women, like Hildegard von Bingen, who fulfilled their dreams and worked at something greater than themselves. Read this book to learn about how fantastic women always have been and will be.
I’ll end my review with a quote from the book:
Read texts, look at artworks, examine archaeological finds, draw up statistics, or peer through a microscope… scrutinize how you have been taught, ask questions about what stories you’re not hearing and push outside of comfort zones in search of less well trodden paths.
Women!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Violence
morgancleaver's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Antisemitism