steven_nobody's review against another edition
4.0
The Book of the City of Ladies (1405) by Catherine de Pizan. She was born in Venice but grew up in the royal court in Paris where her father was an astrologer to King whoever-it-was-in-the-14th Century. Her father gave her a good education even though her mother wanted her to be a more regular woman. Pizan's book is an amazing reaction against misogyny. Three women come to her in a vision and help her review all the great good women have done for society. This is another compendium - people at this time really liked collections! It's a collection of biographies of real and fictional women but with twists in the style of the musical Wicked where the lives are fractured and revised. For example, Ceres was a real woman who taught people agriculture, and Medea was not a wicked witch but a woman of great learning with a steadfast and inner strength. Pizan retells a number of stories from the Decameron with little variation, and she tells about a lot of the early Christian virgin-martyrs. Many of these stories are strange and beautiful like Hindu myths.
For the most part, these women were all tortured and murdered but then brought back to life so that the Romans could see God's power. One woman must have died a half dozen times. That's Saint Martina, and I feel really sorry for all the pain she had to endure with her breasts cut off one day and her whole body being diced into ribbons the next. God is a bit of a sadist.
He then had Martina spreadeagled on the ground and her body set on fire with burning oil. Never once did she leave off singing the glories of God as a delightful scent poured out of her mouth......
Next, two horrible vipers were let loose, but they simply hung off her breasts and licked her. Christine looked up to the heavens and exclaimed, “Lord God, Jesus Christ, thanks be to you for exalting me with your holy powers so that these vicious serpents can recognize your splendour in me.”
For the most part, these women were all tortured and murdered but then brought back to life so that the Romans could see God's power. One woman must have died a half dozen times. That's Saint Martina, and I feel really sorry for all the pain she had to endure with her breasts cut off one day and her whole body being diced into ribbons the next. God is a bit of a sadist.
kathrynwilliams's review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be very readable considering when it was written. I was so interested in several of the stories of ladies - especially with women warriors. Fascinating to read and think about the ideas that Christine de Pizan explored.
treehouselibrary's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
sarabaggins's review against another edition
4.0
Christine de Pizan was one of the first feminist thinkers, and she wrote "The Book of the City of Ladies"as a response to a popular book at the time that portrayed women as merely brainless, evil seducers (this was Jean de Meun's "Romance of the Rose"). It was interesting reading the thoughts and arguments of a woman living in that time and era. Some of Christine's ideas which would seem sexist now were in her time revolutionary.
(I was also grateful for the amusing stories smattered throughout the often dense read, although I doubt Christine intended for them to be humorous! I was particularly struck by a certain pot of basil.)
(I was also grateful for the amusing stories smattered throughout the often dense read, although I doubt Christine intended for them to be humorous! I was particularly struck by a certain pot of basil.)
nagyagi's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
rjproffer's review against another edition
5.0
What a surprise in medieval literature! Christine de Pizan essentially does what modern scholars have been doing for a few decades, rewriting history or renvisioning history from a woman's perspective. Except she did it in the Middle Ages! I loved her wit and intelligent arguments throughout this novel. A great read!
c2pizza's review against another edition
3.0
The many sections that are secular in nature, and untainted by the author's Christianity, are remarkably modern in their reason, humanity, and justice; while the explicitly Christian-motivated parts are marked with abhorrent promotion of self-hatred, self-abbasement, and classism, as well as gleefully vivid depictions of torture and mass murder in the service of J.C.
The stark contrasts within the book itself shows how very close to civilization was to breaking through the chains of ignorance and hatred, but also how very tight the shackles of religion bind emerging civilizations. It makes you appreciate just a little bit more, the obstacles that those who came after de Pizan overcame in throwing away the theocratic fascism while saving the sensibility if I may put this in terms of babies and bathwaters. It's notable too that every other writer at her time threw the sensibility away and kept the theocratic fascism, which is a note very favorable to de Pizan.
The stark contrasts within the book itself shows how very close to civilization was to breaking through the chains of ignorance and hatred, but also how very tight the shackles of religion bind emerging civilizations. It makes you appreciate just a little bit more, the obstacles that those who came after de Pizan overcame in throwing away the theocratic fascism while saving the sensibility if I may put this in terms of babies and bathwaters. It's notable too that every other writer at her time threw the sensibility away and kept the theocratic fascism, which is a note very favorable to de Pizan.
nagyagi's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
ungildedlily's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5