I really wanted to love this. The premise of it - looking at the women of Rome and telling their true stories, rather than blindly believing the stories told by men - and it was a really interesting read but it just felt very information heavy, there are a lot of names etc which made it a little bit difficult to get in to.
This is a really well researched book and is really interesting, i just personally found it a little bit of a trudge.

The Julio-Claudian dynasty has quite an infamous reputation, but the women in particular have suffered unjust slanders. Joan Smith successfully points out that, while over the years historians have tried to rehabilitate or to challenge some of the worst facts about the Julio-Claudian emperors, the most outlandish, outrageous stories about the imperial women are still mostly considered as fact.
For example, Augustus, who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, is mostly remembered as a thoughtful, capable ruler, while his wife Livia has gone down in history as the dynasty's evil matriarch, only because of dubious stories repeated by authors known to be hostile to her.
Another example is Messalina, Claudius's third wife, who is remembered for her - allegedly - insatiable sexual desires, despite the fact the stories about her are just laughable. As Smith points out, as the role of women in the dynasty became more prominent, the misogyny of Roman authors became more extreme, and indeed they are ruthless towards both Messalina and Agrippina, Claudius' next wife.
One of the thing I appreciated most about the book is that Smith focused not only on the imperial wives, but also on the other women who were related to the emperors, and who are not often remembered. However, it was truly chilling realizing that the vast majority of them were murdered in atrocious ways (many, for example, were starved). Indeed, some parts were hard to read, and made me genuinely angry. Still, I really appreciated Smith's work and I would definitely recommend it if you are interested in this historical period.

Unfortunately, She was a Nymphomaniac had parts that didn't sit well with me. The snappy contemporary links to certain injustices seemed to really poorly frame and add little substance to the topic at hand. I really disliked the use of that catch-all and the simplification belittles both historical and modern-day contexts. Joan Smith's abrasive tone also offers little sympathies to a very emotive narrative, and the anger that comes across, not that I necessarily disagree with that right of approach, could've offered more layers with intricacy. However, I commend her on her marked shots at calling out certain historians in their approach to simply accepting obvious slanders. (Without a doubt does Joan Smith make it clear that it is about time someone spoke on the behalf of these women. And for that I am thankful.)

There are times when all the women blended into one, and so it lacked the ability to really view them as a individuals, beyond their deaths. But this also shows the horror of how commonplace these injustices were. Being child brides, murdered, and then marked with thousands of years of slander really solidifies the abhorrent life these women had no choice but to undergo. The book in that aspect definitely delivers. These women deserved more than what has been governed them. It is anger inducing in that horrific men are the ones that are sympathised and explored when all these women have been ignored and vilified.

Joan Smith does an excellent job of revisiting original sources and classic texts on female figures from the Roman Empire. She questions many of the ideas about these women that have been handed down as gospel truth, demonstrating the ways in which they do not stand up to close scrutiny and logical analysis.

The feminist - and dare we say it, more historically accurate - portrayal by Smith reminded of some of the recent mythology retellings by writers like Rosie Hewlett, which are finally doing justice to the female characters who have been villainised in earlier versions of the stories, like Medusa, Circe and Medea.

Like those retellings, Smith's version of the story is way overdue and makes for some very interesting reading. Sometimes, the subject matter is difficult to take, but this book is well worth your time.

Author Joan Smith approaches the lives of the Julio-Claudian women from a different angle to many traditional historians. Her viewpoint of the Imperial women is that they were the victims of condemnation by ancient writers who were not writing until decades later. Looking at the evidence of how the women were treated when they were alive, it seems very likely. From the families of Augustus to Nero, the imperial mothers, daughters & wives led male-dominated lives & their (tragic) deaths were usually a brutal punishment. The Emperors were cruel & some seemingly depraved & yet it is the women that have come in for the worst criticism.

The author makes the point that many modern historians treat ancient sources with scepticism when it comes to the Julio-Claudian men, but view them as gospel about the Julio-Claudian women. This is why such obvious caricatures about the women have survived: ancient misogyny still holds sway. For example, Smith argues that it is illogical to believe that a Roman Empress would be able to slip away from the palace every night to work in a brothel & return unnoticed, & yet the same old things keep being repeated as fact. Some of the notable historians of the past 50 years come in for some criticism about this.

Overall, although it was a difficult read at times due to the subject matter (misogyny & the casual cruelties women were subjected to), I felt like I had learned quite a lot about the lives of these women. It was interesting & written in a critical yet easy to understand way. I don't think anyone is arguing that these women were saints but they seem to have been excoriated in a way that the men don't tend to be. 4.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, William Collins, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I enjoyed this book and found it very informative. Joan Smith offers a fresh interpretation of original texts on Roman imperial women, revealing how figures like Nero and Augustus dominated, abused, and erased them from history. This perspective is both refreshing and necessary, challenging traditional narratives and exposing the deep roots of misogyny that persist today.

I loved Unfortunately she was a Nymphomaniac. What struck me throughout this book is how important is has to be to look through source material with a range of lenses - what historians have largely been unaware of or ignored, even recently (see Tom Holland’s many examples throughout his texts) is the huge bias that a misogynistic and patriarchal society creates, especially when almost all written voices from the period are men with at least some power.

So many women of the Julian and Claudian dynasties (the early imperial Roman Empire) had their characters assassinated in reports and histories as a means to justify the femicide and brutal treatment they endured - all for failing to adhere to the strict expectations placed upon them. In some cases, women of the family weren’t even atoning for their own ‘misdemeanours’ but those of their mothers or grandmothers.

Several mothers and wives of these esteemed ruling families suffered extreme abuse - they were murdered or starved to death, spent decades in exile or had their children taken away… but are still only remembered for being frivolous, adulterous or scheming.

Despite the upsetting content matter, this book makes me hopeful for the future of historical research. Joan Smith’s expertise in both Ancient Rome, Latin and violence against women enables her to see sources in a different light to that of the stereotypical classics scholar, which adds so much more depth to the lives of the women that have been written about.

As more diverse researchers enter the field and get their hands on primary sources, we will hear more accurate and rounded histories from the past. And that is something that can only be celebrated.

I will post on socials tomorrow, 4 November

Unfortunately, She Was A Nymphomanic is a dynamic new history of some of ancient Rome's most famous women. Using modern insights into domestic abuse and trauma, Smith explores the deadly effect of Roman misogyny on the lives of these women - and how those prejudices have shaped the way their histories have been told ever since. It's an emotive look at the classical world, bringing famous figures to life by examining the motives behind and emotional impact of their actions.

I sometimes find Roman history a little hard to absorb, with the same names recurring over and over. Smith's prose is full of forceful personality, which took a little getting used to, but once you are used to the tone it makes an engaging read. A distinctive and insightful gateway into the ancient world.