Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners

Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill

This book is a somewhat irreverant look at 'women's issues' in the Victorian era. And while the issues themselves are not fun, definitely not by today's standards, the author's voice is quite clever as she explores everything from hygiene & clothing, to menstruation & social etiquette. It is written as though she is taking all of us fans of Victorian novels & BBC dramas on a tour of her time, and includes little asides and commentary from our guide that make it fun. Without her being so tongue in cheek, the history presented probably would have infuriated me significantly more than it actually did. The downside of this is that about halfway through the book, the joke did start to wear a little thin, but that may have just been my inner feminist getting riled up.

Now, if the cover turns you off, then this is probably not the book for you. It is a very frank account of what it was like to be a woman during this era, and includes advice from many male 'doctors' of the day that today's readers will find absolutely ludicrous.

But if you are a fan of period fiction (pun not intended), or interested in history or women's issues, and you have a good sense of humor and a stout constitution, this is can be both a diverting & informative read.