Short, but decidedly not sweet, Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain is a cursory and interesting look at - well, what it says on the tin. Sex in the times of Queen Victoria. The Victorians have always been seen as buttoned-up and fleshless. Only in grief did they seem to come undone. So is that true? I was hoping Fenn would unravel that myth - if it is a myth - and give me an up-close-and-personal peek into the bedrooms of the era.

Generally, this book provides an oversight into the various topics we all associate with sex - pornography, sex toys, the medical world, lesbianism / homosexuality, and unfortunately - what I would term as pedophilia but unfortunately in Victorian times, their idea of an age of consent was 12, so. Ughghgh.

Further to the above, Fenn never really takes an interrogative view of the dangerous customs of the time (having sex with children, punishing women for being too interested in sex / deeming them "hysterical" and assaulting them by way of treating them, etc.) and instead takes what I would deem a humorous approach in talking about these issues. These issues that aren't humourous in the slightest. If anyone actually thinks committing a woman to an asylum for daring to have a sex drive is funny, well. On the one hand, I wanted the book to delve deeper into topics, but on the other, I wondered if it would do much good.

In the end, the book does show that Victorians were about as fucked up as we are in "modern times", but they just hid it better than we do. An interesting read and it's made me want to look more into the time - there's something about all that secretiveness that makes people want to unhook the curtains for a better look.

this is one of my favorite historical periods to read about, and I find the topic of the how sex and sexuality during Victorian England was viewed. This a thorough overview of the topic.

Such an interesting read! I learned some new things and was also glad to live in today's times. Recommended for readers with an interest in Victorian times, Britain and sex trivia.

I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain by Violet Fenn does exactly what the title says. It is entertaining, educational and thought-provoking and will give you new and surprising insights into the "prudish" Victorians and will show you that they're not so different as you might have thought.

Thanks to Pen & Sword, Netgalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A thoroughly enjoyable and informative snapshot of Victorian Britain and its not at all repressed view on sex and sexuality.
Britain in this era was not as straight-laced as one might assume. There's plenty of interesting figures in this book, including Oscar Wilde, Jack the Ripper's unfortunate victims and the incredible stories of the women this book is dedicated to - Hannah Cullwick, Lizzie Siddal, Evelina Marmon and Emma Jones. I'm thankful to them and to the author for bringing them to my attention.

While I am grateful to the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this title, a busy schedule got in the way, and I was unable to read it before it was archived on Netgalley. I will be looking for a physical copy of this title at my local bookstore!

This book proved to be everything I expected it to be and more. Enlightening, entertaining and charming in equal parts, it will give many hours of pleasure to its readers, which will want more after reading its end, in which we get to know some of the most groundbreaking discoveries made during nineteenth-century Britain. It’s a delight for the brain.

Full review published on the BAVS Newsletter 2020 Autumn: https://bavs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BAVSNewsletter_Autumn2020.pdf

Despite my love of history, and the fact that the Victorian era is the bread and butter of most primary school history lessons in the UK and the backdrop of many historical romance novels, the 19th century isn’t a century I know an awful lot about. I probably know a lot more about Victorian literature than I do about Victorian politics and society.

Something I’ve become more and more interested in over the years, however, is the history of sex workers, so when I spotted this book on NetGalley I couldn’t resist requesting it. At under 200 pages this is very much a ‘does what it says on the tin’ book that gives its readers a general introduction to the various branches of sex and sexuality during the Victorian era, and while there are certain topics I’d’ve liked Fenn to have explored more I think this is the ideal place to start for readers like me who aren’t experts in this particular era of history.

Fenn’s writing is so readable and it’s clear this is a book written by a historian who loves her subject and is very knowledgeable about the research being carried out by other historians. When this book touches upon sex workers and mentions the Whitechapel murders, for example, she mentions Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five, one of my favourite pieces of non-fiction, and I really appreciated knowing I was reading a book by an author who is very aware of the work of her contemporaries.

The only reason I didn’t rate this book any higher was that it seemed to end very abruptly, but I’m not sure how much of that is down to the fact that I was reading an eARC; I wonder if the final chapter is more fleshed out in the final published version. That aside, Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain is an accessible introduction to its subject matter and I’d happily read more by Violet Fenn in future.

Fans of Ruth Goodman, Therese Oneill, and Lucy Worsley will find interest in Violet Fenn's book, Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain. Don't let the ho-hum title hold you back! This brief history of morality (not just sex) is cheeky and to-the-point, not some dry lecture. Readers will take a peek at dress codes, "fallen" women, expectations, ruin, and the occasional enlightenment. Fenn gives a good foundation for behaviors that we commonly associate with the Victorians and their supposed prudishness while striking down some long-standing assumptions. A quick, insightful read.

A very interesting little book. Would be enjoyed by fans of Lucy Worsley. Makes you reassess your view of Victorians as repressed and prudish. Society was far more nuanced.. Recommended.

I really enjoyed this short but very interesting book on Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain.
Violet Fenn had me engrossed from the off, I found it enlightening and thought provoking!
I would highly recommend for history lovers.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in return for an honest review
I shall be recommending this to my fellow history loving friends

4 stars

This book, Sex and Sexuality in Victorian Britain, provides insight into the world of the "prudish" Victorians and how that contradicts with the reality of the changing Victoria world.

I really enjoyed reading this and skimming through the chapters - as an English major I have really enjoyed continuing my research and my education in topics I studied at university and appreciate the chance to delve into it even more.

Well written and accessible, this book dispels many of the myths surrounding Victorian relationships. Covering a vast range of topics (including fashion, politics, royalty and medicine) this book would be of interest to those interested in people and relationships of the past.

This book is an interesting and lively introduction to the real Victorians, not the severe, buttoned up people they are made out to be. Numerous topics are covered including prostitution, homosexuality and riding bicycles! This probably isn't the book for those looking for a detailed examination of Victorian life but it does give a fantastic overview for those wanting to gain some knowledge of the period.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a quick guide to how Victorian society received the individual and their journey expressing their sexuality. The author examined class, politics, fashion, medicine, and love among the many inter sectional variables to an individual’s sexual identity.
I really enjoyed the fact that it was a quick read - I felt like I learned a lot in a short space of time!
Something very useful for library readers.

This book was really fun! Everything from riding bicycles, petticoats, sex before marriage to the seedier side of Victorian sex- Jack the Ripper, prostitution and STDs. It was exactly what I was looking for in a book like this. It didn’t change my life, but it was interesting and educational enough to bring up in many conversations. I feel like I know more but I also feel like I had fun. I would definitely recommend this.

I absolutely adored this look at sexuality in the Victorian period. I’m very interested in sexual history and the perceived notions people had over the so called prudish nature of the Victorians which this book proves is a myth!
Loved the writing and can’t wait to read more by the author.

~ARC received in exchange for an honest review~

Hmm... an interesting overview of sex and sexuality in Victorian Britain, however the overall tone of the writing felt inappropriate at times.

One example: discussing kinks, sex toys and pornography in an informal tone and then jumping straight to the perils of giving birth including some graphic descriptions of infant death was obviously jarring. The idea of consent was also skimmed over and this itself was explained away as being something that just wasn't considered at the time. Such a subject deserves to be given its due attention for the modern reader since we are the intended audience. Many attitudes of the Victorian era actually still prevail and MANY people are still affected. It's just not good enough for something published in 2020 discussing sex should take such a dismissive attitude towards discussing something as crucial to sexual enjoyment as consent - it NEEDS to be viewed with a modern eye and you shouldn't be tackling sex as a subject if you aren't willing or able to go there.

On a positive note, I've got myself a list of further reading about the few topics I would like to further explore but overall this title missed the mark for me and I DNF'd after the third mention of infanticide - about 60%.

~ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title ~

A factual and informative look at the sex lives of people living in a time assumed by many nowadays to be quite prudish, at least outwardly. This book was interesting and easy to read. Topics were engaging.