This was a tough one for me. The premise is fascinating. The cover is great. I was really excited to read this title and interested in what Nixey was going to bring to the table. Unfortunately, this book isn't for everyone. It's highly academic and dry, so I can't imagine it'll grab the attention of casual readers. While there are moments that are funny or interesting, they are interspersed between walls of quotes with little additional interpretation. This was especially true in the very beginning where I felt like I was reading back-to-back quotes with not much else to add body.

So why 3 stars? I think this book still has a place. It's just not with me. I think that this book will find a home with academics and scholars who are looking for strings of information and aren't concerned with the flow of the text. I really had to force myself to pick this book up, but I did find small moments that were fascinating to me. I just wish they were more fleshed out and more friendly to someone who is reading for pleasure and not for research. It felt a little clunky. And I felt like Nixey was more focused on throwing as many cited sources and quotes at the reader as possible than on teasing it apart, analyzing it, and drawing the reader along on a journey. I get that this could be a controversial topic and that it behooves Nixey to back up the claims made as thoroughly as possible, but I just wish there was.... more.