Scan barcode
bazayas's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.5
This is the origin of political cartoons through the rise and fall of the caricaturists during the late 18th century and early 19th century. From young men in strict art schools to freewheeling artists who had fans gathering at the print shop windows to see the latest—the caricaturists cut all politicians down to size, even inventing the myth that Napoleon was short.
This book is about as weird as the cartoons it’s about. I could see this as a comedic period piece about these artists—it has all the components: young rebels, dash of romance, political intrigue, bonds of friendship, tragedy. Loxton is a historian with a sense of humor on her Instagram as well, and she’s able to tell this story without getting too bogged down by the politics. This is the real world behind the reign of George III and Queen Charlotte! The rich were ridiculous and the regular folks were starting to see how unfair the social system was—and they had the talent to put them to task via absurd art.
CW/TW:
fatphobia; stigma against mental illness; sexism; alcoholism; death
For fans of:
the historical world of Bridgerton and Austen; art history; political satire
daffodilcherry's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Loved this historical non fiction on the key figures of Georgian satirical caricature! The book is narrated by the author, and Loxton is perfect at imbuing her narration with the perfect amount of wit to keep you hooked and focused. I liked the few asides she did imagining scenes that could have happened to liven up the narrative. Her descriptions of the images themselves were very in depth, I think for visually impaired people this would be a great read as she explains the various images produced in a very understandable and accessible way. I also appreciated her highlight on the women who were involved in the printmaking space at the time, given that the three artists the book focuses on are all men.
She also did a good job of explaining political issues of the time and how the caricaturists were directly involved in shaping and expressing political opinion of the time. The book was organised in an orderly, linear timeline, without ever feeling dull and plodding. All in all, a great read for anyone interested in art, satire, political cartoons, and a snippet of everyday life during the Georgian and Regency eras in England/London.
She also did a good job of explaining political issues of the time and how the caricaturists were directly involved in shaping and expressing political opinion of the time. The book was organised in an orderly, linear timeline, without ever feeling dull and plodding. All in all, a great read for anyone interested in art, satire, political cartoons, and a snippet of everyday life during the Georgian and Regency eras in England/London.
achubb's review
Not for me. The writing was descriptive and I could see it being interesting for someone else but I found the subject matter wasn't as enjoyable to learn about as I'd hoped. May try again in the future.
ellietonkin's review
4.5
A fascinating glimpse into the satirical press of the Georgian era. I have to admit, the Georgian era is one of my least favourite historical periods — for no reason at all, I just usually find other periods more interesting! — but I was sold on Alice’s name as I enjoy her content on TikTok and thought this would be just as engaging. Well, I was right! This book has won me over to how interesting the history of satire and caricature in Georgian Britain truly is. I found Alice’s writing to be accessible, witty and bursting with knowledge, and I’m looking forward to reading her next book.
briandbremer's review
funny
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Loxton clearly has great passion for the men and women at the center of her book. And her knowledge of the the political cartoonists and their publishers of the late 18th/early 19th centuries is encyclopedic. And her writing is, for the most part, engaging.
So why the middling score? Well it's because Loxton doesn't trust the reader with her prose. On multiple occasions, she takes page long detours into flights of fancy, imagining what a conversation could have been or what her conversation with the artists would have be like if they jogged with her around modern day Covent Garden. Her jokey asides referencing James Bond movies or other modern pulp culture touchstones are more akin to the worst of Family Guy than actually humorous. (On the other hand, her joking aside that she hopes her book sells as well as Thomas Paine's pamphlet was very funny in context.)
Ultimately, it's a wonderful book that's dragged down by poor style choices and the author being too willing to engage in idle speculation rather than simply focusing on the story that she clearly loves and that is begging to be told.
So why the middling score? Well it's because Loxton doesn't trust the reader with her prose. On multiple occasions, she takes page long detours into flights of fancy, imagining what a conversation could have been or what her conversation with the artists would have be like if they jogged with her around modern day Covent Garden. Her jokey asides referencing James Bond movies or other modern pulp culture touchstones are more akin to the worst of Family Guy than actually humorous. (On the other hand, her joking aside that she hopes her book sells as well as Thomas Paine's pamphlet was very funny in context.)
Ultimately, it's a wonderful book that's dragged down by poor style choices and the author being too willing to engage in idle speculation rather than simply focusing on the story that she clearly loves and that is begging to be told.