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Joan
Girl. Warrior. Heretic. Saint? A stunning secular reimagining of the epic life of Joan of Arc, in the bold tradition of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall
1412. France is mired in a losing war against England. Its people are starving. Its king is in hiding. From this chaos emerges a teenage girl who will turn the tide of battle and lead the French to victory, an unlikely hero whose name will echo across the centuries.
In Katherine J. Chen's hands, the myth and legend of Joan of Arc is transformed into a flesh-and-blood young woman: reckless, steel-willed, and brilliant. This deeply researched novel is a sweeping narrative of her life, from a childhood steeped in both joy and violence to her meteoric rise to fame at the head of the French army, where she navigates both the perils of the battlefield and the equally treacherous politics of the royal court. Many are threatened by a woman who leads, and Joan draws wrath and suspicion from all corners, even as her first taste of fame and glory leave her vulnerable to her own powerful ambition.
With unforgettably vivid characters, transporting settings, and action-packed storytelling, Joan is a thrilling epic, a triumph of historical fiction, as well as a feminist celebration of one remarkable—and remarkably real—woman who left an indelible mark on history.
1412. France is mired in a losing war against England. Its people are starving. Its king is in hiding. From this chaos emerges a teenage girl who will turn the tide of battle and lead the French to victory, an unlikely hero whose name will echo across the centuries.
In Katherine J. Chen's hands, the myth and legend of Joan of Arc is transformed into a flesh-and-blood young woman: reckless, steel-willed, and brilliant. This deeply researched novel is a sweeping narrative of her life, from a childhood steeped in both joy and violence to her meteoric rise to fame at the head of the French army, where she navigates both the perils of the battlefield and the equally treacherous politics of the royal court. Many are threatened by a woman who leads, and Joan draws wrath and suspicion from all corners, even as her first taste of fame and glory leave her vulnerable to her own powerful ambition.
With unforgettably vivid characters, transporting settings, and action-packed storytelling, Joan is a thrilling epic, a triumph of historical fiction, as well as a feminist celebration of one remarkable—and remarkably real—woman who left an indelible mark on history.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,194 reviews
July 12, 2022
Ms Chen's vision of Joan is my vision: a girl who through her abusive childhood and tragedy becomes strong and determined to expel the enemy from her land. By poor chance Joan gets close to the Daulphin at the time when he is uncertain of the role he is expected to play and who takes advantage of Joan's will and power. Joan becomes the victim of politics and her naivety and experinces the rejection without understanding it.
Ms Chen dismisses all religious implifications Joan was given in the later years and centuries and I agree with her. Joan was made saint after five hundred years but in my opinion she was a young woman who knew how to serve France and liberate it. Unfortunately, she became a victim of the policy which she was unable to grasp or accept.
OverDrive, thank you!
Ms Chen dismisses all religious implifications Joan was given in the later years and centuries and I agree with her. Joan was made saint after five hundred years but in my opinion she was a young woman who knew how to serve France and liberate it. Unfortunately, she became a victim of the policy which she was unable to grasp or accept.
OverDrive, thank you!
April 27, 2022
I love finding historical fiction about a person, time or place I haven’t yet learned about. I knew the basics about Joan of Arc, but I’ve never read a book about her.
This book takes you back to Joan’s early years, starting in 1422. I doubt the term tomboy existed back then, but it describes Joan. Unloved by her parents because she’s an ugly girl, she is an independent young soul.
Joan’s father is a nasty, evil man. But Joan has a sense of decency and fairness to her, repeatedly standing up to him. Her life isn’t easy, long before she goes to war. But it prepares her for what is to come.
The book portrays Joan as a very large woman, bigger than most men. And not one ruled by faith. In fact, she’s not very religious. “And she thought, Faith didn’t save her life, and I would rather have the strength that keeps me alive to see a new morning.” She certainly doesn’t have visions. It is others who believe her gifts and talents come from God. She sees herself foremost as a warrior. Her pride is both her strength and her downfall. As Chen writes in her Afterword, “She is proud bordering on arrogant. Flawed but charismatic. Full of rage and capable of inflicting great destruction and death but also loving, introspective, hopeful for better days ahead. In other words, still very much human.”
The writing is lush and descriptive. It’s easy to envision the scenes as they play out. The risks to Joan involve political intrigue in the Dauphin’s court as much as her time on the battlefield. I found it interesting that the story ends before Joan’s life does.
This is a very different type of historical fiction. Chen starts each section off with a summary of the actual time line. But then, she delves into true fiction, more of a “what if” tale. What if Joan was able to achieve so much not because of her faith in God but her upbringing by a brutal father? Chen, herself, calls the book a “re-imagining.” This is not the sort of book that at the end, I felt I had learned anything about what actually happened due to all the liberties taken by Chen. Which isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it. Because I did.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
This book takes you back to Joan’s early years, starting in 1422. I doubt the term tomboy existed back then, but it describes Joan. Unloved by her parents because she’s an ugly girl, she is an independent young soul.
Joan’s father is a nasty, evil man. But Joan has a sense of decency and fairness to her, repeatedly standing up to him. Her life isn’t easy, long before she goes to war. But it prepares her for what is to come.
The book portrays Joan as a very large woman, bigger than most men. And not one ruled by faith. In fact, she’s not very religious. “And she thought, Faith didn’t save her life, and I would rather have the strength that keeps me alive to see a new morning.” She certainly doesn’t have visions. It is others who believe her gifts and talents come from God. She sees herself foremost as a warrior. Her pride is both her strength and her downfall. As Chen writes in her Afterword, “She is proud bordering on arrogant. Flawed but charismatic. Full of rage and capable of inflicting great destruction and death but also loving, introspective, hopeful for better days ahead. In other words, still very much human.”
The writing is lush and descriptive. It’s easy to envision the scenes as they play out. The risks to Joan involve political intrigue in the Dauphin’s court as much as her time on the battlefield. I found it interesting that the story ends before Joan’s life does.
This is a very different type of historical fiction. Chen starts each section off with a summary of the actual time line. But then, she delves into true fiction, more of a “what if” tale. What if Joan was able to achieve so much not because of her faith in God but her upbringing by a brutal father? Chen, herself, calls the book a “re-imagining.” This is not the sort of book that at the end, I felt I had learned anything about what actually happened due to all the liberties taken by Chen. Which isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it. Because I did.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
May 31, 2022
I enjoyed reading this fresh new historical fictionalized biography of Joan of Arc and rate it 4 solid stars. This book opens with Joan's life as a ten year old, living in the village of Domremy in 1422. The first quarter of the book re-imagines Joan's life as teenager. She is frequently beaten by her father, who is disappointed in her as a daughter. However, she grows into a strong woman, and 1 day he realizes that she is stronger than him. He orders her to leave. Before she leaves, the English attack her village and her beautiful sister Catherine is savagely raped. Catherine eventually commits suicide. At this point, Joan vows revenge upon the English
She makes her way to a nearby lord's castle and finds work in the kitchen there. She learns how to shoot arrows. Her strength and abilities reach the ears of the Dauphin, uncrowned king of France. He sends for her. She tells him that she can fight for him. This she does do, leading his armies in a string of victories, starting with the taking of Orleans from the English. This book concentrates on the secular side of Joan. She was not made a saint until 500 years after her death.
One quote for cat lovers: "The cat gives her a slow feline blink; its gray-green eyes look watery, or maybe that's just a trick of the light. But she would rather believe that animals, too, are capable of grief, of memory and therefore of remembering better days.
Thanks to Emani Glee at Penguin Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#Joan #NetGalley
She makes her way to a nearby lord's castle and finds work in the kitchen there. She learns how to shoot arrows. Her strength and abilities reach the ears of the Dauphin, uncrowned king of France. He sends for her. She tells him that she can fight for him. This she does do, leading his armies in a string of victories, starting with the taking of Orleans from the English. This book concentrates on the secular side of Joan. She was not made a saint until 500 years after her death.
One quote for cat lovers: "The cat gives her a slow feline blink; its gray-green eyes look watery, or maybe that's just a trick of the light. But she would rather believe that animals, too, are capable of grief, of memory and therefore of remembering better days.
Thanks to Emani Glee at Penguin Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#Joan #NetGalley
May 30, 2022
France, 1422. The story begins with Joan at age ten, who takes part in a mock battle. She has three older brothers and one sister who is considered beauty. Joan is more of a boy-looking and boy-acting, what we would today call a tomboy. They grow up with an abusive father, leaving Joan in bruises many times.
At thirteen, she starts having visions, but this book takes a different approach Joan without those visions, being religious on her own terms. This reimagining certainly brings a fresh approach in presenting this heroine.
The writing is vivid with descriptive scenes, which in turn make the plot slowly moving. A lot of people appreciate this style of writing and if you know the story of Joan and would like to read more of a reimagining, rather than retelling, then this might be a good selection. The writing is certainly beautiful, at times lyrical.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At thirteen, she starts having visions, but this book takes a different approach Joan without those visions, being religious on her own terms. This reimagining certainly brings a fresh approach in presenting this heroine.
The writing is vivid with descriptive scenes, which in turn make the plot slowly moving. A lot of people appreciate this style of writing and if you know the story of Joan and would like to read more of a reimagining, rather than retelling, then this might be a good selection. The writing is certainly beautiful, at times lyrical.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2022
Hardly would this be a reflection in a dazzling stained-glass church window.....
Katherine J. Chen had a far different portrayal in mind.
St. Joan of Arc conjures up images of a beautiful young maiden suited out in bright armor and seated upon a mighty steed. She was a soldier in a spiritual army hearing voices within herself. It was to a Will far greater than her own that Joan responded without question.
Chen's Joan is (in her own words) ugly, dark-eyed, and large. We visit her early on in 1422 as a young child. Joan takes to the countryside looking for adventure and challenge. She finds it in a village boy by the name of Guillaume. Joan will become known as "the rock thrower" for her deed that day. The thrust of that rock left one boy unable to return home.
Joan's relationship with her father is displayed through a vicious beatings that she received from him. Her physical presence was a continuous source of anger for the man. He would take out life's disappointments on this second daughter to the point of even banishing her from his home. Her waywardness was implanted at an early age.
Chen supplies us with a multitude of characters along the way in which we get a feel for France in a constant losing battle with England. There is an almost neverending fight for the throne as well with characters reflecting both rivals and allies for Joan.
Joan by Katherine J. Chen is a fierce read. Joan becomes an imposing figure led by her own internal battles from childhood. There is nothing "saintly" here in the mix. Chen took liberties in her telling in this one. Her research of the time period and historical significance are remarkable. But Joan is molded by Chen's imagination into a force of pure womanhood and grit. And that, folks, is a thing to behold. Bravo, Chen, bravo.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House and to the talented Katherine J. Chen for the opportunity.
Katherine J. Chen had a far different portrayal in mind.
St. Joan of Arc conjures up images of a beautiful young maiden suited out in bright armor and seated upon a mighty steed. She was a soldier in a spiritual army hearing voices within herself. It was to a Will far greater than her own that Joan responded without question.
Chen's Joan is (in her own words) ugly, dark-eyed, and large. We visit her early on in 1422 as a young child. Joan takes to the countryside looking for adventure and challenge. She finds it in a village boy by the name of Guillaume. Joan will become known as "the rock thrower" for her deed that day. The thrust of that rock left one boy unable to return home.
Joan's relationship with her father is displayed through a vicious beatings that she received from him. Her physical presence was a continuous source of anger for the man. He would take out life's disappointments on this second daughter to the point of even banishing her from his home. Her waywardness was implanted at an early age.
Chen supplies us with a multitude of characters along the way in which we get a feel for France in a constant losing battle with England. There is an almost neverending fight for the throne as well with characters reflecting both rivals and allies for Joan.
Joan by Katherine J. Chen is a fierce read. Joan becomes an imposing figure led by her own internal battles from childhood. There is nothing "saintly" here in the mix. Chen took liberties in her telling in this one. Her research of the time period and historical significance are remarkable. But Joan is molded by Chen's imagination into a force of pure womanhood and grit. And that, folks, is a thing to behold. Bravo, Chen, bravo.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House and to the talented Katherine J. Chen for the opportunity.
September 20, 2022
I have a terrible history with beautiful cover designs providing a smokescreen for below-average historical fiction novels. A small selection: the come-hither gold foiled clouds of Washington Black, the delightful buttercup yellow endpapers of The Essex Serpent and now this bright and cheerful Joan concoction.
The cover AND the NYT review seemed to promise me something fun and punchy. The queen of historical fiction herself - my idol - Hilary Mantel blurbed the cover
"It is as if Chen has crept inside a statue and breathed a soul into it, re-creating Joan of Arc as a woman for our time"
hmmmmm.... I don't know if I want Joan as a woman of our time, a tale full of plucky self-determination and not a vision in sight. In truth, it is much less historical fiction than a story of a troubled teen that has some adventures with a bow and arrow in someplace vaguely medieval.
Unfortunately, I can't avoid the notion that Mantel would have done real service to the story of Joan and crucially the historical milieu that produced her. The author shied away from almost all the significant historical events of Joan's life, including the significant battles and her trial and execution. That's like writing about the Titanic and stopping the story just as everyone sits down for dinner.
So what are we left with? It's Joan fan-fiction, basically. Joan as a 6-year-old takes up blacksmithing, Joan hits the bull's eye with a long bow on her first try, invincible Joan with superhuman strength lifts her father off the ground, Joan learns to read and write effortlessly.
* Sigh *
I stayed only for the occasional mention of Lampreys and Pottage
The cover AND the NYT review seemed to promise me something fun and punchy. The queen of historical fiction herself - my idol - Hilary Mantel blurbed the cover
"It is as if Chen has crept inside a statue and breathed a soul into it, re-creating Joan of Arc as a woman for our time"
hmmmmm.... I don't know if I want Joan as a woman of our time, a tale full of plucky self-determination and not a vision in sight. In truth, it is much less historical fiction than a story of a troubled teen that has some adventures with a bow and arrow in someplace vaguely medieval.
Unfortunately, I can't avoid the notion that Mantel would have done real service to the story of Joan and crucially the historical milieu that produced her. The author shied away from almost all the significant historical events of Joan's life, including the significant battles and her trial and execution. That's like writing about the Titanic and stopping the story just as everyone sits down for dinner.
So what are we left with? It's Joan fan-fiction, basically. Joan as a 6-year-old takes up blacksmithing, Joan hits the bull's eye with a long bow on her first try, invincible Joan with superhuman strength lifts her father off the ground, Joan learns to read and write effortlessly.
* Sigh *
I stayed only for the occasional mention of Lampreys and Pottage
December 23, 2023
"I would like to think it is possible to be strong
without also being cruel."
Oh, where do I even begin?
This was such a lovely story, from page 1 to the bitter end. Full of pain, struggle, triumph, and defeat, Katherine J. Chen truly draws on every human emotion with this book.
As someone who knows of Joan of Arc, but doesn't necessarily know her well, this was an absolutely beautiful (and understandable) account of her story. I am very interested in history so this was an easy read for me, but I think the way that Joan is written makes it entirely possible to love it even if you aren't a history buff, or even history buff-adjacent.
Joan is one of the most incredible women I have ever read of. Her strength, her intelligence, her resilience, her admittance when something eats away at her, her love for her family and animals, her complete apathy for any type of romance, and her steadfastness in her beliefs... Joan is on another level I fear most of us will never truly comprehend.
This is what I deem a "perfect book," in a category with very few. It is one of those books that makes me feel changed in some miniscule but unforgettable way. It is a story for the ages, and a story that women desperately need in their lives.
My Blog | My YA Thrillers | Linktree | Instagram | YouTube
without also being cruel."
Oh, where do I even begin?
This was such a lovely story, from page 1 to the bitter end. Full of pain, struggle, triumph, and defeat, Katherine J. Chen truly draws on every human emotion with this book.
As someone who knows of Joan of Arc, but doesn't necessarily know her well, this was an absolutely beautiful (and understandable) account of her story. I am very interested in history so this was an easy read for me, but I think the way that Joan is written makes it entirely possible to love it even if you aren't a history buff, or even history buff-adjacent.
Joan is one of the most incredible women I have ever read of. Her strength, her intelligence, her resilience, her admittance when something eats away at her, her love for her family and animals, her complete apathy for any type of romance, and her steadfastness in her beliefs... Joan is on another level I fear most of us will never truly comprehend.
This is what I deem a "perfect book," in a category with very few. It is one of those books that makes me feel changed in some miniscule but unforgettable way. It is a story for the ages, and a story that women desperately need in their lives.
My Blog | My YA Thrillers | Linktree | Instagram | YouTube
September 1, 2023
i could talk for paragraphs and paragraphs about joan of arc. her history, how i interpret it and what it means to me, and all the ways this book failed to meet my expectations. lol. but i’ll try to be brief.
katherine chen and i are much the same in that we have intensely personal concepts of and relationships to joan. we overlap in some ways: i too believe joan’s visions are less important than her willpower, her charisma, her victories against all odds. i loved the idea that joan’s gifts were a kind of genius, much like the genius of a great artist or composer.
faith is complicated for joan in this book, and she’s not a pure, virtuous virgin who miraculously and meekly cheers on armies. she’s a warrior, the best one alive, and she fights and bleeds and suffers. she’s proud, even arrogant; sarcastic and rude; yet also kind, selfless, and endlessly courageous.
HOWEVER.
i understand history doesn’t always make the best story, and i understand some choices chen made here to adapt a complicated history into a compelling tale. but when politics, events, and even historical perspectives are ignored, it gets a little dicey.
in this book, joan’s father is abusive. but why must she be abused to be strong? why must she be abused to be great?
plus, joan’s initial motivation is her sister catherine’s rape and subsequent suicide. hated that. it’s such an easy and predictable cop-out, honestly, and there’s no reason it had to happen. chen didn’t want to write angelic voices and visitations—but surely there’s a better motivation to give her, one more reflective of the incredible willpower and self-belief that joan possessed.
additionally, her discovery and journey to court are portrayed as mostly an accident, nothing she sought or facilitated on her own but something she fell into. this i think ties in with the motivation above—it’s hard to write this event as joan’s doing when she doesn’t have voices in her head to guide her.
and i’m not saying she did hear voices. i don’t know if she did, but if nothing else, she knew and believed in what she had to do. that’s what makes her story a great one, and taking that agency away from her was a mistake.
another mistake was modernization. i hate the impulse of historical fiction writers to give their characters modern beliefs and perspectives. don’t be a coward. it’s okay to acknowledge that people 800 years ago viewed life differently than we do, and in fact i think it’s incredibly important and valuable to consider and explore those perspectives.
then, the gravest errors.
the novel itself, and its execution, is lacking. it’s very unevenly paced, spending almost 100 pages on her childhood and about 20 on the siege of orléans. huge events are skipped over, even battles, which given the emphasis on joan’s military prowess is surprising.
and then the book ends right as she’s captured. sure, it’s written well, if not overwritten a bit (side ramble, the writing is a bit too in love with itself, and it felt very much like chen was trying to imitate hilary mantel but without enough subtlety or skill. why did every single character speak the same and monologue for two pages?).
my big question is—why flinch away from the most pivotal moments of joan’s life? it felt almost like chen saw it as too much of a challenge, and it is! it would be impossible to do joan’s trial, torture, and execution justice. but chen spent pages upon pages exploring joan as a character. let it pay off at her darkest hours. we even have the (flawed) transcripts from her trial!!!
that willpower, that charisma, it stayed with joan in battle, in a courtroom, in a cell. it stayed with her as she jumped from a window, as she recanted and then recanted her recantation, and as she died.
it just seems a shame, a mistake, and ultimately a failure to avoid those scenes. to pretend some overwritten inner monologue compensates for it.
it’s not that i’m bloodthirsty or morbid and i want to see her burn at the stake. if anything, that would be almost too excruciating to read.
it’s just that if you’re going to write joan’s story, one with so much wonder and so much pain, you might as well try to do it justice.
there were beautiful, poignant moments in this book that took my breath away. but another of joan’s great powers is that she means many things to many people. chen sees her story differently than i do; which just means i’ll have to try exploring it myself.
katherine chen and i are much the same in that we have intensely personal concepts of and relationships to joan. we overlap in some ways: i too believe joan’s visions are less important than her willpower, her charisma, her victories against all odds. i loved the idea that joan’s gifts were a kind of genius, much like the genius of a great artist or composer.
faith is complicated for joan in this book, and she’s not a pure, virtuous virgin who miraculously and meekly cheers on armies. she’s a warrior, the best one alive, and she fights and bleeds and suffers. she’s proud, even arrogant; sarcastic and rude; yet also kind, selfless, and endlessly courageous.
HOWEVER.
i understand history doesn’t always make the best story, and i understand some choices chen made here to adapt a complicated history into a compelling tale. but when politics, events, and even historical perspectives are ignored, it gets a little dicey.
in this book, joan’s father is abusive. but why must she be abused to be strong? why must she be abused to be great?
plus, joan’s initial motivation is her sister catherine’s rape and subsequent suicide. hated that. it’s such an easy and predictable cop-out, honestly, and there’s no reason it had to happen. chen didn’t want to write angelic voices and visitations—but surely there’s a better motivation to give her, one more reflective of the incredible willpower and self-belief that joan possessed.
additionally, her discovery and journey to court are portrayed as mostly an accident, nothing she sought or facilitated on her own but something she fell into. this i think ties in with the motivation above—it’s hard to write this event as joan’s doing when she doesn’t have voices in her head to guide her.
and i’m not saying she did hear voices. i don’t know if she did, but if nothing else, she knew and believed in what she had to do. that’s what makes her story a great one, and taking that agency away from her was a mistake.
another mistake was modernization. i hate the impulse of historical fiction writers to give their characters modern beliefs and perspectives. don’t be a coward. it’s okay to acknowledge that people 800 years ago viewed life differently than we do, and in fact i think it’s incredibly important and valuable to consider and explore those perspectives.
then, the gravest errors.
the novel itself, and its execution, is lacking. it’s very unevenly paced, spending almost 100 pages on her childhood and about 20 on the siege of orléans. huge events are skipped over, even battles, which given the emphasis on joan’s military prowess is surprising.
and then the book ends right as she’s captured. sure, it’s written well, if not overwritten a bit (side ramble, the writing is a bit too in love with itself, and it felt very much like chen was trying to imitate hilary mantel but without enough subtlety or skill. why did every single character speak the same and monologue for two pages?).
my big question is—why flinch away from the most pivotal moments of joan’s life? it felt almost like chen saw it as too much of a challenge, and it is! it would be impossible to do joan’s trial, torture, and execution justice. but chen spent pages upon pages exploring joan as a character. let it pay off at her darkest hours. we even have the (flawed) transcripts from her trial!!!
that willpower, that charisma, it stayed with joan in battle, in a courtroom, in a cell. it stayed with her as she jumped from a window, as she recanted and then recanted her recantation, and as she died.
it just seems a shame, a mistake, and ultimately a failure to avoid those scenes. to pretend some overwritten inner monologue compensates for it.
it’s not that i’m bloodthirsty or morbid and i want to see her burn at the stake. if anything, that would be almost too excruciating to read.
it’s just that if you’re going to write joan’s story, one with so much wonder and so much pain, you might as well try to do it justice.
there were beautiful, poignant moments in this book that took my breath away. but another of joan’s great powers is that she means many things to many people. chen sees her story differently than i do; which just means i’ll have to try exploring it myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2022
“Once you lift a sword, it is hard to put down again.”
I’ve been curious about Joan of Arc for a long time. I love military history, and as a feminist, I also love that Joan was responsible for leading French victories centuries before women were permitted to serve in the military of any major power. When I saw that Katherine J. Chen had written a “secular reimagining of the epic life of Joan of Arc…a feminist celebration of one remarkable—and remarkably real—woman who left an indelible mark on history,” I was all in.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.
In her end notes, Chen tells us that Joan’s biographers tend to leave out her difficult home life, with a violent, angry father that hates Joan from the moment she draws breath; he has wagered heavily on her being male, and she’s failed him. Chen sees it as a major factor in Joan’s development as a warrior.
When Joan leaves home, after her beloved uncle leaves and her elder sister, her one true friend within the family, commits suicide after she is raped by English soldiers, she expects to labor for her bread, which is nothing new to her. But ultimately, she wants to get word to the Dauphin, the heir to the throne, who is in hiding: she knows how to win this war.
I absolutely love the version of Joan that Chen develops, and my only frustration is in not knowing what aspects of Joan’s life she has had to invent, and which are historically accepted as truth. She tells us that Joan’s biographers would have her praying constantly, and that they depict Joan as little more than a totem that they carry to battle, a sort of human version of a lucky rabbit’s foot. And then I wonder even more: what facts are undisputed? Of course the Church would depict Joan as hugely religious, given that she has been beautified as a saint. Did she actually influence the battle plans? This part is frustrating to me. Had more information been provided, this would be a five star review.
In any case, the battle scenes are riveting, and Joan’s character is unforgettable. I look forward to seeing what Chen writes next.
Recommended to all that love the genre.
I’ve been curious about Joan of Arc for a long time. I love military history, and as a feminist, I also love that Joan was responsible for leading French victories centuries before women were permitted to serve in the military of any major power. When I saw that Katherine J. Chen had written a “secular reimagining of the epic life of Joan of Arc…a feminist celebration of one remarkable—and remarkably real—woman who left an indelible mark on history,” I was all in.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.
In her end notes, Chen tells us that Joan’s biographers tend to leave out her difficult home life, with a violent, angry father that hates Joan from the moment she draws breath; he has wagered heavily on her being male, and she’s failed him. Chen sees it as a major factor in Joan’s development as a warrior.
When Joan leaves home, after her beloved uncle leaves and her elder sister, her one true friend within the family, commits suicide after she is raped by English soldiers, she expects to labor for her bread, which is nothing new to her. But ultimately, she wants to get word to the Dauphin, the heir to the throne, who is in hiding: she knows how to win this war.
I absolutely love the version of Joan that Chen develops, and my only frustration is in not knowing what aspects of Joan’s life she has had to invent, and which are historically accepted as truth. She tells us that Joan’s biographers would have her praying constantly, and that they depict Joan as little more than a totem that they carry to battle, a sort of human version of a lucky rabbit’s foot. And then I wonder even more: what facts are undisputed? Of course the Church would depict Joan as hugely religious, given that she has been beautified as a saint. Did she actually influence the battle plans? This part is frustrating to me. Had more information been provided, this would be a five star review.
In any case, the battle scenes are riveting, and Joan’s character is unforgettable. I look forward to seeing what Chen writes next.
Recommended to all that love the genre.
June 19, 2022
I picked up this novel fully expecting to love it - a historical novel about Joan of Arc, in the vein of Wolf Hall? Sounds like it was written for me.
I was swept up by the fluid prose: while it's a little overly verbose at times, the narrative has an almost hynoptic quality which lends itself to the historical world of knights and battles. Chen writes with a real passion for her heroine, and Joan's childhood in Domrémy is vividly imagined.
But as Chen explains in her afterword, this Joan is an intensely personal one, and sadly, I found I couldn't relate. I couldn't help but feel that something important was lost in the modernisation of Joan's character - losing her sense of religion not only fundamentally changes her story, but the cultural psyches of her time (and I always find it a bit reductive when a 'strong' female character is portrayed as tough warrior, however sarky she may be). This Joan is completely out of context in the medieval world, and I found it difficult to reconcile this historical dissonance.
That said, while this wasn't the one for me, I can absolutely see why others loved this reimagining, and Joan is still a book I would recommend to others as a striking piece of historical fiction.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
I was swept up by the fluid prose: while it's a little overly verbose at times, the narrative has an almost hynoptic quality which lends itself to the historical world of knights and battles. Chen writes with a real passion for her heroine, and Joan's childhood in Domrémy is vividly imagined.
But as Chen explains in her afterword, this Joan is an intensely personal one, and sadly, I found I couldn't relate. I couldn't help but feel that something important was lost in the modernisation of Joan's character - losing her sense of religion not only fundamentally changes her story, but the cultural psyches of her time (and I always find it a bit reductive when a 'strong' female character is portrayed as tough warrior, however sarky she may be). This Joan is completely out of context in the medieval world, and I found it difficult to reconcile this historical dissonance.
That said, while this wasn't the one for me, I can absolutely see why others loved this reimagining, and Joan is still a book I would recommend to others as a striking piece of historical fiction.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
July 10, 2022
absolutely incredible. RTC
March 9, 2022
Meticulously crafted and richly imagined, Katherine Chen has created nothing short of a masterpiece with Joan. In her new novel, Chen has lifted the heavy armor off of this legendary female saint and warrior, showing us her heart and her humanity. Deeply inspiring and wholly original, this is a novel that inspires one's mind and awakens one soul. I loved every single page.
March 8, 2024
Una lectura bonita y didáctica, aunque bastante dura. Lo que más me gustó fue la primera mitad donde narra su infancia y como llega a desarrollar su personalidad. La segunda mitad se me ha hecho bastante pesada porque como ya conocía la historia no me estaba contando nada nuevo. Aun así lo recomiendo muchísimo si quieres conocer la historia verdadera de Juana de Arco.
July 6, 2024
This novel, as well as “The Maid” by Kimberley Cutter, may be shelved as historical fiction, but the emphasis should be on fiction, not on historical. Both are undoubtably inspired by Luc Besson’s film “The Messenger” (Cutter even mentions this film in her author’s note), and much of what is wrong with this film applies to these novels as well.
From a review by film critic Ronald F. Maxwell (http://www.stjoan-center.com/messnger...
“The film begins with the child Joan witnessing the brutal murder and rape of her sister Catherine by marauding English soldiers. There is no evidence in the historical record that this ever happened and, in any case, it was not English soldiers who ransacked Domremy, but Burgundians from the other side of the river Meuse. Aside from the now antiquated notion that an artist should strive for the truth, why does this matter? It matters because, with the subtlety of a pole-axe, the filmmakers are desperate to provide the young Joan with "motivation." Revenge, the all-purpose motivator of nineties movies! This graphically filmed scene (qualifying the film for an R rating, thereby keeping young people away from a story about a young person) is followed by a scene with a priest in which she rails at God for permitting these atrocities. There were many horrors that took place in the Hundred years War, and much to rage at both God and man, but this made-up incident wasn't one of them.”
In reality, Joan’s sister Catherine died in childbirth, not by rape, and her made-up death at the hands of the English (as Maxwell says, it should have been Burgundians raiding Domremy) in both the film “The Messenger” and Chen’s work of fiction serves to give Joan a motivation of revenge, as late 20th and 21st century society is suspicious of anyone with religious motivations. This ignores the fact that the Middle Ages was a deeply religious era in a way that few 21st century people understand, and Joan was not the only Medieval person who ever heard voices. Her visions were also physical entities she could touch, and some of her colleagues also saw and touched them (www.stjoan-center.com/misconceptions/...). Ignoring Joan’s true motivation—that she believed she was led by God to save France—in favor of revenge and ignoring the religiosity of the Middle Ages in favor of 21st century secular ideas is anachronistic, disrespectful, and damages the real Joan’s life and legacy.
Chen says her version of Joan of Arc is her own (https://paw.princeton.edu/article/nov...), and it may be, but it is a fiction. For the real, historical Joan of Arc, read Régine Pernoud’s excellent “Joan of Arc by Herself and Her Witnesses” or Willard Trask’s “Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words.” You will find the living, breathing Joan who never existed in the pages of a novel.
From a review by film critic Ronald F. Maxwell (http://www.stjoan-center.com/messnger...
“The film begins with the child Joan witnessing the brutal murder and rape of her sister Catherine by marauding English soldiers. There is no evidence in the historical record that this ever happened and, in any case, it was not English soldiers who ransacked Domremy, but Burgundians from the other side of the river Meuse. Aside from the now antiquated notion that an artist should strive for the truth, why does this matter? It matters because, with the subtlety of a pole-axe, the filmmakers are desperate to provide the young Joan with "motivation." Revenge, the all-purpose motivator of nineties movies! This graphically filmed scene (qualifying the film for an R rating, thereby keeping young people away from a story about a young person) is followed by a scene with a priest in which she rails at God for permitting these atrocities. There were many horrors that took place in the Hundred years War, and much to rage at both God and man, but this made-up incident wasn't one of them.”
In reality, Joan’s sister Catherine died in childbirth, not by rape, and her made-up death at the hands of the English (as Maxwell says, it should have been Burgundians raiding Domremy) in both the film “The Messenger” and Chen’s work of fiction serves to give Joan a motivation of revenge, as late 20th and 21st century society is suspicious of anyone with religious motivations. This ignores the fact that the Middle Ages was a deeply religious era in a way that few 21st century people understand, and Joan was not the only Medieval person who ever heard voices. Her visions were also physical entities she could touch, and some of her colleagues also saw and touched them (www.stjoan-center.com/misconceptions/...). Ignoring Joan’s true motivation—that she believed she was led by God to save France—in favor of revenge and ignoring the religiosity of the Middle Ages in favor of 21st century secular ideas is anachronistic, disrespectful, and damages the real Joan’s life and legacy.
Chen says her version of Joan of Arc is her own (https://paw.princeton.edu/article/nov...), and it may be, but it is a fiction. For the real, historical Joan of Arc, read Régine Pernoud’s excellent “Joan of Arc by Herself and Her Witnesses” or Willard Trask’s “Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words.” You will find the living, breathing Joan who never existed in the pages of a novel.
October 23, 2022
At a time when I feel so betrayed as a woman, a book comes along about a long forgotten martyred heroine, and that book breathes life into her fists and her spine and her voice, and it makes me see her, hear her, understand her, all while I realize I am seeing my own clenched fists, hearing my own raised voice, understanding the betrayals of my own time—the ill treatment of womankind for daring to step out and be brave and amazing and fearless and human. This book cleaved my heart in two, and I have to know more of its amazing author. Do not miss this.
Forget the Joan in your mind, this gritty Joan arises from the muck of her village with life dished at her by such a time and place: young death, the fists of her father, a beloved sister and dog, women who pray, villagers who are kind, trees for climbing. This Joan is irreverent and human, fully able to see, to understand a battlefield. This Joan is scrappy, and, though used, wise enough to know that there is nothing—nothing—that matters other than the French must end this English war and their own civil war, end it and return to living. Nothing will stop her from this goal, not even death.
Narration is sublime—this is the next book for lovers of Hamnet and Matrix.
Forget the Joan in your mind, this gritty Joan arises from the muck of her village with life dished at her by such a time and place: young death, the fists of her father, a beloved sister and dog, women who pray, villagers who are kind, trees for climbing. This Joan is irreverent and human, fully able to see, to understand a battlefield. This Joan is scrappy, and, though used, wise enough to know that there is nothing—nothing—that matters other than the French must end this English war and their own civil war, end it and return to living. Nothing will stop her from this goal, not even death.
Narration is sublime—this is the next book for lovers of Hamnet and Matrix.
October 10, 2022
A highly stylised faction of everyone’s favourite Maid of Orleans, which makes for entertaining reading.
In the 15th century, the author’s Joan was born, a barely tolerated second daughter, abused and mistreated by her father, and an outlier of society - not a normal girl child, preferring to run, fight, and rail against the constricting expectations of a female of that era.
Having bluffed her way into the Dauphin’s presence, in the face of France’s losses to England, Joan leads armies to victories across the country. However, with her advancement, there is also jealousy in those closest to the royal. Joan’s life is in danger, and everything hinges on her ability to win. The winds of favour are fickle, and eventually they turn against her to the inevitable end.
t/w for those interested: child abuse, war scenes (and not nice war, hand to hand combat with stabby things war.)
In the 15th century, the author’s Joan was born, a barely tolerated second daughter, abused and mistreated by her father, and an outlier of society - not a normal girl child, preferring to run, fight, and rail against the constricting expectations of a female of that era.
Having bluffed her way into the Dauphin’s presence, in the face of France’s losses to England, Joan leads armies to victories across the country. However, with her advancement, there is also jealousy in those closest to the royal. Joan’s life is in danger, and everything hinges on her ability to win. The winds of favour are fickle, and eventually they turn against her to the inevitable end.
t/w for those interested: child abuse, war scenes (and not nice war, hand to hand combat with stabby things war.)
March 6, 2024
Apie Žaną d'Ark esam įpratę girdėti kaip apie Dievo apšviestąją, vedusią Prancūziją karinių pergalių link, nes Dievas pasirodė, nes Dievas patarė, nes Žana buvo stipri ir ryžtinga vien dėl to, kad Dievas jai sakė. Ši knyga yra absoliučiai ne apie tai. Nerasit čia jokio magiško portreto, religinių apsireiškimų konteksto ir nuolankios mergelės su kardu rankoje čia nebus. Čia Žana gyva, žmogiška, su tomis pačiomis bėdomis kaip ir likusi anuometinė Prancūzija: karas, badas, nepriteklius, prievarta ir neapykanta priešams.
Autorė pasakojimą pradeda nuo Žanos vaikystės: daug vaikų, smurtaujantis tėvas už visus labiausiai nekenčiantis būtent Žanos. Jo sunkus kumštis nuolat talžo mergaitę, tačiau net tokiomis aplinkybėmis ji sugeba rasti šviesių akimirkų dienoje ir tyliai žada sau kada nors iš šito vargo ištrūkti. Rašytoja tikrai skaudžiai piešia šituos vaizdus ir su kiekvienu puslapiu tu lauki kada gi pagaliau Žana užaugs. Ir ji užauga. Ir prasideda jos kova vardan galimybės būti tuo, kuo būti nori - kare.
Nuostabi mintis pavaizduoti Žanos d'Ark istoriją paprastai. Be jokių šventenybių, o tiesiog parodyti ją kaip drąsia, ryžtingą ir laiką pralenkusią moterį, gebėjusią kariauti narsiau už karališkąją kariauną. Įdomiai piešiamas ir bendras Prancūzijos vaizdas, monarchijos slidumas, anglų žiaurumas. Pati Žana - įkvepiantis personažas. Nepasiduodanti, pykstanti ant užpuolikų, skriaudėjų, tėvo, išradinga karvedė, sumani kovotoja. Tikrai labai greit ir įdomiai susiskaitė. Veiksmo netrūko, o ir istorinių žinių bagažą pasipildžiau.
Autorė pasakojimą pradeda nuo Žanos vaikystės: daug vaikų, smurtaujantis tėvas už visus labiausiai nekenčiantis būtent Žanos. Jo sunkus kumštis nuolat talžo mergaitę, tačiau net tokiomis aplinkybėmis ji sugeba rasti šviesių akimirkų dienoje ir tyliai žada sau kada nors iš šito vargo ištrūkti. Rašytoja tikrai skaudžiai piešia šituos vaizdus ir su kiekvienu puslapiu tu lauki kada gi pagaliau Žana užaugs. Ir ji užauga. Ir prasideda jos kova vardan galimybės būti tuo, kuo būti nori - kare.
Nuostabi mintis pavaizduoti Žanos d'Ark istoriją paprastai. Be jokių šventenybių, o tiesiog parodyti ją kaip drąsia, ryžtingą ir laiką pralenkusią moterį, gebėjusią kariauti narsiau už karališkąją kariauną. Įdomiai piešiamas ir bendras Prancūzijos vaizdas, monarchijos slidumas, anglų žiaurumas. Pati Žana - įkvepiantis personažas. Nepasiduodanti, pykstanti ant užpuolikų, skriaudėjų, tėvo, išradinga karvedė, sumani kovotoja. Tikrai labai greit ir įdomiai susiskaitė. Veiksmo netrūko, o ir istorinių žinių bagažą pasipildžiau.
May 2, 2022
This novel is an electrifying creative leap – a re-imagining both vivid and convincing. For years the ‘idea’ of Joan has hovered in the back of my mind. Who was she? What compelled her? Just how did a peasant girl rise to lead an army? It always seemed to me an insoluble mystery, far beyond my talents to solve at least. But Katherine Chen has done it. She has created a character so complete, and described her career with such clarity and conviction, I found myself nodding at almost every juncture – ‘yes’. Most interesting to me is Joan’s complex relationship with her God which is, at the same time, both profoundly medieval and very modern. Like my own Cecily, Joan deals with God on her own terms. I love it! And part of what makes Joan compelling – and this is very redolent of Mantel’s Cromwell, I think – is her character flaw. Where does the tipping point lie between the self confidence that builds a career and the hubris that destroys it?
And, of course, the writing is sublime. Full of glorious and resonant images. This book is beautiful – at sentence level and as a whole.
And, of course, the writing is sublime. Full of glorious and resonant images. This book is beautiful – at sentence level and as a whole.
July 24, 2022
Joan of Arc is one of my all-time favorite historical figures. She captures my imagination as a commoner child inspired by saintly visitations to take up arms and lead the French army against the English during the Hundred Years War. She was later betrayed and burned at the stake. All her accomplishments were between the ages of 16-19, in a decidedly man's world.
Katherine Chen's beautifully written Hist Fic version of the tale keeps her story secular, which disappointed me. Part of what I've always found so fascinating was Joan's conviction that she was the instrument of God. Here, Joan is no more spiritual than anybody else. Her divinity is envisioned more as a product of the adoration of the masses than a holy glow from within.
Another bit of a letdown was the complete lack of battle scenes. I was hoping for a Bernard Cornwell-style Siege of Orleans, rife with mud, blood and screaming horses. Instead, Chen glosses over them, transitioning directly from Joan's thoughts before the cavalry charge straight to the aftermath. *sigh*
In spite of all that, I still enjoyed this read. Chen's Joan of Arc is an introspective but mighty giantess who learned to be tough at the fists of her father and learned loss from two life-altering events. The first was witnessing a 7yo boy from her village die after a children's fight, and the other was her beloved sister's suicide after English soldiers raped her and left her pregnant. It was Katherine's fate most of all that drove Joan to war. Although the tone of the novel was quite sober, I can't say there weren't moments that were beautiful and inspiring.
I do recommend this book to Hist Fic fans; just don't be expecting much in the way of spirituality or battles.
Katherine Chen's beautifully written Hist Fic version of the tale keeps her story secular, which disappointed me. Part of what I've always found so fascinating was Joan's conviction that she was the instrument of God. Here, Joan is no more spiritual than anybody else. Her divinity is envisioned more as a product of the adoration of the masses than a holy glow from within.
Another bit of a letdown was the complete lack of battle scenes. I was hoping for a Bernard Cornwell-style Siege of Orleans, rife with mud, blood and screaming horses. Instead, Chen glosses over them, transitioning directly from Joan's thoughts before the cavalry charge straight to the aftermath. *sigh*
In spite of all that, I still enjoyed this read. Chen's Joan of Arc is an introspective but mighty giantess who learned to be tough at the fists of her father and learned loss from two life-altering events. The first was witnessing a 7yo boy from her village die after a children's fight, and the other was her beloved sister's suicide after English soldiers raped her and left her pregnant. It was Katherine's fate most of all that drove Joan to war. Although the tone of the novel was quite sober, I can't say there weren't moments that were beautiful and inspiring.
I do recommend this book to Hist Fic fans; just don't be expecting much in the way of spirituality or battles.
May 8, 2024
I’m crying and listening to Sun Bleached Flies by Ethel Cain.
One of the most beautiful books i have read this year and i couldn’t ask for a better book on our girl Joan. Historical fiction written by a Woman of Color! Are you kidding me? Brilliantly devastating. If you have a harder time with more “dry” books, i highly suggest the audiobook. stunning.
Love you, my girl 🗡️ ❤️🔥
One of the most beautiful books i have read this year and i couldn’t ask for a better book on our girl Joan. Historical fiction written by a Woman of Color! Are you kidding me? Brilliantly devastating. If you have a harder time with more “dry” books, i highly suggest the audiobook. stunning.
Love you, my girl 🗡️ ❤️🔥
July 12, 2022
It's been ages since I read some historical fiction and this book was brilliant and made me realise what I'm missing out on! A fictionalised retelling of Joan of Arc, I particularly enjoyed the first half telling the hard and brutal life Joan had as a child. It was unflinchingly raw and devastating, and shapes the Joan who we see in the second half - strong, independent, assertive and only 17 years old. The second half, whilst not as enjoyable, was more political and battle based, and had a real focus on how Joan stood up for herself around all the high powered men of influence around her. I would highly recommend this.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley, Nosy Crow and the author
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley, Nosy Crow and the author
June 24, 2022
A bold, brilliant, and provocative re-imagining of one of history’s most famous warriors. It reads like a thriller, while remaining rich with detail about the traumas of the fifteenth century.
(Based off an ARC sent by the publishers.)
(Based off an ARC sent by the publishers.)
December 11, 2023
4/5
Didelis iššūkis imtis tokios asmenybės kaip Žana. Ne tik dėl to, kad visada liks nepatenkintų, jaučiančių, kad buvo ne taip, bet ir dėl to, kad per lengva įtaigų romaną priimti kaip gryną pinigą. Ir visgi, skaitant vis turėjau sau priminti, kad Žana egzistavo (mokykloj mokiausi, žinoma), nes romanas toks pagaulus, kad ir skaitai jį kaip fantaziją. O gal tiesiog mane pačios protas bandė apginti nuo to priėmimo už gryną pinigą? Pirmoji knygos dalis apie Žanos vaikystę ir paauglystę, veikiausiai labiausiai autorės sugalvota, mane labiausiai ir įtraukė – ji labai žmogiška, labai tikroviškai kurianti būsimos šventosios paveikslą. Mažoji Žana nuskriausta, bet tuo pačiu nuostabi, juokinga, kiek manipuliatyvi, mokanti prasisukti, labai stipriai mylinti ir labai stipriai nemylima.
Kai autorė ėmė pasakoti tolimesnę Žanos istoriją, mane ties visais karais truputį pametė. Gal nes žmogiškumas man buvo įdomesnis nei tariamas dieviškumas? Nors turiu įvertinti tai, kad autorė pasirinko religijos nekelti į pirmą planą. Mane sužavėjo tai, kad Žana parodoma nebūtinai abejinga, tačiau neabejotinai abejojanti. Ji svarsto apie šventuosius ir šventumą, kaip ir visi ypač skriaudžiami ir skriaudas pastebintys svarsto, kaip Dievas galėtų tai leisti. Ypač įdomus buvo Žanos ir karaliaus santykis, toks daugialypis. Autorė žaviai nubrėžia ribą tarp kaimo mergaitės ir aukštuomenės, tarp to, kuriam cinamonas – kasdienybė ir tos, kuri priima tokį jam įprastą dalyką kaip privilegiją. Todėl rekomenduoju paskaityti – gražiai parašytas, nuostabiai Dalios Zaikauskienės išverstas romanas, kurį man kažkaip norėjosi lyginti su „Troškimų knyga“ – abiem atvejais nepatikrinsim, ar tie žmonės taip jautėsi, bet abiem atvejais norisi tikėti autoriais, įpūtusiais jiems gyvybės.
Didelis iššūkis imtis tokios asmenybės kaip Žana. Ne tik dėl to, kad visada liks nepatenkintų, jaučiančių, kad buvo ne taip, bet ir dėl to, kad per lengva įtaigų romaną priimti kaip gryną pinigą. Ir visgi, skaitant vis turėjau sau priminti, kad Žana egzistavo (mokykloj mokiausi, žinoma), nes romanas toks pagaulus, kad ir skaitai jį kaip fantaziją. O gal tiesiog mane pačios protas bandė apginti nuo to priėmimo už gryną pinigą? Pirmoji knygos dalis apie Žanos vaikystę ir paauglystę, veikiausiai labiausiai autorės sugalvota, mane labiausiai ir įtraukė – ji labai žmogiška, labai tikroviškai kurianti būsimos šventosios paveikslą. Mažoji Žana nuskriausta, bet tuo pačiu nuostabi, juokinga, kiek manipuliatyvi, mokanti prasisukti, labai stipriai mylinti ir labai stipriai nemylima.
Kai autorė ėmė pasakoti tolimesnę Žanos istoriją, mane ties visais karais truputį pametė. Gal nes žmogiškumas man buvo įdomesnis nei tariamas dieviškumas? Nors turiu įvertinti tai, kad autorė pasirinko religijos nekelti į pirmą planą. Mane sužavėjo tai, kad Žana parodoma nebūtinai abejinga, tačiau neabejotinai abejojanti. Ji svarsto apie šventuosius ir šventumą, kaip ir visi ypač skriaudžiami ir skriaudas pastebintys svarsto, kaip Dievas galėtų tai leisti. Ypač įdomus buvo Žanos ir karaliaus santykis, toks daugialypis. Autorė žaviai nubrėžia ribą tarp kaimo mergaitės ir aukštuomenės, tarp to, kuriam cinamonas – kasdienybė ir tos, kuri priima tokį jam įprastą dalyką kaip privilegiją. Todėl rekomenduoju paskaityti – gražiai parašytas, nuostabiai Dalios Zaikauskienės išverstas romanas, kurį man kažkaip norėjosi lyginti su „Troškimų knyga“ – abiem atvejais nepatikrinsim, ar tie žmonės taip jautėsi, bet abiem atvejais norisi tikėti autoriais, įpūtusiais jiems gyvybės.
August 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc.
I should have read the premise more carefully.
Joan of Arc is one of my favorite saints; her faith, courage and strength is the embodiment of a strong, faithful, and powerful woman ahead of her time.
In the afterword, the author explains she wrote a fictionalized portrait of Joan of Arc to fit modern times.
Personally, I think this is difficult to do; writing a novel based on a famous historical character that isn't inspired and based on the person's true life and what he or she has achieved seems to undermine their accomplishments.
Why write a modernized, fictionalized tale of a historical figure when the facts are already there?
It makes reading the book feel like a waste of time.
The author's Joan of Arc is a feisty, temperamental child who grows to be a massive size. I'm not sure if the author does this on purpose so the soldiers she commands will take her more seriously if her stature and skills resemble a man's.
Joan is a survivor, having grown a thick skin after suffering physical abuse at the hands of her father. She seeks solace with her beautiful sister, Catherine, and an uncle she adores.
These people are the ones she thinks and cares about, including a young boy who is killed in a playground battle when Joan is 10.
Joan is not religious or does she have visions. Her family and the locals talk of God like he's a bully. Their God is angry, volatile and enjoys punishing the sinful (and everyone else just for the heck of it).
Joan doesn't pray and when she does pray to God it's only because she wants something; not out of loyalty or faithfulness, but because she wants:
Revenge for the rape of her sister
Revenge for the English soldiers who ransacked her village
Revenge for her family being torn apart after the death of her sister
Joan is a French medieval version of Arya Stark; she's compiled a hit list of men in her head and recites it faithfully to give her strength and endurance as she pursues her goal of avenging her sister.
The novel is slow, especially when the narrative is focused on her childhood years.
Her obsession about the young boy, Guillaume, who died is a repetitive sore point Joan thinks about often. Too often.
Overall, the narrative is slow, as the author shows how Joan learns to fight brushing up on her sword skills, and then she meets the Dauphin.
Knowing how the scenes with the Dauphin are contrived made it difficult to care about the conversation between him and Joan.
I've never liked politics, especially now and the US is a 'democracy.'
It's hard to care about what happened between France and the English 500 years ago.
I understand the author wanted to write a more flawed, relatable character in her Joan, but I didn't like her Joan.
She's indifferent and haughty, like she knows she's better than everyone around her, including the men she commands.
That's a very unlikable character trait, I don't care who you are.
There's no heart and faith in this novel or in Joan.
The writing is good, but wordy, too wordy; too descriptive, too verbose, too too much, like the author is purposely drawing out certain scenes, like when Joan watches a blacksmith work at a local fair and how she's entranced by the helmet he's crafting.
The real Joan of Arc, whether you believe in her visions or not, was a revolutionary young woman, not just because of her devotion to her faith and God.
Her strength and perseverance is a testament that anyone, regardless of gender, can ignore the naysayers and break down barriers wherever you choose to go.
The Joan in this book just wants revenge, and though I've got nothing against vengeance, she is a grown woman who has never escaped the hate of her father so she's never learned to like or love herself.
I should have read the premise more carefully.
Joan of Arc is one of my favorite saints; her faith, courage and strength is the embodiment of a strong, faithful, and powerful woman ahead of her time.
In the afterword, the author explains she wrote a fictionalized portrait of Joan of Arc to fit modern times.
Personally, I think this is difficult to do; writing a novel based on a famous historical character that isn't inspired and based on the person's true life and what he or she has achieved seems to undermine their accomplishments.
Why write a modernized, fictionalized tale of a historical figure when the facts are already there?
It makes reading the book feel like a waste of time.
The author's Joan of Arc is a feisty, temperamental child who grows to be a massive size. I'm not sure if the author does this on purpose so the soldiers she commands will take her more seriously if her stature and skills resemble a man's.
Joan is a survivor, having grown a thick skin after suffering physical abuse at the hands of her father. She seeks solace with her beautiful sister, Catherine, and an uncle she adores.
These people are the ones she thinks and cares about, including a young boy who is killed in a playground battle when Joan is 10.
Joan is not religious or does she have visions. Her family and the locals talk of God like he's a bully. Their God is angry, volatile and enjoys punishing the sinful (and everyone else just for the heck of it).
Joan doesn't pray and when she does pray to God it's only because she wants something; not out of loyalty or faithfulness, but because she wants:
Revenge for the rape of her sister
Revenge for the English soldiers who ransacked her village
Revenge for her family being torn apart after the death of her sister
Joan is a French medieval version of Arya Stark; she's compiled a hit list of men in her head and recites it faithfully to give her strength and endurance as she pursues her goal of avenging her sister.
The novel is slow, especially when the narrative is focused on her childhood years.
Her obsession about the young boy, Guillaume, who died is a repetitive sore point Joan thinks about often. Too often.
Overall, the narrative is slow, as the author shows how Joan learns to fight brushing up on her sword skills, and then she meets the Dauphin.
Knowing how the scenes with the Dauphin are contrived made it difficult to care about the conversation between him and Joan.
I've never liked politics, especially now and the US is a 'democracy.'
It's hard to care about what happened between France and the English 500 years ago.
I understand the author wanted to write a more flawed, relatable character in her Joan, but I didn't like her Joan.
She's indifferent and haughty, like she knows she's better than everyone around her, including the men she commands.
That's a very unlikable character trait, I don't care who you are.
There's no heart and faith in this novel or in Joan.
The writing is good, but wordy, too wordy; too descriptive, too verbose, too too much, like the author is purposely drawing out certain scenes, like when Joan watches a blacksmith work at a local fair and how she's entranced by the helmet he's crafting.
The real Joan of Arc, whether you believe in her visions or not, was a revolutionary young woman, not just because of her devotion to her faith and God.
Her strength and perseverance is a testament that anyone, regardless of gender, can ignore the naysayers and break down barriers wherever you choose to go.
The Joan in this book just wants revenge, and though I've got nothing against vengeance, she is a grown woman who has never escaped the hate of her father so she's never learned to like or love herself.
April 19, 2024
This is an imaginative story of Joan of Arc, an historical heroine who led the French army to battle in Orleans in 1429. Joan, a peasant girl suffered regular beatings at the hands of her father, Jacques D’arc while her mother Isabelle Romee neglected her. She has a sister Catherine who is described as beautiful as well as three brothers.
After the death of her sister and departure of her beloved uncle, the only two people who cared about her, Joan leaves home. She meets Sir Robert de Baudricourt, who witnesses her extraordinary strength and talents. Joan is then summoned by the exiled dauphin Charles who is desperate to save his country from England and the Burgundians, as well as take the crown. Joan’s interaction with the dauphin at court was so well written. I could sense his suspicions of Joan’s gifts, but also shows his vulnerabilities. At seventeen years old, she is eloquent in navigating her way through court as well as the army. She is an expert long bowman.
Chen’s well researched novel is gorgeous and descriptive- delivering the human side to this legendary heroine- determined and strong. Her interpretation of Joan’s life, the battle and eventual death is imaginative and original, while staying true to historical facts.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my review.
After the death of her sister and departure of her beloved uncle, the only two people who cared about her, Joan leaves home. She meets Sir Robert de Baudricourt, who witnesses her extraordinary strength and talents. Joan is then summoned by the exiled dauphin Charles who is desperate to save his country from England and the Burgundians, as well as take the crown. Joan’s interaction with the dauphin at court was so well written. I could sense his suspicions of Joan’s gifts, but also shows his vulnerabilities. At seventeen years old, she is eloquent in navigating her way through court as well as the army. She is an expert long bowman.
Chen’s well researched novel is gorgeous and descriptive- delivering the human side to this legendary heroine- determined and strong. Her interpretation of Joan’s life, the battle and eventual death is imaginative and original, while staying true to historical facts.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my review.
November 3, 2023
**Rating: 4.5/5**
A helmet is also a kind of crown, and she will bestow on every soldier of France such a crown. She will make every soldier a king of the plot of ground he must defend: the land beneath his feet.
I barely knew anything about Joan of Arc when I picked this up, except for a few well-known facts: she claimed to have received divine messages, was a warrior and was tragically burnt at the stake at a young age. While I realised, after some further research, that quite a few liberties have been taken in writing Joan's story, I personally didn't mind it at all. Chen's version of Joan, as explained in the afterword, is personal and quite different from what history has painted her out to be; she's headstrong and hot-tempered, more practical than pious - she's barely religious in this to be honest - and is ultimately flawed and very much human. I understand why this retelling might not be everybody's cup of tea, especially since religion played such a large part in shaping medieval history so to take that away feels somewhat historically inaccurate, but it's this Joan that became a character I could connect with, and that I find the most inspiring.
One of my favourite, and most poignant, parts of the novel was when Joan ultimately falls out of favour. In the end, despite her sad childhood and numerous battles, Joan is still a young girl in many ways - naive and unused to the political games at court, not realising that she has been cruelly played: In her mind, she is keeping a tally of her enemies' hits. This isn't a fight where weapons can be seen, and only now does she realise she has been cut. Still, Joan soldiers on and stays true to herself and her mission, an age-old adage that we can all resonate with.
The only thing I would say though is that I was surprised when the book ended where it did, because I was hoping to read more about Joan's capture, trial and finally her death. Regardless, I really enjoyed this book and this Joan, and would definitely be on the lookout for further books about her in the future.
As king, you are not only a servant of God, but a servant of them. If I choose them, I choose the kingdom, which includes Your Majesty. But if I choose you, I forsake them. I forsake myself. Everything I have set out to do.
A helmet is also a kind of crown, and she will bestow on every soldier of France such a crown. She will make every soldier a king of the plot of ground he must defend: the land beneath his feet.
I barely knew anything about Joan of Arc when I picked this up, except for a few well-known facts: she claimed to have received divine messages, was a warrior and was tragically burnt at the stake at a young age. While I realised, after some further research, that quite a few liberties have been taken in writing Joan's story, I personally didn't mind it at all. Chen's version of Joan, as explained in the afterword, is personal and quite different from what history has painted her out to be; she's headstrong and hot-tempered, more practical than pious - she's barely religious in this to be honest - and is ultimately flawed and very much human. I understand why this retelling might not be everybody's cup of tea, especially since religion played such a large part in shaping medieval history so to take that away feels somewhat historically inaccurate, but it's this Joan that became a character I could connect with, and that I find the most inspiring.
One of my favourite, and most poignant, parts of the novel was when Joan ultimately falls out of favour. In the end, despite her sad childhood and numerous battles, Joan is still a young girl in many ways - naive and unused to the political games at court, not realising that she has been cruelly played: In her mind, she is keeping a tally of her enemies' hits. This isn't a fight where weapons can be seen, and only now does she realise she has been cut. Still, Joan soldiers on and stays true to herself and her mission, an age-old adage that we can all resonate with.
The only thing I would say though is that I was surprised when the book ended where it did, because I was hoping to read more about Joan's capture, trial and finally her death. Regardless, I really enjoyed this book and this Joan, and would definitely be on the lookout for further books about her in the future.
As king, you are not only a servant of God, but a servant of them. If I choose them, I choose the kingdom, which includes Your Majesty. But if I choose you, I forsake them. I forsake myself. Everything I have set out to do.
November 19, 2022
The comparison to Mantel is an apt one, I think. There are some who pick up historical fiction looking for something purporting to be narrative nonfiction, and then knock down a book for that want. But all history is an interpretation, as are the sources people want cited. What we have now is the ability to make further conjectures on the observation of society and the biases from which history was formulated. And so, I really don’t mind at all fiction that “reimagines”—rather pays attention to things obfuscated previously. In this case, rather than Joan being a divine being, she was blessed with good genetics and the way the world treated her, molded her into the person that could perform those deeds. Raw talent and materials were hers and she used them to great effect.
But even she, at seventeen, understand that her story means something greater because she can see many people have lived a life like her, and so are an untapped resource to make a nation and community and home well defended and protected. Joan continually reiterates this throughout and this reframing makes it very convincing (along with the idea that perhaps she wasn’t untouchable by God until favour left her). Which means that the country suffered because it didn’t know its people, most especially its women, as we do now. Which extrapolates the messaging into current times far more squarely than other inspirational stories, imo.
Much of this resonated with me because it’s down-to-earth. Coupled with the organic dialogue and great descriptions and scene framing, fluidity with time - honing in on only what is interesting with the young years of Joan’s rearing, and you’ve got an exceptional text. Obviously, if I want a text with citations I’ll go pick up a nonfiction account. Though, who knows if it would account for some of the biases as this does, ironically.
But even she, at seventeen, understand that her story means something greater because she can see many people have lived a life like her, and so are an untapped resource to make a nation and community and home well defended and protected. Joan continually reiterates this throughout and this reframing makes it very convincing (along with the idea that perhaps she wasn’t untouchable by God until favour left her). Which means that the country suffered because it didn’t know its people, most especially its women, as we do now. Which extrapolates the messaging into current times far more squarely than other inspirational stories, imo.
Much of this resonated with me because it’s down-to-earth. Coupled with the organic dialogue and great descriptions and scene framing, fluidity with time - honing in on only what is interesting with the young years of Joan’s rearing, and you’ve got an exceptional text. Obviously, if I want a text with citations I’ll go pick up a nonfiction account. Though, who knows if it would account for some of the biases as this does, ironically.
October 8, 2022
Oh gosh, where to start. This book is so well written, so well researched, it is reading and learning at the same time. On top of that Katherine J. Chen removed the Saint title and turned Jeanne d'Arc into a real woman. With all her flaws and positive points. Joan was a strong woman, illiterate but street smart. She had to fight her family, her father, men in general. She became famous, too famous and that became her downfall. A woman is not supposed to rescue a country.
This book made me think of Matrix by Lauren Groff. If you liked that one, you'll love this one too. It's a treat!
Here's my interview with the author. https://youtu.be/7kpMTvAEiek
This book made me think of Matrix by Lauren Groff. If you liked that one, you'll love this one too. It's a treat!
Here's my interview with the author. https://youtu.be/7kpMTvAEiek
February 16, 2024
France did not deserve her!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 1, 2023
Bardzo dobra powieść historyczna!
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