This is a very different type of historical fiction. I found it interesting that the story ends before Joan’s life does. The risks to Joan involve political intrigue in the Dauphin’s court as much as her time on the battlefield. It’s easy to envision the scenes as they play out. Full of rage and capable of inflicting great destruction and death but also loving, introspective, hopeful for better days ahead. As Chen writes in her Afterword, “She is proud bordering on arrogant. Her pride is both her strength and her downfall. It is others who believe her gifts and talents come from God. “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. The book portrays Joan as a very large woman, bigger than most men. Her life isn’t easy, long before she goes to war. But Joan has a sense of decency and fairness to her, repeatedly standing up to him. Unloved by her parents because she’s an ugly girl, she is an independent young soul. I doubt the term tomboy existed back then, but it describes Joan. This book takes you back to Joan’s early years, starting in 1422. I knew the basics about Joan of Arc, but I’ve never read a book about her.

I love finding historical fiction about a person, time or place I haven’t yet learned about.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. France is mired in a losing war against England. Saint? A stunning secular reimagining of the epic life of Joan of Arc, in the bold tradition of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hallġ412.

Joan katherine chen review