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jessh1209's review against another edition
3.0
I can't not write a review about a book concerning my favourite period in history.
Chen clearly thoroughly researched Joan and her hard work pays off in most of the book. However, Chen's version of Joan, which she acknowledges as being a version personal to her, did not interest me the way the Joan in the record of her trial did. History is up for debate but I think Chen fails to capture some of Joan's complex character through her insistence that Joan is first and foremost a warrior.
Chen clearly thoroughly researched Joan and her hard work pays off in most of the book. However, Chen's version of Joan, which she acknowledges as being a version personal to her, did not interest me the way the Joan in the record of her trial did. History is up for debate but I think Chen fails to capture some of Joan's complex character through her insistence that Joan is first and foremost a warrior.
jessar's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Joan is everything I love in a book. The writing in this is BEAUTIFUL — you cannot read this without viscerally seeing and feeling exactly what is being described. The type of book that you are sad to finish because you stop temporarily living in the world created. And the world created is not a kind one, but it is so real and it feels so incredibly human that you feel yourself weaved into it.
In truth, I knew nothing of Joan of Arc before reading Joan, except for her name. What I do know, and what I hold as a fundamental truth is this: history has been written by men and in this case, Catholic men. We will never have a truth about Joan (or any number of brilliant women of the past) because her name, her story, her life, her legend, has been shaped and filtered and manipulated by those in power and by those with an agenda: a conservative patriarchy with tidy boxes for girls and women to fit into. Joan was only a girl and I would like to believe she was the girl in this book. A kind yet brutal girl, never not accompanied by bruised knees and a cut lip and a relentless force of life so difficult to contain that she had to be burned at the stake. Fuck yeah, women ✊🏻
In truth, I knew nothing of Joan of Arc before reading Joan, except for her name. What I do know, and what I hold as a fundamental truth is this: history has been written by men and in this case, Catholic men. We will never have a truth about Joan (or any number of brilliant women of the past) because her name, her story, her life, her legend, has been shaped and filtered and manipulated by those in power and by those with an agenda: a conservative patriarchy with tidy boxes for girls and women to fit into. Joan was only a girl and I would like to believe she was the girl in this book. A kind yet brutal girl, never not accompanied by bruised knees and a cut lip and a relentless force of life so difficult to contain that she had to be burned at the stake. Fuck yeah, women ✊🏻
qmbow's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
liljainthepages's review against another edition
5.0
What a journey this has been. I read a little bit every night before bed and it felt like I really got to know the character of Joan. I know it is only a fictional account of her life, using historical facts as corner stones. But I’m sure, Joan herself would approve of this story. It was not the holiness that made her who she is, even in our present day, it was her experience, her unwavering will and her strength, defying societal norms and standing up for what she believes. What a woman.
imds's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Classism
liamurph's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
azu_rikka's review
This book is written in a flowery YA style, going off on too many tangents, moves too slowly and up to where I stopped, it barely touched any historical facts
paradise_library's review against another edition
4.0
To me, Joan of Arc has always been a feminist, so I admit I was skeptical about a retelling billed as such.
I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. In Joan we are presented with a true heroine. Strong, determined and arrogant. Similar perhaps to heroes of Greek mythology, her childhood shows us a downtrodden girl who does not cower, but instead helps others and supports her family.
Her childhood chapters perhaps take too long, and are much slower in nature. They’re helpful for sure, but leave the adult Joan’s story feeling slightly neglected and rushed. There’s a gap of almost ten years between when we meet Joan and when the story moves to her adult life. I would have liked a little more to help me understand her better.
It’s very well done, although her rash, arrogant behaviour is irritating. Perhaps it’s true, but who knows? What I liked was that Joan wasn’t a miracle, wasn’t addressed by God. Chen has made her real, more relatable and believable as a heroine. She leaps off the page and we see her clearly standing before us, determined to fight for what she believes.
Other characters receive very little time. The Dauphin is despicable. Weak, spoilt and whiny, we despise him immediately, knowing that Joan is his latest ‘plaything’ but - as often happens - as soon as she fails, she will fade into insignificance, due to her lowly, female status.
It’s not a sad story though. True, there are tragedies and it’s not a ‘nice’ tale. But at its core is a message of resilience, overcoming the odds and triumphing in the face of adversity.
However, it also reminds us that pride comes before a fall, and that nothing lasts forever.
I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. In Joan we are presented with a true heroine. Strong, determined and arrogant. Similar perhaps to heroes of Greek mythology, her childhood shows us a downtrodden girl who does not cower, but instead helps others and supports her family.
Her childhood chapters perhaps take too long, and are much slower in nature. They’re helpful for sure, but leave the adult Joan’s story feeling slightly neglected and rushed. There’s a gap of almost ten years between when we meet Joan and when the story moves to her adult life. I would have liked a little more to help me understand her better.
It’s very well done, although her rash, arrogant behaviour is irritating. Perhaps it’s true, but who knows? What I liked was that Joan wasn’t a miracle, wasn’t addressed by God. Chen has made her real, more relatable and believable as a heroine. She leaps off the page and we see her clearly standing before us, determined to fight for what she believes.
Other characters receive very little time. The Dauphin is despicable. Weak, spoilt and whiny, we despise him immediately, knowing that Joan is his latest ‘plaything’ but - as often happens - as soon as she fails, she will fade into insignificance, due to her lowly, female status.
It’s not a sad story though. True, there are tragedies and it’s not a ‘nice’ tale. But at its core is a message of resilience, overcoming the odds and triumphing in the face of adversity.
However, it also reminds us that pride comes before a fall, and that nothing lasts forever.
kari13's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
daisie21's review
adventurous
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0