An interesting take on Joan of arc, but I wish it followed a little closer to history. I found it hard to relate to Joan at times as if I was her I needed more anger and frustration instead of just pure fear, made her more 2 dimensional. I also found myself wanting to understand the ‘angels’ intentions more. They were such a key part yet it wasn't very clear even at the end why they did what they did.
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DNF

I was approved for this book on NetGalley in 2021, although the book was released in 2020. I don’t remember when I tried to read it in 2021, but I know that I did…and I struggled my way through the first chunk of the book. I honestly can’t even recall how far I made it into this book, because I just wasn’t enjoying the experience.

Back then, after struggling for a couple weeks to get into the book, I set it aside and hoped that once I was in a better reading mood. But every time I thought about Divine Heretic again in the months that followed, I was filled with a sense of dread, like a reluctant reader/student when they’re supposed to be working on some reading/assignment and they really really don’t want to.

I’ve reached the point now where I can finally say that this book just isn’t for me.

The cover is lovely, and it definitely catches the eye. And the synopsis sounded interesting. It sounded like it was going to be an interesting look into Jeanne d’Arc and the voices/saints/angels that spoke to her. So many know the story of Joan of Arc, and I’ve read a couple different interpretations of the story, and they’re intriguing.

But this was filled with a young girl being dealt a whole bunch of trauma of all different sorts, physical, mental, emotional, sexual….it was just rough and problematic….and I wasn’t enjoying the story at all. More than that, I didn’t even like this interpretation of Jeanne d’Arc either. She was honestly pretty boring.

I wanted to enjoy this book. I tried to tell myself that I just wasn’t in the right reading mood at the time I tried to pick it up, and if I gave it another attempt later, I would probably feel differently. But I know that isn’t always the case, and not every book is meant for every person. Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me.

But I’ve seen others give this book a good rating and a good review. So, as with any book, I can honestly say that if it sounds interesting to you, then give it a chance. Perhaps this book will appeal to you when it didn’t to me, and that’s great. I hope you enjoy.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

This was a retelling of Joan of Arc. I thought it was good up until the ending. I did not like that she lived happily ever after and had a family of her own. It seemed like a disservice to the real Joan of Arc who went through so much suffering and died an unjust death. Thus, this was a very historically inaccurate retelling of Joan of Arc. I recommend this fans of Carolly Erickson!

I am sincerely sorry to say that I had a hard time reading this advanced reading copy digitally, due to formatting errors that distracted from the story and made it hard to read and follow.

I am a major Joan of Arc fan (is that a thing? A fan of a historical character?) and I plan to pick this book up physically once it releases. I’m sorry I don’t have more to say but it’s important to me to be honest.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
This was not what I was expecting at all. I was sorely disappointed. It might just be because I don't really know a lot about this time period but I felt the description of Joan of Arc was a bit... stale.

This book is amazing. It is heart-wrenching, gripping, haunting, and so much more. Whenever I picked up "The Divine Heretic", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Jaime Lee Moyer, and it will absolutely not be my last. Her writing style is incredibly visceral, and she makes the past jump off of the page before the reader's eyes. I can only imagine the amount of research she must have done, as every aspect of this book feels so real that you can truly sense it. From the sights and sounds of battle, to the voices Jeanne hears, to her wants, fears, desires, and so much more, I could envision each moment in the novel. The author brilliantly weaves history, fiction, and fantasy together to create such a unique book.

This book centers around Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc), and how she is told that she is the Maid of Lorraine by Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret. In this version, Jeanne is terrified of the voices speaking to her, as they are often unkind to her, punishing her, and threatening those she loves deepest, when she disobeys them or tries to take control of her own destiny. Jeanne soon begins to doubt who the voices she is hearing really are, and she does not believe that angels could treat someone in such a way. With the wars continuing between France and England, Jeanne must soon decide what it is she truly believes she must do, and what she wants to do. Are the voices truly who they are saying they are? Are they actually evil rather than good? What happens once Jeanne meets the Dauphin, and he wants to use her to help his cause as well? Will Jeanne be able to be in control of her own life? Will she be able to save those she cares about most? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, you must read to find out, and interpret much in your own way.

Jeanne is such a strong, brave, and incredible woman. She goes through so much from such a very young age, and I was pulled into her story from the very first page to the last. While many parts of this book are very difficult to read due to what occurs, Jeanne remains true to herself. She fights, and finds the strength to hope and love even in horrifically dark times.

If you enjoy historical fiction mixed in with some fantasy, I definitely recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I look forward to reading what Jaime Lee Moyer writes next.

Thank you so much to Quercus (US) and NetGalley for the review copy of this book, as well as to Mobius Books for sending me a physical review copy as well. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My review has been posted to Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. It. will also be posted on my Instagram account

“‘You can’t escape destiny, Jeanne,’ she whispered in my ear. ‘Promise to obey all our commands and we will teach you to be a great warrior.’”

Divine Heretic by Jaime Lee Moyer is a retelling of the Joan of Arc story. In this version Jeanne, sees the angels who are guiding and directing her path as monsters that she is terrified of. And on her journey that she feels forced on to help her country and stay alive, she seeks safety above all and finds love.

This was an interesting read. There were many times that I was very confused about where the author was going with the story and wondered when the story would start to feel more familiar to what I have read in the past, and honestly it never really did happen. It did make me think though, and I liked the characters she wrote. I would say read it with an open mind and I give it 3.5 stars.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this historical fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

The cover drew me in, I have heard good things about the author, and I have always been intrigued by the story of Jeanne d'Arc.  This was a quick read with a fun premise but ultimately rather forgettable with some substantial differences of the "history" that really irked me.

This version tells the story of Jeanne d'Arc from of the perspective of her believing that the divine inspiration wasn't angels but rather evil beings and that she had no choice but to eventually succumb to their demands.  Cool.  

Not so cool is how the author chose to make it a bad romance.  She didn't explain why the evil beings wanted Charles on the throne, added in a Moorish husband for Jeanne, and gave it a happily ever after.  What?  Umm burned at the stake?  Jeanne also has no agency or spunk and is rather boring.  Men run her life.  Rape is a subplot as an excuse to get her to leave her village.  The demons threaten with no real logic or skill.

With all that fascinating history and myth to draw from, the author somehow manages to make a Jeanne D'Arc story where not much happens and where the events that do are rather nonsensical.  She doesn't even use the traditional timelines or bare bones of the historical record.  This novel fails on both a historical history front and the fantasy front.  So it must walk the plank!  Arrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Quercus Books!

Great premise, doesn't quite deliver.

Young Jeanne d'Arc meets three mystical figures in the woods. They have all the appearance of angels, but divine beings would not act as they do, and their cruelty in the face of Jeanne's refusal to become a prophesied warrior maid of France tortures the girl. Haunted by visions of tragedy, Jeanne is caught between leading her own life, the war with the English, and the never-ending demands of the mysterious beings of light.

I enjoyed the first third of the book, with the depiction of small town life, the pastoral imagery, and the growing mystery of the merciless figures who haunted Jeanne. After that, my interest began to wane, even as the action picked up and Jeanne found herself involved with the war and all the deeds for which she is known in history. Jeanne was constantly needing help from others, and while the other characters were engagingly charming or repulsive, I grew tired of waiting for Jeanne to be rescued from whatever new trouble had come. Also, who knows what the voices actually were, or why they wanted Charles so badly on the throne, or anything else for that matter. Having that unexplained was a big disappointment. In the end, it didn't feel like there was a point to it all.

Actual Rating - 2.75

Based on other reviews/ratings this is an unpopular opinion but I found this to be a strange little book. I was drawn in by the concept - what if Joan of Arc knew that she wasn't being visited by angels but had to do what they said anyway? - because like, how cool does that sound?

This was an interesting read for me because I didn't enjoy it, but for an opposite reason than I normally don't enjoy books - the storytelling. The writing in this was very skilled and I appreciated the technical skill of the author. That said, I found the narrative here to be kind of confusing. For example, even in the first few chapters a teenage Jeanne/Joan says that when she first met the "angels" she was "innocent enough to believe when they claimed to be God's angels" but earlier on Jeanne/Joan seems to realize the beings aren't angels when she's like five.
That's really where the problems came down for me, the logical progression of the story. That said, this book has received largely positive reviews so check it out and see if it works for you!

This is good, not great. The MC is enjoyable, and the story is good overall. The pacing was uneven, and the ending was just OK. I know some readers will enjoy this. In this case, I think it's me, not this novel.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Book Review for Divine Heretic
Full feature for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

Incredibly violent and incredibly touching. I loved to hate this book and feeling like that makes me want to finish a book even if it leaves me with a book hangover. This work was no different. I think everyone can see a little Jeanne in themselves. I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book, and was eagerly anticipating reading it, but it was a big disappointment. In this retelling of the story of Jeanne d'Arc, Jeanne is forced by otherworldly beings--definitely not angels--to pretend to be the mythical Maid of Lorraine and help the dauphin take the French throne. Jeanne does so, survives being interrogated as a witch, and lives happily ever after with her husband. Alas, my primary reaction was "so what?" Jeanne's basic trajectory is the same, except this Jeanne *doesn't* feel a calling to her god or her national leader, and she doesn't die. This plot-line feels more like pedestrian wish fulfillment for Jeanne rather than an imaginative re-rendering of the story; in fact, very little here is imaginative at all.