DNF @ 15%

This book is simply not for me. I get that it's historical fiction, but I personally just felt like it read too much like an actual textbook. Every time I tried to pick this book up, I ended up falling asleep. This might work for other readers, or someone who is more familiar with Joan of Arc's story, but it just unfortunately didn't work for me.

Beautifully written, well researched, Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc brings the title character to life in a way other books have not. Katherine Chen's Joan grows up in a small town with an abusive father who resents that she's not a boy, a largely ineffective mother and a sister who is everything a daughter should be. Joan is smart, intelligent and a hard worker, helpful to all. The English are invading France (still!) and the ineffectual Dauphin can do nothing to stop their depredations against the local people. Eventually Joan runs off to join the efforts against the English. Initially laughed at (what girl can fight!) Joan earns respect with her natural gift for warfare.

That's all I'll say about the story itself, but Joan is a most compelling character both inspiring and flawed. Her rise and fall are well documented but the details come alive and very real as we follow Joan on her journey to great heights and the challenges and pitfalls she has to navigate that lead to her ultimate fall. Truly wonderful , historical fiction at its best.

I have always been drawn to the store of Joan of Arc. I still remember watching a movie about her (albeit it was fiction) but it caught my attention.
I loved how this story takes a look at her life growing up. That is a time of her life that I have found very little about. It is always about the the battles and the end of her life. I loved how Katherine Chen portrayed Joan as a teenage girl, which is exactly what she was, with a not easy relationship with God. The expanse of the information throughout Joan's life was awesome even with some fiction thrown in, there were still historical facts as well. The only reason I can't give this book a full 4 stars is there was just times where the writing style just didn't do much for me. Nothing against the story or the author it was just a me thing but the story about Joan herself was fantastic.

This is a story of Joan of Arc, an historical heroine who led the French army to battle in Orleans in the 1400s. Joan, a peasant girl suffered from regular beatings at the hands of her father, Jacques D’arc. She has a sister Catherine who is described as beautiful as well as three brothers.

After the departure of the only two people who cared about her, she left home. She meets Sir Robert de Baudricourt, who witnessed her extraordinary strength and talents. Joan is summoned by the exiled Dauphin 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 reservation at speaking to this peasant girl, but also showing weakness.

Chen’s writing is gorgeous and descriptive- delivering the human side to this legendary heroine- vulnerable yet strong. Her interpretation of Joan’s life, her battle and eventual death is imaginative and creative, while also staying true to historical events.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook ARC of this title in exchange for my review.

I was very excited about this book. I first learned of Joan of Arc a very long time, as a little girl and always wished for more information about her, her life, her inspiration. There just weren't many inspirational women in history biographies for grade school children in the 1980's! As I got older I read other biographies and watched documentaries, but I always felt like there was more to learn. So when this book was awarded to me, I was very excited.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and the writing style. At some points the prose did feel a bit flowery, but I chalk that up to the author trying to set the stage and engage the reader. After all, how many factual documents can remain about Joan? But with the writing style and the fact that in one account the author stated that she 'adjusted' some of the dates or locations to make the story flow, I felt in the end more like I had read a historical fiction book than an actual biography. I was hoping for more of a factual biography.

There seems to be quite a bit of hype about the book, comparing it to Wolf Hall - I can't speak to that, as I couldn't get past the first chapter of Wolf Hall, though I know it is a popular book.

This was. a great read and it was very well written. I love historical fiction and this one was very high up there for me. I enjoyed learning more about Joan.

Katherine J. Chen has created an engaging, relatable Joan of Arc in a highly readable piece of historical fiction. I appreciate the focus on the human girl of Joan in contrast to the more typical saintly hero. I was also pleased to spend time getting to know her and her world during her 17 years prior to her capture and death, which is again so often highlighted.

Now the issue, and unfortunately, it is a big one. I acknowledge artistic license and the need for fiction writers to fill in the blanks; however, Chen openly says in her author’s notes that she made significant changes to the times and the known aspects of Joan’s life for the purpose of creating a specific character and point for contemporary readers. I look for strong research and factual underlay to my historical fiction, and now I simply don’t know what I can trust and what I can’t in this account. That is disappointing.

Thank you to Katherine J. Chen, Random House, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This well written historical fiction novel really brings Joan of Arc to life. Early in the 1400s, leading the French army on the battlefield and battling in the halls of kings, Joan is both ambitious and vulnerable, making her a teenager you will never forget. Recommended reading.

Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arch by Katherine Chen is a perfect book for our times. I mean who doesn't love a novel about a woman fighting battles and showing men how to get things done. This is not your typical historical fictional novel about a person most people know about. It's a retelling with the author putting her own what if's to the story. Some may find it frustrating for her not sticking to the facts but it was exhilarating
to read about a new take on things if a different path were taken in Joan's life. From the opening page you just keep turning even though you know the eventual outcome. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this novel. Truly opened my mind to not judge a book by it's cover or thinking you may know everything about a person. Thank you to Random House and netgalley for the early read!!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I've loved the history of Joan of Arc for a long time. The idea that a young, brave, independent young woman did all of that, in the time period of her life, always inspired me. NOW: I know this is a *novel* and not a historical, exact biography so I appreciate that this is an interpretation of her life and her story. Learning more about Joan prior to the points in history that have defined her really helped add additional depth and understanding to this young lady. Chen has a lovely writing style that makes you feel like you're sitting next to this warm, alive, vibrant human right then, instead of someone from hundreds of years ago. A lot of historical fiction can feel like a standard "here's what happened" story, but Chen veers off and offers different perspectives and theories as to why Joan became Joan. Was it her upbringing or her faith that grounded her? What if she was too prideful, too bold, for a woman of her time? I was fascinated by this. Chen is a fabulous author and I very much enjoyed this book.

As a devout lover of medieval history and historical fiction, I can strongly say this book checks my boxes -a book that transports you to a place, to a person, to a feeling that I’ll remember .
Though Joan made a great leap from her childhood story (which I favored) to being a warrior woman, the story didn’t fail to produce a enthralling portrait of a godlike woman, one that I am excited to remember and hold close.
Overall, excellent historical fiction that took me by surprise as the ending was not what I anticipated and the details throughout were magically descriptive and fulfilling. This is an author who understands life.
Thanks NetGalley!! I’ll take any more books like this.

It is as if the author got inside the head if people who knew Joan of Arc. The amount of detail (read research) really brought the middle ages to life. What a great telling. Joan was truly a force to be reckoned with.

In general, I quite enjoy novels exploring the lives of historical figures, but this one just didn't work for me. The pacing was slow, and I never felt I came to know Joan well enough to really find myself caring about her fate.

“‘I believe God crafted the sound of a woman’s scream,’ she says, ‘to pierce the heart and test our humanity, whether we still have it or whether we have left it behind.’”

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Joan of Arc is one of the great feminist icons and holy figures in all of humanity. Katherine Chen tells us her story as if she were Arya Stark growing into Brienne of Tarth and I'm here for it. As a young girl she faces many hardships, including a father that despises her because she is not a boy. She spends as much time as she can outside of the home making friends, learning trades and collecting useful items. After she witnesses the death of a neighborhood boy she begins to grow up before her time hardening herself for an even harder life ahead.

Her wiles, her strengths and her pure heart bring her to the court of the Dauphin where she pledges her fealty and presses to become a knight. Although the story claims to be secular, the force of God propels her and the king forward in their decisions as they look for a way for the French to defeat the English. We hear as Joan really battles to become a woman outside her time, what she must sacrifice and how her legend grows. She was a very powerful political influence as well as a forceful soldier. There are several graphic battles described so fear not if historical fiction alone is not your thing, there is some serious action in this one. As with all stories of power, it’s a bit tough to watch the fall although we all know how this one ends in tragedy.

Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this one. All opinions above are my own.

Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc is told from the time of 1422 in France. The story begins with Joan at age ten, who takes part in a mock battle. With three older brothers and one sister who is considered beauty, Joan is more of what we call a tomboy. The household that is written about is of an abusive father, who apparently hates Joan from birth due to losing a bet that she would be a son. For everything that goes wrong, Joan is target for her father's anger.

We have been told at thirteen, she starts having visions, but in this book Joan embraces her faith in her own way. This is a interesting approach since no one can say for sure why and if Joan actually had visions, but that is the legend and this is fiction based on her life.

The writing is beautiful, mesmerizing as it is descriptive. This was a regaling of the legend and how much she is loved and revered. It is a wonderful story of what if this was the way it happened and I was caught up in the wonder of it all. I was glad it ended before the end of her life. It is not surprising to read the King had turned against her, they often do when they get what they want. Ultimately Joan also got what she wanted, she made a difference, and she is remember for what she accomplished.

I want to thank Random House and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book as an ARC. This is an interesting work of fiction. It is about Joan of Arc. This Joan is not the traditional Joan, who was led to lead France and crown the king with her religious visions. This Joan is a young girl, whose experiences with her physically abusive father, make her a fighter. This is a Joan, who has a relationship with God, in a more work a day fashion. This Joan is a young girl who is a warrior, who fights to get what she wants.I really think it is best to just call it fiction, rather than historical fiction, a much of it comes from the author's imagination.The book spends most of its pages on Joan as a young girl, born into poverty and abuse, with only her sister Catherine, to guide her. Joan grows tall and strong, and is brought into the orbit of the Dauphin of France because of this, not her own religious convictions. While I enjoyed the writing , I am troubled by the distinctly anti religious tone of the book. I cannot understand writing a book about a saint, and disregarding the religious aspect. I did read the notes by the author, in which she said she took liberties with Joan's history to make her journey relatable. I would argue that this is the point- her journey is not relatable, but inspiring. If you are looking for an interesting piece of fiction, this might be for you. If you are looking for inspiration, you will need to look elsewhere.

This fictional rendering of the life of Joan of Arc from age ten until her death is hard to put down. Joan’s survival of her childhood abuse at the hands of her father creates a strength of character within Joan that is a large part of her success as a warrior. Joan’s character has depth and the narrative contains enough of the political machinations of the time without getting the uninformed reader bogged down. For anyone interested in medieval history, this well-researched, clear eyed account is a must read. I will definitely have this on the high school library shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was incredibly well written. It's the story of Joan of Arc or the Maid of Orleans. It is hard to tell what the author made up and what actually happened because it's rather seamless and well researched. I think it's brilliant and props to the author for being able to do it. If you enjoy historical fiction about real people, I highly recommend this one.

Chen has written a dense, unique view of Joan of Arc, sweeping away much of the mythology to present the story of a young woman forged by abuse and upheaval in her small village who becomes a heroine of France and, ultimately, martyr. Joan's father lost a bet when she was born a girl and made her pay for it every day after. Her only solace at home was her sister Catherine, her itinerant uncle, and her dog but her eagerness to work and help others meant that the village fed and encouraged her. And then one day, seven year old Guilliame is killed when rival soldiers come to town and he does not throw the rock she pressed into his hand. This lingers in her mind throughout her life, especially as she grows- grows taller than anyone else- and gains strength. A strength she needs when the Bitih invade. Still a teen, she apprentices herself to a local duke and then comes to attention of the Dauphin, which is where the familiar story begins. Chen adds a bit of the political history of France (so complicated) to each chapter but avoids the trap of pulling the reader t00 far down the rabbit hole of who was who and what was what during this tumultuous period. The same is true of Joan's visions, which are presented more as part of her life than anything else. Know that, true to the period, this is violent (somehow I never envisioned exactly what Joan did with that sword in battle) but never exploitative. It's a fascinating portrait of a young woman. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Fantastic historical fiction about the famous heroic figure of France - Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc played a key role in successfully turning the tide in the 100 years war between England and France. She was instrumental in the coronation of Charles VII as the King of France. She was later betrayed by court conspiracies and jealousies which resulted in her capture by the English side and she was burnt at the stake as a heretic. Some 500 years later, these accusations were retracted and she was pronounced a saint.

The author has dealt with the whole saga from an interesting and novel perspective. Rather than focus on the saintly qualities of Joan of Arc, she has consciously portrayed her first as a tomboyish peasant girl who then grows up to be a tough war hero. She has to repeatedly prove her worth and suffer untold trials and tribulations merely on account of having born female.

I did not have much background knowledge on Joan except the vague notion that she was a warrior-saint was burnt at the stake and this made for interesting reading indeed. The characters are well developed and the writing style is beautiful, almost like poetry. which makes the novel an engrossing read.

Thank you Netgalley, Katherine J Chen and Random House Publishing for the ARC.