With such a well-known historical figure as the eponymous character, a reader has to wonder, "What is Chen going to bring to the story that we don't already know? What's going to be unique about this version?" In other words, why read this when Joan of Arc's biography can be so easily accessed elsewhere. The answer is apparent almost immediately, but -- in all honesty -- didn't fully hook me until Part Two.

Chen's "Joan" unfolds in four parts, the longest are the first two, which are focused on Joan's childhood and early life. Here, a word of warning on the content is warranted: I won't spoil it for you, just know that there are prolonged episodes of abuse and gendered violence. However, these are critical parts of both Joan's story and Chen's commentary on medieval gender; it is in these initial sections of the novel that the thread of feminist commentary on late Medieval injustice against the female sex and gender begin -- and is continually woven throughout the remainder. Parts three and four are shorter, though no less powerful or impactful. These sections cover the part of the Historical Joan's life that we know: her military victories and defeats, her incredible and rapid rise in the French court and royal favor, and her violent, tragic death.

Given that she was aged nineteen when she was executed, Chen's emphasis on the early and historically unknown years of Joan's life immediately signals Chen's intention. This is not a novel of SAINT Joan of Arc, not a novel about the Maid of Orleans, but -- as the title should amply hint -- is a novel about the girl, the woman, the person, Joan.

There are other ways Chen immediately announces this is a fictional take on the non-Historical Joan: the novel is written in 3rd person, present tense, which suggests to the reader that none of the events unfolding should be taken as a foregone conclusion; they are happening right now, the reader is a witness. Since historical scholarship is always written in the past tense (as a rule), Chen is clear that this should not be read as a piece of creative non-fiction.

Speaking of history, it is worth noting that Chen's novel is also not about Joan at all. While Joan is a fictional protagonist, Chen's novel is grounded in solid history. And I do not mean merely the dates and outcomes of the battles or the names of the characters who inhabit this world. Chen has clearly immersed themselves in the medieval French world and successfully does the same for the reader through their prose. Descriptions of characters and scenes convey not only the image of the person or the place, but reveal the rigid class hierarchies, influence of religion, gendered expectations, and cultural milieu of this period. Chen not only gives us a biography of Joan, but also texturizes her world for the reader so that the reader walks away with an almost tactile, palpable sense of this world. For example, in describing one character, Chen writes of how Joan notices their hands are smooth and absent of callouses, a clear signal of their status and lifestyle. "Joan", the novel, is a vivid landscape of medieval France and its culture. This is arguably Chen's strongest answer the question I posed above, the special "thing" Chen brings to an already famous, somewhat overdone historical narrative.

A final and related note to this praise: Chen does not romanticize medieval European history and the effect of injecting medieval elements into her prose is (thankfully) not pedantic. It is informative and necessary, serving to achieve that cultural immersion I spoke of above. For example, religion is a major element of this period of history and in Chen's novel, but Chen does not pose secular, material concerns and ambitions in opposition to religion or divine will; Chen understands history and its nuances, framing the events of Joan's transformation in much more human and earthly terms. The effect is refreshing. Too much historical fiction assumes a presentist perspective; the characters are contemporary people, holding contemporary worldviews and values plonked down in some other era in time. Chen successfully avoids this annoying anachronism.

All in all, Chen's Joan is a fantastic novel: I personally dislike present tense narratives and Joan of Arc is not a historical figure that appeals, so my rating of four stars is not indicative of the merits of the novel itself. It's worth reading. Read it if you love medieval history, women's history, or Joan of Arc!

England and France have been at war for close to ninety years. Charles VI, the King of France, is mentally incapacitated, and Henry V, King of England, has had major victories in battle, amongst which is Agincourt. Almost all the territories north of the Loire Valley are in British possession.

During the power vacuum that arises in the French court as result of the king’s incapacitation, two political forces emerge: Charles VII, the Dauphin, eldest surviving son of the king, and his father’s cousin, John I, Duke of Burgundy. In May 1418, the Duke of Burgundy drives the Dauphin out of Paris, and a year later, the Dauphin is embroiled in the assassination of John I during a truce meeting. Unfortunately for Charles VII, the late Duke’s only son, the new Duke of Burgundy, Phillip III, becomes his cousin bitter enemy, and swears to help the English against the French.

In 1420, by the Treaty of Troyes, Henry V is to marry Catherine of Valois, the youngest daughter of the French King. By this treaty, the son (and future heirs) of that union will rule over both France and England, also giving Henry V the right to succeed Charles VI instead of the Dauphin. Now “illegitimate”, the Dauphin takes refuge and establishes his own court in Chinon. He has followers, but victories are scant, and his own mother, Isabeau of Bavaria, no longer recognizes him as an heir to the throne. For these reasons, the Dauphin must prevail if he wants to rule.

The novel starts in 1422. That summer Henry V dies of dysentery, followed by Charles VI soon after. The Dauphin has a coronation ceremony. By then, Joan of Arc is an ordinary ten-year-old. She is continually hit by her father, and has little prospects in life, for she is not a beauty (to aspire to a good marriage, like her sister Catherine), or a boy (to work in the fields, as her male siblings do). However, as she enters her teenage years, she grows taller, stronger, and increasingly bolder, so she no longer takes passively her father’s abuse. When a British party attacks her small village, it sets in motion a chain of events that will make Joan realize her destiny.

Told in present tense, by an omniscient narrator, Joan by Katherine J. Chen is an immersive, evocative, and beautifully written story about the coming of age of Joan of Arc. Chen challenges the notion of Joan as a religious zealot who received saintly revelations; instead, the reader is presented with the image of a hardworking teenage peasant, whose character and determination were forged by parental abuse and war stories related by people she held dear.

Chen’s Joan is taller and stronger than most people, a born tactician gifted in the art of war, be it by visualizing how a battle would unfold, or dexterously using weapons for the first time. This Joan has earned her stripes the hard way, and doesn’t shy away from feeling exceedingly confident (borderline arrogant) about what she can accomplish in the battlefield. Despite her inauspicious beginnings, she hasn’t lost her faith in the goodness of people; unfortunately, her pride takes a toll, and the powerful allies she has galvanized around her by the strength of her virtues, desert her. This Joan is closer to reality than the woman of legend, and I couldn’t help but feeling sad about her end, even though Chen also reimagines a bolder and more appropriate sendoff to Joan than history has made us believe.

All characters are vividly rendered, from Joan (the heroine), to Jacques d’Arc, La Tremoilles (the King’s favorite) and Charles VII (first Dauphin, then King)—the villains. My favorite portrayals were those of Joan and the Dauphin, because I felt they had an easy relationship based on mutual respect, at least until royal intrigue soured the friendship.

Overall, Joan by Katherine J. Chen is a beautiful, immersive, and easy to read novel that present us with an alternative version of Joan of Arc than the one historical accounts show us. In giving us a woman closer to reality, Chen has breathed an air of modernity into a religious icon that captivate us, but from whom we can’t help but feel utterly disconnected. Chen has ignited our imagination with a different Joan, one complex and prideful, caring, and down to earth.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided me with a digital ARC, via Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Joan" was exquisitely done in its portrayal of the famous French heroine. It pays beautiful attention to Joan's life growing up and the circumstances surrounding her life, which feels tangible. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction, specifically the novel "Hamnet," I imagine will love this book!

Not knowing a lot about Joan of Arc, other than having been burned at the stake, this book was quite informative. It begins with Joan's childhood in Domremy, France in a peasant family. For me this part of the book was too long and almost gave up reading it. I'm glad I didn't! Once she had the determination to do something for her country, she couldn't be stopped. I learned that the English had taken Normandy, Burgundy and even Paris. France's king was a weak king and Joan convinced him she could fight for her country and win. This is pretty unbelievable given that she was a 17 year old girl fighting with season warriors, all men. She had great success until the king was ready to stop fighting and think all the war was over. The author took some liberties with this story which she clarified in the Author's Notes what was fiction and what was history. Overall, I really liked learning so much about Joan of Arc that I had to read more on her actual history.

DNF. I think Katherine J. Chen’s style is just not for me; not due to the writing, but due to the weird stripping characters and historical figures of essential parts of their identity (her version of Elizabeth Bennet in her prior book was unrecognizable, for example). I was apprehensive, but cautiously optimistic about a “secular” take on Joan’s story, but doing so completely strips her of anything that makes her stand out. And while I’m all for a “modern” approach, couldn’t any other female warrior whose story wasn’t tied to religion also have worked just as well?

Joan of Arc has always been such a fascinating person. And I have always loved reading and learning about her. Katherine Chen's depictation of Joan in this historical fiction tale is so incredibly told that you almost feel like it's a biography. Her portrayal of Joan is masterfully told in this rendition of the celebrated and beloved saint, without the traditional relationship with God that we all know her for. It follows her life from age 10, living in a small French village with an abusive father and ignorant mother, all the way to the end of her life. I cannot say enough about this book, it is exceptional!

Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen is a remarkable tale! The story begins with Joan, a peasant at 10 years of age. It follows her life as an unwanted, mistreated child who loved her sister, her uncle and her dog fiercely. It chronicles the events that led her to the head of an army and undeniable defeats over the enemies of France. Joan is an inspiration for women, peasants, and the country. However, her victories and the love the people have for her threaten the king. The settings are richly detailed from the countryside to the food. The characters are relatable, complex and profound. Chen is a masterful story teller who weaves together a fascinating tale of family dynamics, politics, religious zealotry and a thirst for justice. It is an exceptionally well written, engaging tale of medieval proportions.

Jacque de Arc did not like his daughter. She was tall and gangly and he thrashed her whenever he got the chance. As she grew older she became unmanageable and someone who gave as good as she got. The death of her brother and older sister sent her into a life of revenge against her father.

War in France is divided between many factions including the Burgundians, the Dauphine, John the Fearless, the English, and others. Charles the VII of France, the Dauphine and rightful heir to the throne of France, is protected by Joan.

Joan leads armies into battle against the British and those who want to control the country. The king, under her protection, gains cities on his way to Paris. The population feels that Joan must be a witch or worse! Her victories are thought to be the work of the devil.

Charles becomes disillusioned with Joan and puts her in prison but wary of her becoming too powerful releases her again to man inadequate armies to continue regaining control of France (and hopefully to die in battle). The church also has trepidations regarding Joan’s success and begins to plan her overthrow and burn her at the stake.

Ms. Chen has written a compelling tale of the plight of “The Maid of Orleans.” Joan is ultimately burned at the stake because of the suspicion of her being an instrument of the devil.

This is a well-written tale of the life and times of Joan of Arc. I strongly recommend it to history buffs and those who enjoy medieval tales. 4.5 stars

Joan by Katherine J. Chen~
Before she saved Orléans and helped pave the way for Charles the VII to be crowned, she was just a peasant girl.
Joan was born in the village of Domrémy and was the daughter of Jacques d’Arc. Though many in the town was fond of her, her father was unfortunately not. Countless times she was beaten for little or no reason, yelled at and cast out into the night, and yet Joan never let it get to her. It was that same perseverance which would help her one day become the woman she was meant to be. Though she endured many hardships, it was not till the death of her beloved sister that she finally was forced to breakaway. She traveled to Vaucouleurs where her unusual strengths for horsemanship and skills caught the attention of the Duke who than sent her to meet the uncrowned King of France.
A retelling of the Saint Joan of Arc that I unfortunately did not connect with. It’s not that the writing was inadequate, the book was actually very well written and interesting, but it’s the sheer fact that the author veered so far from the history. The whole point of how amazing the story of Joan truly is-is that she was not a warrior or anything remotely special. She was simply the messenger from God, and was given the path to save France. This book had no mention of her visions or the fact that God sent her, she basically made it out as a farce which I couldn’t accept. Thank you Netgalley for gifting me this arc and allowing me to review.

How interesting and refreshing to reimagine the life of a saint with a non traditional relationship with God. Joan’s short life fills the pages from an abusive childhood until shortly before her death 19 years later. I loved so many parts of this story: Joan’s capacity for empathy, her ability to focus on the needs at hand, her self-awareness. Once again, the pettiness of the king and his advisors is on display. It is easy to see how much the author loves her subject.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC to read and review.

This isn’t my usual genre but I really loved how this was told. I like the embellishment to let us feel the full picture of Joan, made it so much more relate able!

"Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc" by Katherine J. Chen is a fabulous fictionalized telling of the true story of Saint Joan of Arc! I knew nothing about Joan prior to reading this book, but Ms. Chen's descriptive writing made her come alive to me. I was completely enthralled with Joan's character and riveted by her journey from abused peasant girl to one of the greatest warriors who ever lived, male or female! Joan is truly a hero for modern day women; she overcame the rampant sexism and classism of her day and rose to great heights based upon her own personal merit. I was greatly saddened by her fall from grace and am truly pleased that her story is still being told and that she has received her rightful place in history.

Meticulously researched and beautifully told, "Joan" is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read in quite some time. It is well deserving of a place on the shelf of any fan of historical fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this marvelous book, in exchange for my honest review.

I had a really hard time with this book. I had to stop reading about 25% of the way in. I struggled with the grammar and sentence structure and the lack of paragraph structure. There was no "conversation structure" where there should have been. I understand that ARCs are drafts, but this was very difficult. I also struggled with the fact that the language changed from a first person "I" perspective to a "she/her" third person observer perspective in the middle of a chapter or paragraph and it made the story really hard to connect to. I didn't find myself having any sort of vested interest in the characters or what happened to them. Hopefully someone else has better luck with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for inviting me to read this book and providing me with a digital copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.

A young girl grows up to lead the forces at war. Joan outgrew her size and loved battle but could not convince anyone to let her fight.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the novel, but I feel that it deviates too much from historical accounts to recommend it.

I received a digital advance copy of Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen via NetGalley. Joan is scheduled for release on July 5, 2022.

Joan is a fictionalized story of Joan of Arc’s path from a young girl living in poverty with her abusive father to a young woman favored by the unrecognized King of France due to her miraculous skills in battle. As long as she can help him reclaim his kingdom, Joan is allowed to be more than a woman. If she is unlucky enough to stumble on her quest, however, her fate may quickly change.

Chen clearly did extensive research as she developed her version of Joan. This novel did a great job of incorporating historical knowledge with the author’s own imaginings in a way that made me very curious where the line between history and fiction lies. As I am not very familiar with the details of Joan’s story, or the specifics of the war in question, I was able to take Chen’s version of Joan as truth. Based on the author’s note at the end of the novel, readers more familiar with Joan’s story may have more questions about Chen’s rendering of the character.

My lack of familiarity with the history did also give me a bit of difficulty at some points in the story. While Chen has included some short interludes to explain the events occurring outside Joan’s portion of the story, I did find myself having some difficulty in following the connections between events in the story. Some of the narrative added to this difficulty, as Chen shifted her narrative distance in the middle section of the story to add variety to the descriptions of battles in the war. As we moved to different characters telling the stories of the battles and Joan’s role in the battles, I sometimes struggled to follow the timeline.

Overall, Joan is a fresh interpretation of one woman’s rise to sainthood and fall from formal grace. While history buffs may question Chen’s take on the character, the story achieves its aim of presenting a more balanced portrayal of a woman than history sometimes allows.

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, becoming an unlikely hero whose name will echo across the centuries.
Katherine Chen takes the myth and legend of Joan of Arc and transforms it into a flesh-and-blood young woman who is reckless, steel-willed, and brilliant. The author's research is a sweeping narrative of Joan's life, from a childhood full of joy and violence, to her meteoric rise to fame at the head of the French army, where she navigates 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, while her first taste of fame and glory leaves her vulnerable to her own powerful ambition.

I am the first one to admit that I knew very little about Joan of Arc. This book is a wonderful recreation of what her young life was like at the hands of a very cruel father and the events leading to her leading the army of France to victory with all its acclaim until she loses battles and is betrayed especially by the king she thought was her friend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a time in history that I don't ordinarily read and enjoying it very much.

I hoped this book would be everything I love about historical fiction, the opportunity to learn about a historical figure I do not know enough about. And it is that, and the book is fine, but I didn't love it. I think we spent too much time in her childhood. I just kept waiting for the story to really start. Also, Joan's story is slightly different than what you learn about in school. The vision's aren't the same. I just feel like if I'm reading a book about Joan of Arc and that's the thing everyone know about her that it should have been kept the same? And maybe been a more integral part. This book is perfectly fine in my opinion and the writing is really good.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for early access to this work.
This book is a fictionalized account of the life of Joan of Arc. Beginning when Joan was just a child, this story spans Joan's childhood, thru her quick rise in Charles VII French Army, and her eventual fall from grace. I appreciate the historical accuracy regarding timeline and events. Obviously, the author has spent an abundant time researching Joan's life. The difference I found here, and glaringly so, was the lack of Joan's obsessive devoutness. Her visions, believed to be messages from God, led her to become the soldier she was. However, this fictionalized version had a giant Joan, (she was quite small in real life) warring with her faith. She did believe herself to be an instrument of God, but in the end, it was her arrogance that caused her demise.
Truly though, this is an exceptional piece of work. So well written it was easy to envision Joan's life as a child, on the battlefield, and the eventual journey toward her execution. Her strength and conviction is inspiring. Whether it was true to Joan's real life? I believe chronologically so, but only that. If you are looking more for an accurate account of the factual life of Joan of Arc, you may find this a little lacking in that area. Otherwise, I would consider this a very good read.

When you hear Joan of Arc, a particular image probably comes to mind. Perhaps it is that of the fierce warrior in armor and chainmail brandishing a sword and charging into battle. Or it might be of the young girl, wise beyond her years, who heard the voice of God and was eventually burned at the stake. In her debut novel, Katherine J. Chen presents her own vision of Joan, one of courage, resilience, vulnerability and passion. This is a beautifully written novel that will have you thinking about this iconic woman in new and complex ways.