Joan
The stunning new feminist reimagining of Joan of Arc
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4.0 • 7 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A stunning feminist reimagining of the life of Joan of Arc - perfect for fans of Cecily, Ariadne and Matrix
'It is as if the author has crept inside a statue and breathed a soul into it, re-creating Joan of Arc as a woman for our time' Hilary Mantel, twice Booker Prize-winning author of The Mirror & the Light
'A glorious, sweeping novel . . . Richly imagined, poignant and inspiring' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
'Chen earns the comparison [to Mantel] thanks to her vivid, visceral and boldly immediate storytelling . . . a hypnotic heroine for our time' Telegraph
'Chen's Joan roars off the page. If you liked Ariadne, then this has to be your next read' Red Magazine
'Brilliant . . . Chen [presents] Joan as a beguiling, fully human mix of wariness and confidence, and fiercely protective of those she loves' Guardian
'Chen's brilliantly imagined novel breathes new life into this famous tale. Her Joan is a riotous tomboy, a hot-headed adolescent and a decidedly unsaintly soldier - and is all the more inspiring for it. A triumph of historical fiction' Mail on Sunday
*Times Best Historical Novels of July 2022 Pick*
*The Week Best Novels of 2022 Pick*
***
Girl. Warrior. Heretic. Saint?
France is mired in a losing war against England. Its people are starving. Its king is in hiding. Yet out of the chaos, an unlikely heroine emerges.
Reckless, steel-willed and brilliant, Joan has survived a childhood steeped in both joy and violence to claim an extraordinary - and fragile - position at the head of the French army. The battlefield and the royal court are full of dangers and Joan finds herself under suspicion from all sides - as well as under threat from her own ambition.
With unforgettably vivid characters and propulsive storytelling, Joan is a thrilling epic, a triumph of historical fiction, and a feminist celebration of one remarkable - and remarkably real - woman who left an indelible mark on history.
PRAISE FOR JOAN
'Measured, austere, profoundly physical. I loved it' Jo Baker, author of Longbourn
'Pacy but lyrical, which takes great skill . . . Joan possesses a mystical, spiritual quality that gleams within the dirt and brutality of war, while her kindness and compassion shine through. I loved the writing, the imagery, the feeling of authenticity: this novel will stay with me for a long time' Elizabeth Chadwick, bestselling author
'This masterly and intense portrait creates a convincing three-dimensional character from the young peasant woman gifted with visions who, in her short life, followed her destiny to fight for the disputed French crown, even at the cost of her life. A highly immersive read' Anne O'Brien, bestselling author of The Royal Game
'In Katherine J. Chen's capable hands, Joan becomes fully flesh and achingly real' Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends
'An epic novel with the mythic power of a fairytale' Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles
Customer Reviews
Jeanne sans foi? Pas sur ma montre
Korean-American author whose first novel ‘Mary B’ (2018), gave life to the largely neglected middle sister of Jane Austen’s Bennett family. The book received mixed reviews based largely, as far as I can tell, on how strongly held the reviewer’s feelings about ‘Pride and Prejudice’ were/are. In case you were wondering, the answer in a majority of cases appears to be very strongly. (See footnote).
Second time at bat, Ms Chen provides a “secular re-imagining” of the life of legendary French heroine of the Hundred Years War: Joan of Arc. For those of you not overly familiar with 15th century European history (and if not, why not), the author intersperses her narrative with potted summaries of relevant facts sufficient to keep you up to speed.
Those were my favourite parts. While Ms Chen’s style is easy to read, and I admire her pluck for taking on this project, a Joan without faith was a suspension of disbelief too far for this boomer, and I’m an atheist! There were no blood-and-gore filled descriptions of battles either, and the narrative stopped before our gal got barbecued. That might suit millennials raised on a diet of Sally Rooney, but it’s not my idea of historical fiction.
Footnote
I used to think I fell into the strong feelings group regarding Saint Jane, as distinct from Saint Joan, until I started reading reviews of ‘Mary B.’ There are peeps out there ready to storm the Capitol for her and her legacy!