I had a rough idea about Joan of Arc and this book was a fascinating delve into her early life. I loved Joan and thought she was fantastically brought to life by the author, you could feel the rage practically bouncing off the page every time she went to battle.

I tried really hard with this novel but I just couldn't get into it. It didn't seem to flow particularly and the story would start and stop with lots of introspection, explanation and flash backs which felt a little like filling in word count. Knowing, obviously, the story of Joan of Arc, I wonder how relevant it all is to the story and plot. It certain stopped me from finding out.

It just didn't engage.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC to review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the storytelling, narrative voice, and the characters felt so real and full.

I thought this was a good historical fiction read and I love a re-telling which puts women at the heart of the story.

There was a lot of characters to get to grips with and I wish some of them had been explained more for those that don't know a lot about this time period. There was a lot of other detail and it was very well researched.

Definitely for fans of historical fiction!

This book retells the story Of Joan of Arc in t5th Century France as she rises to renown as a a warrior.
I liked this book but wanted to like it more than the actuality. I really struggled with the writing style which simply did not hold my attention and at times felt like I was wading through Treacle. I would start each chapter thinking I had captured the rhythm of the narrative only to find, a few pages on, that I had once gain lost the thread. There were too many words and not enough of them really driving the narrative forward.
In essence the author failed to fully bring to the life the events in Joan's life and I ended up struggling to finish

I really enjoyed reading Joan. It was gripping from the very start, intense, thrilling, intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable. Would definitely recommend.

I love the idea of Joan of Arc and so was super excited to be given the opportunity to read this. I was daunted at first by the list of characters at the beginning of the book, as I thought I'd have no idea how to keep up with them all. However, once the book started I felt myself being drawn into Joan's world - the poverty, dirt, hunger, violence that she grew up with. Joan's life is hard, and there are numerous trigger warnings throughout the book, but the descriptions took me right there, in those fields and within those trees. I sided with her immediately, wanting her to survive the difficulties she faced.

The book is not always historically accurate - for example, Joan within the book is described as very unattractive with big broad shoulders, towering over most men. History would suggest that Joan was 5'2" and of average build, but this makes some of the story more believable. Her journey from country girl to warrior and leader of the army feels inevitable due to her sheer force of nature. I like the fact that although the real Joan was believed to be very religious, fictional Joan's relationship with God is more ambivalent, and her victories are due to her ambition, bravery and tactical mindset rather than the fact that she was purely blessed.

I felt that the book gave a good depiction of court life, and how easy it is to rise and then dramatically fall, and showed how power corrupts.

There is a lot packed into this book, and it took me quite a while to read it as I kept stopping to look up certain people and events to ascertain how historical accurate it was, which I quite enjoy in a book as I feel it teaches me something and I come out of it knowing more than I went into it!

Overall, a really enjoyable read, but do check those TW,

TW: child death, rape, suicide, violent battle scenes, murder

In 1412, France is rapidly losing its war with England. The king has vanished and the country’s hopes lay at the feet of a teenage girl, hell-bent on victory and peace. Joan is an epic story of resilience and unimaginable strength. I knew little about Joan of Arc before reading this captivating novel but I now know that she was a woman that everyone can aspire to emulate. It’s a truly heartbreaking tale but the stroke of hope at its end reminded me that the even the darkest times eventually pass.

A character within history I shamefully knew very little about. I enjoyed this exploration of Joan of Arc. I was most interested in her background, how she grew up and how she became the young woman she did. Her family life from her difficult relationship with her family to her love for her sister. For me, the early parts of the novel were a triumph, both refreshing and entirely original. And I really loved the feminist tone. That said, I did find that my attention waned towards the end during the battle scenes - however, this is just a personal preference.
A fascinating and well-written insight into an iconic young woman.

i was very much hyped for this given that i am very intrigued, infatuated even, by joan of arc. chen's take just didn't sit right to me. her prose is very dry and i can see it appealing to fans of mandel but i just had a hard go of it. the choice to change joan's relationship to her religion also was a choice i didn't quite get.

I really enjoyed this re-imagining of the life of Joan of Arc. I liked the way the story unfolded, starting with a brutal childhood that created a tough young woman ready to take on the might of England in order to free France and take her revenge for what war has done to her and those she loves. I felt the exploration of peoples motivations, manipulations, and ultimate weaknesses was very well done, particularly Joan's relationship with the Dauphin. Joan herself is a great character, you get a real feel for how her experiences have shaped her, and how she deals with an intensely patriarchal world. This may be a fictional tale, but it captures the time and place brilliantly, and I ended up really wishing this Joan was the real one despite how it ultimately ends.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

I didn't go into this knowing a huge amount about Joan of Arc, beyond the absolute basics and that one episode of the Simpsons. I confess that It was the comparisons to Hilary Mantel's writing that drew me in and on this front it certainly delivers. Joan is the same kind of epic, detailed retelling of the life of a prominent historical figure from a fresh perspective. However, where Thomas Cromwell was much maligned, Chen seeks to flesh out the glowing, saintly representations of Joan of Arc into something that feels more real and plausible, and imbues Joan with the agency to earn her legendary status through work rather than chance.

I was relieved to find that this book wasn't, as it might have been, littered with detailed battle scenes. Whilst Joan's warrior status is Achilles-esque, the novel focuses more on her interiority, so you hear more about her battle prowess through her attitude to it, as well as the attitudes of those around her. This isn't a fast paced novel by any stretch - it does luxuriate slightly in the minutiae of situations, the minuscule shifts in demeanours of characters like the Dauphin, the craftsmanship of physical objects. This might lead to some finding it dull but if you are a fan of this sort of thing in the Wolf Hall novels then you'll almost certainly enjoy it here.

The detail of the characterisation is where this book really shines. The Dauphin, in particular, stands out to me for the gradual way in which his character evolves and resists tipping into full villainy whilst still being a clearly cruel and antagonistic influence.

The only slight quarrel I have with the book is that it is clear that Joan derives her endurance and strength from the abuse she endures at the hands of her father. I'm not suggesting that the book leans too hard into the stereotype of abuse being something that strengthens an individual, but it did feel like a slightly convenient route to take. However, in her postscript, Chen is clear about the ways in which this incarnation of Joan was deeply personal to her, so I'm reluctant to bear down on her too heavily for this particular choice.

Had an absolute blast reading this on the train through France!

Joan by Katherine J. Chen is a well-researched and detailed, fictionalised account of Joan of Arc’s tragically short life. Beginning with her violent and abusive childhood at the hand of her father Jacques D’Arc, Joan realises that she is different to the others in her village and vows she will fight the English who are bringing devastation to the country she loves. She grows to become a warrior at the head of the French army with strength unrivalled even by the most battle hardened of soldiers. As Joan navigates her tenuous position in the royal court, she comes to realise that the hardest of battles are not always fought on the battlefield.

Before reading this novel, I hadn’t really considered Joan of Arc’s life, like a lot of people, I only know the most famous stories about her, so I was keen to read this. I enjoyed this book, I found Joan’s character was brought to life and was so full of strength and determination, I couldn’t help but admire her and what she achieved at such a young age. I found the perspective of the story to be interesting, Katherine J. Chen has portrayed Joan as a true warrior rather than as the holy woman which she is most often depicted. Throughout this story, Joan battles with her relationship with God and religion and I found this to be a refreshing angle in a character set in the 15th century. Overall, I found this book to be a brilliant piece of historical fiction and Katherine J. Chen has written a vivid, captivating account of one of history’s most famous women. Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced digital copy for review.

An interesting and original take on the short life of Joan of Arc,with emphasis on how she became the warrior who defeated the English and crowned the Dauphin rather than the woman who heard the voices of saints.This Joan is a more modern woman ,and the book focuses on her childhood, her abusive father and her love for her sister Catherine which all helped her to become a fierce fighter.
I was really convinced by the character ,portrayed with all its flaws ,and felt great sympathy for her throughout.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

I really enjoyed this insightful reimagining of Joan of arc. It was a Nobel that delves into themes of family and sacrifice. Loved everything about this novel and can’t wait to read more of Chen’s books.

I really enjoyed 'Joan' by Katherine J Chen. This is the story of Joan the little girl, Joan the teenager, Joan the woman who fights for France in a turbulent time. Conscious of the complex history, the author provides contextual information in a series of 'check=ins' throughout the book, which help the reader navigate the passage of time and the changes to Joan over her short life. I really enjoyed this slow burn depiction of Joan, the focus on her choices (and this case her lack of religious fervour), her strength of belief in France, and her complicated relationship with her father. I especially loved the finish, though I won't leave spoilers here. Will be buying this for several of my friends.

A really interesting reimagining of the Jean d'Arc story. In this fiction Joan is still a young girl from a harsh, violent and poor background but this time round she is has a cast iron will, questions why women have to accept the roles they are given and is brimming with the sort of self confidence that allows her at the tender age of 13 to stride into the Dauphin's court and convince him that she can lead his armies to victory over the English. I wanted to love this book but the narrative but was a bit plodding and somehow fell a bit flat so in the end it was a bit of a slog. If you are a history buff the inaccuracies will infuriate you, so you need to keep in mind at all times that this is a fictional story very much viewed through a modern lens.

Growing up in the small village of Domremy Joan is aware that the English are the enemy but she has more to contend with from her violent father. When the English do attack the village, Joan's beloved elder sister is raped and commits suicide so Joan is fired up with revenge. Joan is not like the women around her, she is tall and strong and determined to fight.
In most depictions of her life, Joan of Arc is portrayed as a devout and innocent woman, small of stature and lacking strength. Here, Chen has taken a different approach and it works incredibly well. Joan is portrayed as a natural fighter and a quick learner, her gender is a novelty to the powers that be and when she is winning she is in favour. However the motif of the wheel of fortune is well-exercised in this clever and very intelligent tale.

A piece of historical fiction about Joan of Arc from her young brutal life. Because of this she learns to be strong and seeks revenge.
This beautifully written biography is well researched and portrays Joan as the mightily courageous woman that she was.
A great read, maybe too detailed and verbose for some but thorough and detailed.
3.5/7
Thanks to NetGalley

A fascinating portrayal of the life of Joan of Arc, someone who I had not read much about.
Katherine J. Chen brings Joan to life as a strong, independant girl / women, a survivor, inquisitive and questioning of the traditional role of a woman at that time.

A very diffferent way of seeing Joan of Arc, and definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowaing me to read Joan.