Joan by Katherine J. Chen
‘Joan’ by Katherine J. Chen
Reviewed by our own Jenny :)
‘I absolutely, completely and utterly adored this book. It was immersive and richly descriptive from the very beginning, with incredible character development. The book brought Joan of Arc’s short existence to life, humanising her as both a powerful, strong and determined, yet deeply relatable and troubled young woman.
Treated scornfully by her violent and hyper-masculine father since her early childhood, Joan sets out from her small village of Domrémy to make her mark in the world and to defend France against their enemy, the ever-encroaching English.
Facing ridicule and not being taken seriously as a capable warrior as a young woman, Joan is constantly having to prove her mettle and her worth in a world and society crafted and shaped for men to succeed, to rule and to subjugate. Though she is eventually respected and celebrated as France’s saviour in her victorious battles, Joan is quickly cast aside as a disappointment as soon as the first defeat comes.
This was a great read, and one which frustratingly highlights the still very real matter of women always having to do more to be seen as equal to their male counterparts.’
Happy Reading!