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Katherine chen joan of arc5/20/2023 ![]() ![]() Did she actually influence the battle plans? This part is frustrating to me. And then I wonder even more: what facts are undisputed? Of course the Church would depict Joan as hugely religious, given that she has been beautified as a saint. ![]() She tells us that Joan’s biographers would have her praying constantly, and that they depict Joan as little more than a totem that they carry to battle, a sort of human version of a lucky rabbit’s foot. I absolutely love the version of Joan that Chen develops, and my only frustration is in not knowing what aspects of Joan’s life she has had to invent, and which are historically accepted as truth. But ultimately, she wants to get word to the Dauphin, the heir to the throne, who is in hiding: she knows how to win this war. ![]() When Joan leaves home, after her beloved uncle leaves and her elder sister, her one true friend within the family, commits suicide after she is raped by English soldiers, she expects to labor for her bread, which is nothing new to her. ![]() Chen sees it as a major factor in Joan’s development as a warrior. In her end notes, Chen tells us that Joan’s biographers tend to leave out her difficult home life, with a violent, angry father that hates Joan from the moment she draws breath he has wagered heavily on her being male, and she’s failed him. My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House for the invitation to read and review. ![]()
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