Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen

Posted June 22, 2022 by Stephanie in can't-wait wednesday / 12 Comments

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read.

 

 

Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen
Expected publication: July 5, 2022 by Random House

“It is as if Chen has crept inside a statue and breathed a soul into it, re-creating Joan of Arc as a woman for our time.”—Hilary Mantel, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall

Girl. Warrior. Heretic. Saint? From the acclaimed author of Mary B comes a stunning, secular reimagining of the epic life of Joan of Arc.

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.

In Katherine J. Chen’s hands, the myth and legend of Joan of Arc is transformed into a flesh-and-blood young woman: reckless, steel-willed, and brilliant. This meticulously researched novel is a sweeping narrative of her life, from a childhood steeped in both 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.

With unforgettably vivid characters, transporting settings, and action-packed storytelling, Joan is a thrilling epic, a triumph of historical fiction, as well as a feminist celebration of one remarkable—and remarkably real—woman who left an indelible mark on history.

 

Joan of Arc, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, (1828 – 1882)

 

I recently found out about this historical novel that’s releasing very soon about Jeanne d’Arc/Joan of Arc, which I think sounds absolutely amazing! I’ve never read a fictional book about her so I would really love to read this one because she has always fascinated me.

Some facts about Jeanne d’Arc:

  • She’s a heroine of France for her role in the siege of Orléans during the Hundred Years’ War against England.

 

  • She claimed to have received visions from the archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine who instructed her to support Charles (VII of France) and recover France from English domination.

 

  • After being captured, she was convicted as a heretic and burned at the stake in 1431 at the age of (probably) 19.

 

  • Nearly 500 years after her death, she was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.

 

 

Are you also looking forward to this book?
Leave your links to your Can’t-Wait Wednesday post so I can stop by!

 

 

12 responses to “Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen

  1. This sounds a wonderful read – thank you for sharing! That said – I’m going to wait until Life is playing a tad fairer before plunging into this one, given what happens to her…

  2. AHHH HII!! i’m new to your blog BUT ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH YOUR GORGEOUS DESIGN!!!! IT IS PERFECTION OKAY???? AND THE LIGHT GREEN + PINK COLORS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER SO WELLLL!!! EXCUSE ME WHILE I OBSESS OVER IT FOR THE REST OF EVER 😭😭❤ also! this book sounds AMAZING???!! I NEED!! tysm for sharing this and hope you LOVE THE BOOK!!! AND CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!!! AND DID I MENTION I LOVEEEE YOUR BLOG SOOOOO MUCH????

  3. Kat C

    I am not familiar with this book but I think I’d be into it because I like “novelizations” of history. That blurb is also amazing.

  4. Wow, a rec from Mantel herself! This must be awesome. And honestly, what a fascinating historical figure. She was one of my school mascots actually, though the jury is out still on whether she really had divine visions or just hallucinations.

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