Overview: The story is legend: the french peasant maid Joan of Arc successfully leads an army against the English and is burned at the stake before she turns twenty. Many have tried to re-create her life, but none have succeeded more brilliantly than Pamela Marcantel in this, her dazzling debut. (from Amazon)
Dawn's Recommendation: 5 of 5 Stars!
What I liked: Oh, Everything!!!! I found this used copy at 2nd & Charles and got it because it looked interesting. Wowza! I couldn't put it down. I loved the author's writing, her interpretations of Jehanne the Maid's (aka Joan of Arc) Voices, the characters and description, the research that went into it... She took a true story and wove the fiction so expertly that you feel you know Jehanne intimately and you can't believe she is going to be burned at the stake. I wondered how an illiterate peasant could have persuaded the king to give her an army and this book shares a story that is absolutely believable!
The BEST part of the book is it's proclamation and steadfastness of faith in Jesus. Through the character, Jehanne, we see her faith and courage. We see her grow into the person God calls her to be. I did not expect this to be a book that would strengthen my own faith, but it has! It encourages me to have courage and do what God has called me to do. No matter your station or situation in life, you can do great things through God.
What I didn't like: One thing at the end of the book that the author believes might have happened (can't tell you or it'd be a spoiler)-- it is fiction, therefore the author can write what she likes, but I choose not to believe that that particular part happened.
