Everyone knows the story of Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who put Charles VII on the throne – before being burned by the English as a heretic and witch.But things are not always as they appear. Jeanne d’Arc was only five when three angels and saints first came to her. Shrouded by a halo of heavenly light, she believed their claim to be holy. The Archangel Michael and Saint Margaret told her she was … was the foretold Warrior Maid of Lorraine, fated to free France and put a king upon his throne.Saint Catherine made her promise to obey their commands and embrace her destiny; the three saints would guide her every step. Jeanne bound herself to these creatures without knowing what she’d done. As she got older, Jeanne grew to mistrust and fear the voices, and they didn’t hesitate to punish her cruelly for disobedience. She quickly learned that their cherished prophecy was more important than the girl expected to make it come true.Jeanne is only a shepherd’s daughter, not the Warrior Maid of the prophecy, but she is stubborn and rebellious, and finds ways to avoid doing – and being – what these creatures want. Resistance has a terrifying price, but Jeanne is determined to fight for the life she wants.But when the cost grows too high, Jeanne will risk everything to save the three people she loves most in all the world.Not everyone is destined to be a hero. Sometimes you have no choice.
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This book is amazing. It is heart-wrenching, gripping, haunting, and so much more. Whenever I picked up “The Divine Heretic”, I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.
This is the first book I have read by Jaime Lee Moyer, and it will absolutely not be my last. Her writing style is incredibly visceral, and she makes the past jump off of the page before the reader’s eyes. I can only imagine the amount of research she must have done, as every aspect of this book feels so real that you can truly sense it. From the sights and sounds of battle, to the voices Jeanne hears, to her wants, fears, desires, and so much more, I could envision each moment in the novel. The author brilliantly weaves history, fiction, and fantasy together to create such a unique book.
This book centers around Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc), and how she is told that she is the Maid of Lorraine by Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret. In this version, Jeanne is terrified of the voices speaking to her, as they are often unkind to her, punishing her, and threatening those she loves deepest, when she disobeys them or tries to take control of her own destiny. Jeanne soon begins to doubt who the voices she is hearing really are, and she does not believe that angels could treat someone in such a way. With the wars continuing between France and England, Jeanne must soon decide what it is she truly believes she must do, and what she wants to do. Are the voices truly who they are saying they are? Are they actually evil rather than good? What happens once Jeanne meets the Dauphin, and he wants to use her to help his cause as well? Will Jeanne be able to be in control of her own life? Will she be able to save those she cares about most? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, you must read to find out, and interpret much in your own way.
Jeanne is such a strong, brave, and incredible woman. She goes through so much from such a very young age, and I was pulled into her story from the very first page to the last. While many parts of this book are very difficult to read due to what occurs, Jeanne remains true to herself. She fights, and finds the strength to hope and love even in horrifically dark times.
If you enjoy historical fiction mixed in with some fantasy, I definitely recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I look forward to reading what Jaime Lee Moyer writes next.
Thank you so much to Quercus (US) and NetGalley for the review copy of this book, as well as to Mobius Books for sending me a physical review copy as well. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.