★★★★ FOUR STARRED REVIEWS! ★★★★ Kirkus Best Book / Publishers Weekly Best Book / TheWall Street Journal Best Book Bestselling author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death. Joan of Arc gets the Hamilton treatment in this evocative novel. Told through medieval poetic forms … and death. Joan of Arc gets the Hamilton treatment in this evocative novel.
Told through medieval poetic forms and in the voices of the people and objects in Joan of Arc’s life, (including her family and even the trees, clothes, cows, and candles of her childhood), Voices offers an unforgettable perspective on an extraordinary young woman. Along the way it explores timely issues such as gender, misogyny, and the peril of speaking truth to power. Before Joan of Arc became a saint, she was a girl inspired. It is that girl we come to know in Voices.
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“I was beset by my
own nature, possessed by a ruthless
and persistent urge, as if there
were another me waiting to
emerge from all that was constraining.”
This is a truly remarkable story! This book is about Joan of Arc. The girl who saved France and burned at the stake because she was a girl and not a man. I wish there were more books on her story, for she was such a strong person and would not relent in who she was, even if it meant that by putting on a simple dress she would be granted some mercy in the fire she was to be burned from.
I love how she was uncompromising in who she was even if it would have been easier to be someone else. I love how she still had faith even when she was wondering why the saints had saved her from her attempted suicide when she was to burn at the stake.
There were even quotes from the trial of condemnation too in here and that was interesting to read about. Plus, I loved how Elliott had included opinions from Joan’s armor, her dress, sword, the fire, the trees and other things. That was a cool addition from the story of Joan of Arc because we often don’t think of the small things and how they add to the big events in American history, but Elliott did and I’m glad he did because it was a great addition to the story!
If you would like to learn more about the Joan of Arc you should also read: ‘The Language of Fire’ by Stephanie Hemphil. It is about the same thing as this story, but it delves more into what Joan’s life looked like before she saved France, how she saved France and after she saved France.
Anyway, amazing read! I am so happy I read this book! I recommend Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by: David Elliot to anyone not only looking to broaden their horizons and learn more about an important part of history, but also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a genuinely good story that is brilliantly told through verse.
I was deeply moved by this book about Joan of Arc’s final hours of life. Using the forms of villanelles, sestinas, and other poetic forms popular during Joan’s lifetime, our author allows people such as Joan’s father and mother, King Charles VII, Robert de Baudricourt and others to tell the reader about Joan. The author also uses these poetic forms to allow Joan’s sewing needle, her sword, her red dress, her tunic, and other inanimate objects to tell the reader about Joan. These particular poems are printed in the shape of the inanimate objects each represents. Also, among these poems are words written as if Joan, too, was telling us about all that had happened to her. In addition, there are direct quotes taken from her trials. All of these pieces fit together like a harmonious puzzle to create a very moving and tender account of the prejudices that Joan faced and the truly amazing triumphs that she accomplished as a young woman in a man’s world. I love this book! It is utterly unforgettable!
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.