Joan by Katherine J. Chen

​We all know a little bit about Joan of Arc - the brave teenage girl who took up a sword for God and country. Katherine J. Chen peels back the layers like an onion to discover the person behind the legend. Joan suffered an incredible amount of abuse as a child and teen from her father, brothers and villagers. The only person who cared for her was her older sister who died after being raped by foreign soldiers. This in part drove Joan to avenge her sister and help unite France by becoming a warrior. She was a giantess, physically strong and tough from years of abuse as well as being fascinated by weapons and war from an early age clearly a novelty. The Middle Ages was brutal with disease, war and violence ending most lives early and Joan soon sees that she has as much to fear from the politics of King's court as she does on the battlefield. It is amazing that she caught the attention of the Dauphin and ended up leading the French army into battle given her lack of education, noble birth and sex. This is a violent and brutal look at a time where kings and kingdoms were won, lost and ruled by church and state and one teenage girl risked it all for what she thought was her right.  4 stars