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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, War
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Both a really rewarding and frustrating read. I sought this out because the premise of the unfaithful heroine immediately grabbed me, and she is everything I'd hoped for. Prideful, guarded, impulsive, and also immensely selfless and devoted to those she loves. HR readers rightfully complain about the prevalence of anachronistic heroines; Jehanne is a great example of a heroine who defies the conventions of her time, but in such a way that is she is still recognizably an unmodern woman. Her actions are motivated by religious anguish that is historically contingent and by political concerns that remain grounded in her specific historical context. Indeed, the central conflict of the book is motivated by the question: what to do with a woman who so starkly oversteps the acceptable bounds of conduct in her society? I will be honest and admit that I was understanding of her actions throughout the entire narrative; the infidelity was committed in the throes of a bitterness against God that I found extremely sympathetic. The arc of her recovering marriage to Galeran is beautifully done, and Galeran himself is also believable as a man whose strength is demonstrated by his capacity for empathy and forgiveness.
In fact, my main criticism is that too much focus was taken away from the leads with the inclusion of a secondary romance. I can understand that this storyline might have been intended to provide a reprieve from the angst of Galeran and Jehanne, but I became frustrated by the continuous pivots to Raoul and Aline's sweet but much more conventional courtship. This pattern extends through the very end of the book and unfortunately undermines the extremely moving ending in which Galeran and Jehanne at last reconcile their love and grief for their deceased son.
In fact, my main criticism is that too much focus was taken away from the leads with the inclusion of a secondary romance. I can understand that this storyline might have been intended to provide a reprieve from the angst of Galeran and Jehanne, but I became frustrated by the continuous pivots to Raoul and Aline's sweet but much more conventional courtship. This pattern extends through the very end of the book and unfortunately undermines the extremely moving ending in which Galeran and Jehanne at last reconcile their love and grief for their deceased son.