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joypouros's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Little is known about Pope Joan, and her existence is still argued, but this book supposes she did exist and then puts forth a fictional account of what her life may have been like.
Historical fiction is a spectrum, and with little known about Joan, my understanding is this is a fictional account against a historical backdrop.
I was surprised, though I shouldn't have been, that this book primarily focuses on Joan's rise to the position of Pope.
She was born the only daughter to a priest and his Saxon (formerly heathen) wife. She has two brothers. One teaches her to read and write because she has an interest, but he dies in childhood. The family's hopes now rest on the second son, who doesn't take to reading and writing. When a teacher finds Joan promising, their dad insists he teaches both children or none. And so Joan and her brother John's fates are interlinked - one wanting to learn but not being encouraged and one mandated to learn despite having no interest.
When John dies in a battle that kills most of the town, Joan finds an opportunity, and switches clothes with her brother and cuts her hair. She goes on to a monastery and begins her life as a man. Despite her lack of ambition, she rises through the ranks as she pursues more knowledge and opportunities to help others. In this accidental way she goes to Rome, becomes well-known through her deeds, and becomes Pope.
I always dislike when romance is entwined in a story needlessly, but seeing as how Pope Joan was supposedly discovered, it was necessary in this case.
A fascinating story told plausibly - at least to the layman (me) who knows nothing about the ninth century.
Historical fiction is a spectrum, and with little known about Joan, my understanding is this is a fictional account against a historical backdrop.
I was surprised, though I shouldn't have been, that this book primarily focuses on Joan's rise to the position of Pope.
She was born the only daughter to a priest and his Saxon (formerly heathen) wife. She has two brothers. One teaches her to read and write because she has an interest, but he dies in childhood. The family's hopes now rest on the second son, who doesn't take to reading and writing. When a teacher finds Joan promising, their dad insists he teaches both children or none. And so Joan and her brother John's fates are interlinked - one wanting to learn but not being encouraged and one mandated to learn despite having no interest.
When John dies in a battle that kills most of the town, Joan finds an opportunity, and switches clothes with her brother and cuts her hair. She goes on to a monastery and begins her life as a man. Despite her lack of ambition, she rises through the ranks as she pursues more knowledge and opportunities to help others. In this accidental way she goes to Rome, becomes well-known through her deeds, and becomes Pope.
I always dislike when romance is entwined in a story needlessly, but seeing as how Pope Joan was supposedly discovered, it was necessary in this case.
A fascinating story told plausibly - at least to the layman (me) who knows nothing about the ninth century.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Abortion and Rape
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Pope Joan is historical fiction, about a female pope who, depending on which sources you believe, may have held office for two years in the ninth century. This book hews close to the few facts that are known but fills in the rest in a believable and absorbing way. Joan was a bright and curious child who managed to catch the attention of a couple of influential people and so gain an education. After narrowly escaping an attack by Norse invaders she opted to live as a man, a path which led her to a monastery where she gained skills as a healer, and then to Rome where to her surprise she was eventually elected Pope. The end of her reign was tragic and no doubt shocking for all who believed their pope to be male. I enjoyed Joan as a character, even if her stridency and forthrightness was not always wise, and found the portrayal of Rome as a viper’s nest of political machinations and backstabbing fuelled by self-interest to be very convincing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Child abuse, and Rape
davina_wdnr's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Rape, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Torture, Murder, War, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Sexism
itsheyfay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Child abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Pregnancy, War, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Confinement
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