The Maid

TW: abuse and rape

What could've been a rewarding and satisfying read - dealing with an extremely interesting topic - turned into a frustrating experience. The characters, with the exception of Charles VII, are one-dimensional and lack immersion; the book is full of anticlimaxes, most notably the battle descriptions and the book's ending, giving the impression that the author cannot cope with action's suspension; the dialogue is extremely forgettable and bland, leading to predictable and superficial conversations that potentially could've incredibly enhanced the book (i.e. the discourse between Jehanne and d'Alençon); fixation of the author on medieval rape and abuse culture, demonstrated by an epilogue that is almost solely dedicated to the subject of whether or not Jehanne was violated while in English captivity. An epilogue on the historicity of her visions (and the topic of schizophrenia) would've better suited the book; extremely short chapters that prevent immersion - comes across as a cheap device used by an author who cannot narrate time jumps.

To end on a positive note: the comparison between Jehanne's agony with that of Jesus offers an interesting perspective on her saint-like aspirations, although it would've only truly been to the author's credit if she had made it less explicit.