The Maid by Kimberly Cutter

The Maid is the epic retelling of Jehanne de Arc’s life. Her story starts in Domremy. As a girl, she lives with her parents and brothers and sister in a house with fine leaded windows. When her sister is found dead at the hands of English marauders, life changes for Jehanne. Her father takes his rage out on Jehanne and tries to arrange a marriage for her. Jehanne, however has different plans. She sees three heavenly beings, and they tell her to leave Domremy and travel to the Dauphin. She is told to liberate France and lead the Dauphin to Reims to crown him as King of France. She leaves Domremy, and soon gains a following. The rest, as they say, is history.

Kimberly Cutter uses facts to bring Jehanne de Arc to life. Jehanne’s early life shapes her life and lends her strength to carry out her mission. Jehanne is a real life character, complete with flaws. Cutter presents her as the truthful prophetess and warrior, with her visions being the driving force behind her life. There are times when the reader wants to reach into the book and assist Jehanne. The story almost seems impossible and improbable. But, the Maid of Lorraine did in fact become the rallying cry of France. There were times when the writing got heavy. If you are looking for a book that argues for or against the validity of Jehanne’s visions, this isn’t the book for you. If you want to find out who Jehanne really was, read this book. While I am not convinced that Jehanne was a divine messenger, Cutter’s book is a fascinating journey from peasant farm girl to France’s divine warrior.

I received this book for an honest review from the publisher through netGalley.