Divine Heretic by Jaime Lee Moyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jaime Lee Moyer has consistently published books that touch me profoundly, and this one is no different.
I approached Divine Heretic with some trepidation, since it’s based on the story of Joan of Arc, and, well, as an emotional reader currently seeking solace, I wasn’t sure I could handle that story right now.
Well.
This novel is an act of rebellion against the trauma that we experience that threatens to drag us down if we let go of the things that matter too easily.
It turns out, a book about resilience, about found family and holding onto the things and people you love, about finding joy in the little moments, and a book about understanding that courage means doing the thing anyway because you know what is right, no matter how scary, is exactly what I needed right now.
The well-known historical ending was tweaked in ways that work really, really well and aren’t nearly as disheartening as the historical record.
Strongly recommended.
Content warning: there is attempted rape in this book; it is handled as the traumatic thing that it is.
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