The Book of Joan

A reimagining of Joan of Arc's story takes place in a dystopian future where Earth has been destroyed by war and environmental collapse. The survivors orbit the ruined planet on a space station called CIEL, where they have evolved into sexless, hairless beings who tell stories by grafting text onto their skin. The narrative follows two central figures: Christine Pizan, who preserves and inscribes histories on her own body, and Joan of Dirt, a warrior-child with mysterious powers who leads a resistance movement on Earth's surface. Their parallel stories connect across the void between CIEL and the war-ravaged planet below. The plot moves between different timelines and perspectives, tracing how humanity reached this crisis point and exploring possibilities for renewal. Much of the story focuses on the power dynamics between CIEL's dictatorial leader Jean de Men and those who oppose his rule. The Book of Joan examines themes of embodiment, gender, power, and ecological destruction while questioning what it means to be human in an age of technological and environmental transformation. This adaptation places Joan of Arc's medieval story in conversation with contemporary concerns about climate change and biotechnology.

Readers describe The Book of Joan as a challenging and experimental take on Joan of Arc that blends science fiction with environmental themes. Readers appreciated: - The poetic, lyrical writing style - Creative reimagining of the Joan of Arc story - Strong feminist themes and commentary - Vivid world-building and imagery Common criticisms: - Confusing narrative structure that jumps between timelines - Dense, abstract prose that can be hard to follow - Characters feel distant and underdeveloped - Some found the body modification elements disturbing Ratings: Goodreads: 3.3/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 3.4/5 (120+ ratings) "Beautiful writing but I often felt lost in the experimental style," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Another wrote: "The environmental message resonates but the plot was too opaque." Several readers mentioned abandoning the book partway through due to difficulty connecting with the story, while others praised its ambition and unique vision despite the challenging format.

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📚 Author Lidia Yuknavitch reimagines Joan of Arc as a post-apocalyptic eco-warrior in a future where Earth has been ravaged by wars and environmental destruction. 🌍 The novel takes place in both a space station called CIEL, where wealthy survivors orbit Earth, and on the planet's scorched surface below. ✍️ The characters in CIEL have evolved into hairless, ghost-white beings who can no longer reproduce naturally and "write" stories on their skin through burning and grafting. ⚔️ Like the historical Joan of Arc, the book's protagonist Joan of Dirt possesses supernatural abilities, including the power to manipulate Earth's elements and control nature. 🏆 The Book of Joan was named a Washington Post Notable Book of the Year and received praise for its bold feminist reimagining of both Joan of Arc's story and the post-apocalyptic genre.