Status
Call number
Collection
Publication
Description
In this international bestseller and basis for the 2009 movie of the same name, Donna Woolfolk Cross brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendor and shares the dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day. For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die�Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. Now in this riveting novel, Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn. When her brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak�and his identity�and enters the monastery of Fulda. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually, she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest office in Christendom�wielding a power greater than any woman before or since. But such power always comes at a price � �Pope Joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama�love, sex, violence, duplicity, and long-buried secrets. Cross has written an engaging book.��Los Angeles Times Book Review.… (more)
Media reviews
User reviews
The Holy Roman Catholic Church's official position on Pope Joan, aka Pope John Angelicus, is that "she" is a legend (and they should know, they've deleted the manuscripts to prove it.) Of course, the HRCC's spin on any given "embarrassment " is a bit tenuous, i.e, "Ummm, Father "wicked-uncle" Ernie was transfered to southern Chile for his health."
How, though, to explain "the dung seat"? This curious artifact remains from a ceremony, for centuries part of the installation of a new Pope. The procedure required the Pope-elect to sit on a wooden Port O Potty. Then the Holy Father-to-be, discretely covered by his robe, dropped his tighty whities, while at Vatican official - a Mr. Whipple of sorts - checked beneath the throne to see if the Charmins were there to be squeezed.
Pope Joan is presented as a novel, in part because the alleged term of office of John Angelicus fell in the midst of the Dark Ages, the years 853-855, and the historical record is scant (just try getting a passport if you were born in 813). Nonetheless, the author, Donna Woolfolk Cross, brings the era is to life quite vividly, using what little data has survived about the persons and events of the mid-ninth century. You can smell the vellum, and hear the crackle of old pages turning as Joan learns to read. You can almost taste the coppery blood spattered during a Viking raid on Joan's village.
John Angelicus is portrayed from three perspectives: her own, a knight who loves and impregnates her, and a Vatican rival who detests her. The story is essentially that of a female Horatio Alger, a woman who loves knowledge, healing, and logic, and whose passion for advancement requires that she hide her gender and pass for male. And deftly dance to a Machievellian beat. The combined effect is part Strachey biography, part romance novel, and part inspirational self help book.
I was charmed by the book, and would give it to my granddaughter to read, for its feminist values and historic cachet. However, my granddaughter's been there and done that, and ran off with a heavy metal guitarist months ago.
It's hard to feel any sympathy for any male characters in this novel. Although Gerold might be different but not as much as it all comes to the bottom line: the men in this novel prefer the women pregnant, barefoot, and in the kitchen. Their ignorance is so blatant you wanted to grind your teeth to stop yourself from wanting to jump in to wring their necks for thinking that way about women. However, it's a very realistic account, for I have no doubt that's how they thought that way (unfortunately some still do to this day).
The plot in this book flowed perfectly and had it's good amount of climaxes and action. I was immediately sucked into the story from the beginning. I really did enjoy reading the parts on how Joan went through her journey to eventually becoming Pope. It was indeed a very nice story to read and I'd have to say it was like watching a very exciting adventure because you were always in fear of what would happen if she were to be discovered a woman. I really liked the inner politics within the Papal ranks. They're twice as devious and conniving than the royal courts I've read in previous books. The writing in this book is historically accurate in my opinion, as it gives you a good look and feel as to how it felt like to live back then in this time period.
The only criticism I have is there are a lot of latin religious terminology (especially areas of the religious buildings and ranks of the papacy in Rome) which were hard to get through. I found myself looking a lot of the words up as to what this certain word referred to, and as to what was this rank in the papacy. A glossary would have helped as I had no prior knowledge in this aspect in history. The Author's Note however, was indeed informative and a very interesting read.
Overall a great novel about a strong woman who faced the odds to do what she loved to do: read and learn. I recommend this book, it's a wonderful read. You may even be tempted to read some background information on Pope Joan as I did (I went straight for Wikipedia the moment I finished the book)
Characters: Flat and one-dimensional. There is a clear division between good and evil, with the good characters all being handsome, smart, and young, while the bad guys are ugly, fat, stupid, unwashed and whatnot. Joan is so much of a Mary Sue, it is downright painful. Everybody is very modern in their thinking, a group of 20th century characters stuck in the Middle Ages.
Style: Simplistic and barely above that of a bodice ripper. No tension is built up, all opportunities to show the scenery of the Middle Ages are passed on. The ending is abrupt, and it feels as though Cross lost interest in the story in the last third. The book could be set in any period from the Roman Empire to Baroque and it would be impossible to tell if it weren't for the dates.
Plus: The first 50 pages, Joan's childhood, were interesting.
Minus: No historical accuracy whatsoever (potatoes and sweetcorn in medieval Europe?), the characters never think according to their time in history. It's a thinly veiled attack on men and how all of them, even the nice ones, supporess women. Horrible writing style, boring plot with gaping errors and jumps, flat and boring characters.
Summary: only for hard-core fans of medieval romance who will forgive all lack of style and characterization.
On the plus side, Cross creates a detailed picture of life and its hardships in the medieval period, and the character of Joan, although somewhat naive, is nevertheless engaging. She also does a fairly good job of demonstrating the infighting and struggles for power within the Catholic church. But the novel is not without flaws. For one thing, the baddies are unrealistically and relentlessly bad, and circumstance plays far too great a role. (Joan's father, for example, not only whips her nearly to death for wanting to learn, he later tries again to kill her--but has a opportune stroke in the process.) Also, I really hate it when supposedly 'serious' historical novelists feel that they have to wallow in romance. Joan's mooning over Gerold for almost 30 years got to be a bit much, and when he finally shows up, confessing love and offering marriage, her refusal to give up her disguise (and "responsibilities"--i.e., power) is therefore hard to believe. Of course, the two of them eventually have an earth-shaking moment of love that leads to both their downfalls.
Cross's message seems to be that women--even medieval women--are capable of having it all. Over and over, Joan refers to the educated St. Catherine and to various noblewomen who are renowned for their education and wisdom but who have also produced numerous offspring. In other words, she's applying twentieth-century feminism to medieval society. Since Pope Joan is a work of fiction, that's forgiveable, even if it stretches the imagination a bit too far.
For the most part, I enjoyed the novel, despite several groaner moments. But it's not a book that will stick with me for long.
But somewhere between Joan/John outarguing Greek philosophers, becoming a famous healer, inventing intinction, miraculously surviving beatings/viking raids/plague, inventing modern courtroom procedure (witnesses, questioning), establishing orphanages, saving peasants from floods, cleverly applying her knowledge of hydraulic engineering to save the Vatican from an invading Frankish army, saving the pope from assassination, exposing ecclesiastical corruption, and thwarting a raging city fire, I found it harder and harder to keep suspending disbelief. This Pope Joan is a liberal, feminist, secular humanist, Dark Ages superhero rather than a living, breathing, believable woman of her time. The author takes such pains to eliminate anachronism in all other aspects of the novel: perhaps that is why John/Joan's highly anachronistic behavior & beliefs seem so grating in contrast.
John/Joan's enamorata Gerold is also a disappointment. There is no attempt at character development here. Think Ken to Joan's Barbie, Ned to Joan's Nancy Drew ... the tall, lusty, handsome, resourceful hero of any one of a thousand cheesy romance novels.
Finally, I was disappointed by the author's overreliance on deus ex machina. Far too often she relies on improbable plot twists, timely intercessions and amazing coincidences to move her plot forward. I don't want to spoil the plot for potential readers - but I will say that Joan always seems to be behind the right wall when there is a useful conversation to be overheard, Viking raids have never been more conveniently timed, and old friends/allies have a way of miraculously appearing just when they are most needed.
I guess I'm saying that while this is an entertaining book, it is certainly not a great book. Be prepared to enjoy it for the story & the history, but not necessarily for the literary merit.
I'd been wanting to read this book for a long time. The idea of a woman disguising herself as a man and doing such a good job of it that she was eventually elected Pope intrigued me. How could that happen? The existence of Pope Joan is still debated but the author provides
The story begins with a young Joan, growing up in a household of fear and fervent devotion to God, ruled by a tyrant father. A Catholic canon, he brought his Saxon wife home to Frankland after a missionary trip and has spent the years of their marriage punishing his wife for making him desire her, and for bearing a female child. Unlike Joan, her two brothers are prized by their father and are getting an education to enter the church. Joan wants to learn, too, but is forbidden. When a scholar comes to examine Joan's brother, he discovers that Joan is the more intelligent. This sets in motion the chain of events that puts Joan on the road to the throne of St. Peter. She attends school, falls in love, faces discrimination and ridicule, survives a Viking attack and flees to a monastery dressed as a young man, and thus begins her illustrious career as a scholar, healer and priest.
I have to say I expected a lot more from this book. I felt like I was reading a light version, like there wasn't as much depth, as much exploration of human nature as there should be in a novel of this scope. Joan is likeable but too perfect, Gerold, her love interest, is too perfect, circumstances fall into place too perfectly. Even the villain, Anastasius, is too perfectly one-dimensional. The descriptions of religious rituals grew monotonous and I found myself skimming some sections. At one point I was pushing myself just to get to the end, but I'm glad I hung in there because it did pick up and it finished strong. It's not a bad read, I just don't think it's all it could have been, but I would recommend it simply for the fact that it's a period of controversial history worth learning about.
Easy read, good plot twists, a bit black and white on the portrayal of various characters (little subtlety).
Sometimes the plotline seems to be a little too thin, with a very real character being led by luck toward a destiny in too many instances. Even so,
The Dark Ages setting is also a very difficult one to pull off, from a writers point of view. There are so many details of day to day life that are unknown to us, that it seems to be an impossible task to create a vibrant setting for the main story. In this case the attempt is successful, and one feels to be then and there while following Joan's life and tribulations.
Cross focuses on Joan, and the story is told from her point of view. She is an engaging heroine, and I immediately felt immersed in her tale. The writing is fluid, with good background description to put the reader in the right time frame. Yet, the author doesn’t become bogged down with details. This truly was a page-turner. Joan slowly rises to prominence in the church (despite her best efforts!), so I had no problem when she was elected Pope. One gripe I did have was the pregnancy fiasco – the ending became more of a circus attraction that didn’t fit as well with the rest of the novel. However, it didn’t ruin the novel, just tarnished it a bit. Overall, Cross manages to convince us that the unbelievable did happen.
Though this is a work of fiction, the author cleverly includes some factual evidence (circumstantial, certainly) to pique a reader’s curiosity about the real possibility that a woman did indeed get elected pope disguised as a man. Church historians and leaders have quick, and likely valid, counters to this evidence, but its existence is tantalizing. This small section made the book that much better because it kept me thinking long past the final page. Overall, a thought-provoking tale with a smart, likeable heroine and excellent writing. Highly recommended.
First of all, imagine yourself sitting back- not reading-
So, if you’re already picturing yourself glued to your favourite all time panoramic historical motion picture, where the center of the story evolves through the eyes of the hero and think you’ve been here before…Think again. This is different. In this enormous production, the hero this time is a woman…a pope…in a world where women meant nothing…
Joan, at a very young age, was a bright and curious young child with the thirst for knowledge and the ability to absorb it all naturally, and with incredible ease. Alas, her major downfall was having been born a girl in a time when it was dreadfully sinful for her to indulge in what was the sole privelege and realm of men. Being born in the wrong time and of the wrong gender would be Joan’s initiation to her destiny.
Forced to adapt to a man’s world, Joan dressed as one and became known as John in order to survive and excel at her extraordinary competencies as student, intellectual,monk, healer, spiritual advisor, and eventually- pope. Joan sacrificed everything. If her true identity were ever discovered, it would mean automatic death for her…She was ready to face this challenge, having understood with certainty that the perils of living as a woman were far more dangerous in every aspect. Torn between her quest for knowledge and her denial of self, she opted for the first.
The book takes you through the life of this courageous woman who struggled relentlessly to reach her greatest potential. But don’t think that because Joan elevated herself to equal, or superior status, that she ever forgot that she was a woman…aware of all her senses…
The book presents facets of Joan’s life that depict extreme scenes involving her father and even deeper issues concerning her mother. Her parents, her brothers, cardinals, popes, learned men, scornful teachers, caring monks…and a great forbidden love- each playing an important role causal to the creation of Joan’s fate.
Pope Joan is a novel that captivates to the core by immersing you into Joan’s brilliant thoughts, vivid senses, reaching her inner voice that demanded to be heard. I felt myself cheering and caring deeply for this woman whose mind, body, heart and soul never rested. I wanted her to fulfill all her dreams, which she almost did- but not without devastating consequences.
Although this is a heavy book, it surprisingly moves at a relatively quick pace. The scenes are brilliantly spaced and the evolvements of events naturally flow onto the next. Not only is Pope Joan filled with suspense, in-depth characters, struggles and elations, passion and sorrow; it is an incredibly moving read. Truly sensational!
And...If you're wondering, 'Was There A Pope Joan?'...An interesting Author's Note at the end of the book will help you reach your own conclusion...
For book club interest, there's a great Reading Guide too.
The book "Pope Joan" is a recent novelization of an old legend, and it did not engage me. I am reassured that my perfect track record of having no original ideas is still perfect.
Cross says that her goal in writing the book was to show how women can be empowered by education, and she did do that, but I would have been happier had more intelligent women been depicted. Most interesting were her arguments about reason versus religion and the constriction of traditional women's roles.
I recommend this for anyone interested in feminism, medicine, the religion-reason controversy, and historical depictions of the Dark Ages.
Joan is a very strong character. She is brave and educated in an age that saw an educated woman as unnatural and sinful. She also has a vast
One of the themes of the book is the idea of inner conflict, especially in regards to religious upbringing. Joan is the child of a pagan mother and a strict Christian father. She constantly struggles between faith and doubt and between her mind and heart.
The novel raises plenty of questions about women in the church both in the Dark Ages and today and whether Pope Joan even existed in the first place. I highly recommend this book for all historical fiction fans and those who enjoy a novel with a strong female protagonist.