Maid

France in the fifteenth century is caught in the Hundred Years' War. English soldiers sweep through the countryside destroying everything in their path, and Charles VII, the uncrowned king, lacks both the strength and the will to rally his forces. In her parents' garden in Domrémy, a peasant girl sees a shimmer of light and hears a powerful voice speak her name: Jehanne. This novel retells the life of Jehanne d'Arc, the visionary and saint who believed God had chosen her, led an army and saved her country. Her legend has held the public imagination for centuries, but the book focuses on the girl behind it. Her sister was murdered by the English. She wanted to escape a violent father and a forced marriage. She taught herself to ride and fight, and somehow found the courage and persistence to win over one follower, then two, then thousands. The story combines unspoken love with valor on the battlefield. It explores the power and uncertainty of faith, and the thrilling and devastating consequences of fame.