Helpful Score: 1
I love historical novels! I don't love history books, so when I find a book that can weave historical information around a beautiful story....that's for me. Could not put this book down and because a lot of it is fiction, a story tale, I was able to learn so much about the ways of the 9th century. The power of the church, the lack of power of the female, in the home and in the community. The thought of a female child actually being intelligent enough to want to learn to read and write and actually being able to make that happen was incredulous in those times. Whether she was a real person or not was the question I was left with. I hope she was real and I want to think that she was real....such a special, brilliant woman.
I enjoyed this book. I had never heard of this story before and I have not read much of this time period. A very interesting read.
A different perspective that keeps you thinking!
I enjoyed this book -- very evocative of the medieval era, with fully realized characters and believeable plot lines. The possibility that there once WAS a female pope is tantalizing. Very good historical fiction.
Well written. Great story...who knows if it's true or not!!!
I really enjoyed this book. What an interesting subject! Of course the romantic in me wished for a little different ending, but I'm sure it's more likely to have happened this way.
Enjoyable, well-researched historical fiction.
An excellent slice of Italian history, whether there was a Pope Joan or not. A wonderfully strong female protagonist.
An intriguing and captivating novel based on the life of Pope Joan, a controversial figure of historical record who, disguised as a man, rose to rule Christianity in the ninth century as the first and only woman ever to sit on the Throne of St. Peter.
