JOAN A Novel of Joan of Arc

Hannah Morrish's staggering performance as Joan enhances Chen's wonderful novel. We all know the story of Joan of Arc, the French teenager who led the Dauphin's army to victories before being burned at the stake as a heretic. Morrish is English, not French, but it doesn't matter a whit; her mastery of expressing class and emotion is stunning. Joan, who is taller than most men, becomes a scrappy fighter to defend herself against her abusive father, and she is fiercely loyal to her older sister. Morrish adopts an accent for Joan that incorporates her unsophisticated background and finds pacing that exhibits her passion and warrior soul. She also develops a plethora of character voices for soldiers, townspeople, and noblemen; the Dauphin's ambition to be king in spite of his lack of leadership qualities is clearly apparent. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2022]