The Maid

Cutter brings fresh insight to the story of Joan of Arc in this dynamic page-turner. After an unremarkable childhood as the youngest of five children in rural France, we see the extraordinary moment in her adolescence when she first hears heavenly voices. Three saints impart to Joan the sacred mission of both raising an army against England and crowning the dauphin king of France in Reims. Cutter builds a credible case for how a 15th-century peasant girl from Domr%C3%A9my could embolden an army to reclaim their land from the English in the name of God. She ably describes Jehanne's transformation from an innocent, curious child into a confident, driven young woman who conquers souls, brings thousands to her support, and convinces a wary would-be king that she can make him realize his destiny%E2%80%94infusing all with a sense of the holy wonder that fueled Jehanne's mission. The exhilaration of her many triumphs on the battlefield, the bloody combat, the deadly jealousies and political machinations that begin her undoing, and her tragic end are portrayed with vivid imagination and brio. In this stunning debut, Cutter pays vibrant homage to this legendary woman. (Oct.)