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Summary: SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE - POLITICS & RELIGION
Review: Pope Joan eloquently portrays a period in history where merely existing as a woman was a hardship. Existing as a young girl yearning for education in the same period of time was hopeless. Unless - unless she could disguise herself as male seeking the same education. The novel launches the reader into Joan's world - a world of bigotry; male superiority and subservience. Joan's monumental desire for education and her unrelenting discipline to acadamia result in fulfullment beyond her wildest expectations. Our heroine becomes Pope. We follow Joan through the politics and religion of that era and conclude by asking: "Have times really changed? A wonderful book; a thought giving book -a book worth reading. I thank Ms.Woolfolk-Cross for her enlightenment.
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Summary: POPE JOAN - HISTORICAL FICTION OR JUST "HISTORICAL?"
Review: Bravo and applause for Pope Joan; a novel steeped in the mysteries of the church and its attempt to annul from existence the heroine who would leave the struggles of a tormented male dominated home life to obtain an education via the only means accessible - the Church. Not only does the heroine hide her feminine birthright through the uniform of the church, but cloaks herself so successfully in that garb as to obtain the highest position in the church - Pope! Pope Joan delivers a sequence of events too true to be fictional. It is a novel of deep dark history; fascinating reading and a compelling story. Pope Joan is cataloged "Historical Fiction." I leave it to the reader to eliminate the word "fiction".
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Summary: Take a Trip in Another Time and Meet a Mystery of History
Review: Pope Joan provides an interesting picture of the world in the 800s. It was a bleak exsistence controlled by both superstition and the Catholic Church. Into this world enters Joan. She is intelligent, rational and determined. I liked her from the beginning. Her rise to the throne of St.Peter will definitely provide a good thought invoking read even if you disagree with it. Pope Joan is great historical fiction. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in history. So find it at your local library or bookstore. Spend a few hours in the company of this wonderful person. You won't regret it.
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Summary: Wonderfull book
Review: It is a very binding book.It is that typ of book,you just can't put down.You get a pretty good insight into the structure of the rom.-kath. church,how it was and mostly still is.The combination of historic facts and novel are excellent combind.
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Summary: When history is confused with fiction, people are misled.
Review: The first and most important thing to remember when reading this book is this: It is a work of fiction, which incorporates historical elements. It is not historical.It is fictional. Any good historian, whether Protestant or Catholic, knows this, and can easily demonstrate it. Keep this in mind.
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Summary: a terrific book club choice
Review: What do you want from a novel? What I want is entertainment that makes me think. If your expectations are similar, I know you will find that "Pope Joan" delivers. Was Joan ever the Pope? Maybe, maybe not. The author, you must remember, is not trying to sell a history text (although she does a great job of taking the reader back to the ninth century). My book club chose this as its last read, and believe me, we had plenty to discuss! The result was an engaging, spirited debate about gender, religion, and the merits of historical fiction -- perfect! The fact that the author agreed to join us via speakerphone (an offer she extends to all book clubs) was icing on the cake.
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Summary: Joan as raging 1990s feminist
Review: I bought this book because it addresses an intriguingly shadowytime in history, and an enigmatic (mythological?) figure of that time.I give the book one star for at least not killing my interest in the story Pope Joan, regardless of whether or not she actually lived. That one positive comment aside, was no-one else bothered by the fact that Joan would fit in perfectly in the modern world, perhaps as a talented female executive railing against the glass ceiling? While there have always been women (and members of any underclass) that struggle with the roles that society has handed them, in every era there are taboos that even the most enlightened rebel will not eagerly attack. Just look at the current controversies regarding women in the boxing ring; to the majority, this is still entirely distasteful, but in 50 years, society may laugh at how prudish we all were to not accept it. To believe that Joan, a ninth century woman, had all of the enlightened thoughts and philosophies of an entitled woman in the 21st century is ludicrous. Ultimately, the incongruity of Joan and the presence of cardboard cut-outs for the other characters made this book an irritating read. The children's book, _Catherine, Called Birdy_ by Karen Cushman does a much better job of exploring, in a more believeable manner, how a woman (girl, actually) might rebel against society's expectations of her.
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Summary: Pope Joan
Review: This book is an engaging piece of historical fiction. Cross is a masterful writer who has the reader engaged almost from the beginning. There are brilliant arguements and the plot twists unexpectedly and yet convincingly. This would be great for summer reading as it is simple enough to put down for a time and then resume reading, but complex enough to hold the interest of anyone with average and above average intelligence. A good buy for one and all!
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Summary: My Personal Favorite
Review: I realize that this was a difficult book for a middle school aged child to read, but I pushed myself through it and I loved it. The story keeps you reading, and the character is incredibly interesting. I think that this book is a must read if you like historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: If you are a person who loves politics, love, gore, and much more, this is the book for you! Judging the book by its size i was afraid i wasnt going to be able to read the whole book, but once i started i could not put it down. The independant Joan is absolutly inspiring. The writing throughout the book is incredible. I have never read such a book. It is and always will be my favorite book!
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