Journal Entry 1 by fannynatalie from Wien Bezirk 08 - Josefstadt, Wien Austria on Tuesday, February 01, 2005

For a thousand years men have denied her existence--Pope Joan, the woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to rule Christianity for two years. Now this compelling novel animates the legend with a portrait of an unforgettable woman who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.

When her older brother dies in a Viking attack, the brilliant young Joan assumes his identity and enters a Benedictine monastery where, as Brother John Anglicus, she distinguishes herself as a scholar and healer. Eventually drawn to Rome, she soon becomes enmeshed in a dangerous mix of powerful passion and explosive politics that threatens her life even as it elevates her to the highest throne in the Western world.
 

Journal Entry 2 by fannynatalie at on Friday, February 18, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (2/18/2005 UTC) at

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Wird heute bei der Ladies-Night freigelassen. 

Journal Entry 3 by Rianonne from Wien Bezirk 22 - Donaustadt, Wien Austria on Saturday, February 19, 2005

I was on a BookRing for the German version "Die Päpstin". So I was happy to find the english copy at the Ladies Night yesterday and had to take it home! 

Journal Entry 4 by Rianonne from Wien Bezirk 22 - Donaustadt, Wien Austria on Friday, January 06, 2006

I received the German edition from a friend as a belated christmas present, so this Book shall see a little bit of the world.

BookRay Mailing Order:

1.) nice-cup-of-tea (Switzerland)
2.) Tablespoons (Switzerland)
3.) cloggy (UK) <---the book is here
4.) Drusillamac (UK) 

Journal Entry 5 by nice-cup-of-tea from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Received in the post today, will read and pass on asap! 

Journal Entry 6 by nice-cup-of-tea from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Thursday, February 02, 2006

What a truly wonderful, fantastic book! I really believe in the legend :-)
Pope Joan rules! The book was well written and it's obvious the author did lots of research into the dark ages, I feel well educated now! There was a great quote (which I forgot to make a note of), where Joan talks about the splits within her - female / male, belief in God / fear of unbelief, loves Gerold / fear of giving herself to a man.

What's interesting is that you know Joan must get to be Pope, but you don't know how her 2 year reign ends. Won't spoil the ending for the next readers (just in case) but there's a certain synchronicity in it!

I'll be recommending this book to my bookclub, probably for 2007 now! Will pass this to tablespoons on Feb 9th at the next Zurich meetup.

PS The first few pages are a bit crinkly at the bottom - sorry! My fault entirely - a little accident with a glass of water on my bedside table... I have confessed and been forgiven :-) 

Journal Entry 7 by Tablespoons from Solothurn, Solothurn Switzerland on Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Got it last week (09.02.06) from nice-cup-of-tea at the BC Meetup and am already nearly finished...I am really enjoying it so far. 

Journal Entry 8 by Tablespoons from Solothurn, Solothurn Switzerland on Friday, February 17, 2006

Great story about an amazing women. It's been forever since I'd read any historical fiction, especially about the middle ages, and the portrayal of life in the middle ages really interesting. Too bad there wasn't a map in the book. It will be on its way to cloggy on Monday. 

Journal Entry 9 by cloggy from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, March 09, 2006

The book arrived safely with me this morning. Thanks Tablespoons for posting it on and Rianonne for sharing.
While I was on holiday, the bookring fairy has been generous and bestowed me with a number of books. This one is second on my list. 

Journal Entry 10 by cloggy from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 14, 2006

A truly enjoyable and interesting book. I first came across Pope Joan in a play called Career Girls, so I had heard about the legend/history before, but this book manages to bring the character to life.
Very well written, very well researched, Donna Cross blends storytelling with historical facts. I couldn't put the book down once I started.

Thanks Rianonne for bringing this book to my attention.

I've got Drussilamac's addy, so will post it today

 

Journal Entry 11 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 12, 2006

I do apologies for not journalling this book sooner! I thought I had journaled it but it arrived mid-essay pile. However, I did mange to read the book while on holiday and throughly enjoyed it. My thoughts are below:

Wow, what a fantastic book. It certainly made the old grey matter think. Over the last semester I have been studying a lot of 15-16th century religious history. This has lead me to take a greater interest in theological history. This bookring arrived at the right time!

I admire Cross's honesty about moving historical events, such as the Viking invasion taking place a number of years before it actually did. The vast amounts of information and rich description in the book shows she did her research. She must have debated whether or not to write a monograph or work of fiction.

Learning is extremely important to me and not being able to learn would frustrate me. A lot. I like to think I would have had the courage to hide my gender in return for knowledge. I think Cross sums it up when she says in the interview "...to empower yourself in this world you must learn." What a wonderful book.

I would like to add my mother snaffled this off me to read on the return flight home and is really enjoying it too. 

Journal Entry 12 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, May 07, 2006

This is a journal entry to say my mother finished reading the book last night and loved it. She stayed up until 01.00 to finish it! I haven't seen her that excited by a book since.....ever really. However, she did admit she found the ending a little dry and less dramatic than she expected. Mother said she would have made the ending much more dramatic ;-)

Thanks again to Rianonne for starting this ray and encouraging my mother to start reading again. She usually reserves reading for the school breaks (she's a teacher) and it's lovely to see a book she's reading, lying about the house.

I don't know what to do with this book at the moment. I may try sending it out on another ray or take it to the UK Unconvention in June/July. 

Journal Entry 13 by Drusillamac at Unconvention 2006 in Birmingham, West Midlands -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (6/30/2006 UTC) at Unconvention 2006 in Birmingham, West Midlands -- Controlled Releases

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Shall be released in the area over the course of the weekend.