The book that I recently finished for choice literature is called Pope Joan. Pope Joan is about a girl, Joan, who grew up in the ninth century Dark Ages of Europe. At this time in history, it wasn’t very common for girls to go to school, or even learn how to read or write. However, Joan learns that she loves to learn when her brother begins teaching her to read and write. Eventually she ends up learning at a school far from her home with her brother John. After John is killed in a Viking attack, Joan takes up his identity, and goes to a monastery to become a monk and have the opportunity to learn as a man. Years later, due to fate, she ends up in Rome, grows close to the Pope, and then eventually becomes Pope.
I think that this book was definitely historical fiction, although the story of Joan was only a legend. In the back of the book, the author discusses how historians have been trying to discover whether Pope Joan was real or not. Some people argue that it is very possible that she existed, and that, in the 9th century, it would have been very easy to destroy records that would be considered embarrassing to the Church.
I would love to believe that Pope Joan was real. Stories of girls who disguise themselves as males—like Pope Joan, Mulan, even She’s the Man—have always fascinated me. I think that those types of stories are really cool, because I can admire those women who proved that they are just as good as males. And I loved reading about Joan’s character. She was very smart, clever, independent, and brave, and her story was so intriguing that I basically read that book nonstop for three days until I was finished.
I think that this book was definitely historical fiction, although the story of Joan was only a legend. In the back of the book, the author discusses how historians have been trying to discover whether Pope Joan was real or not. Some people argue that it is very possible that she existed, and that, in the 9th century, it would have been very easy to destroy records that would be considered embarrassing to the Church.
I would love to believe that Pope Joan was real. Stories of girls who disguise themselves as males—like Pope Joan, Mulan, even She’s the Man—have always fascinated me. I think that those types of stories are really cool, because I can admire those women who proved that they are just as good as males. And I loved reading about Joan’s character. She was very smart, clever, independent, and brave, and her story was so intriguing that I basically read that book nonstop for three days until I was finished.
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