欧宝娱乐

Pope Joan has recently become one of my most favorite books. To think, I bought it months ago, and it鈥檚 sat on my shelf all that time. I guess now is the time when I needed to read the book.

Cross has done a superb job bringing the tale of Pope Joan to life in this riveting, epic page-turner. From the very first page, you become irresistibly engrossed in the captivating saga of this girl who was born into a world that limited her behavior, but could not dominate her ambitious spirit, determined to achieve something greater in life. You get a fascinating window into the darkest part of the Dark Ages in Europe, where guilt was tried by tests such as immersion in water or walking on fire, and verdicts were rendered by the party that had the most witnesses; where few people could read, and books were so precious and mysterious because they were seldom seen.

Joan鈥檚 character is quite compelling to me as someone who loves to learn. I simply can鈥檛 imagine having the thirst for knowledge that I have, and not being able to exercise it. By her own efforts as well as with the help of chance, Joan is able to teach herself Latin and Greek, step deeper into the Catholic Church by donning the identity of a man, and finally find herself elected pope! And these things she does not simply out of selfishness to lead a better life, but because she feels the overwhelming need to perfect herself and the lives of those around her. Numerous obstacles threaten to expose her, but, having come from a society that would rob her of her own will, she makes it her mission as pope to do all she can to change this.

I found Joan鈥檚 faith to be a little of a mystery. Raised by a Saxon mother who secretly worshipped the old gods, and by an over-religious Christian canon for a father, she appears as a child to live in a kind of harmony with the faiths. Later on, as an adolescent and then adult, she shows belief in God, but the book alludes to her occasional doubts. If she believes the Bible to be the Word of God, then how does she explain those New Testament verses which limit her role in society because of her sex? Her own answer is never made clear; the only part of the book where this is addressed appears to have her play devil鈥檚 advocate, and not necessarily sharing her own opinion. I see Joan as an opportunist who believes that if she has this uncontrollable will to learn and to contribute positively to society, then it is derived from God, and nothing else, not even the Holy Book, can deny her goals.

I can鈥檛 recommend this book enough to anyone who enjoys reading about the strength and resourcefulness of the human spirit. I read it in about a week and a half. I simply couldn鈥檛 put it down. Then I discovered it will be made into a movie set to come out in 2009! I can鈥檛 wait.