Brief statements from Joan of Arc during her Trial of Condemnation, and from people who knew her and spoke at the Trial of Nullification 24 years after her death, are part of a compelling narrative that both recounts and imagines Joan’s final days, and revisits her exploits to vanquish the English claim on France early in the 15th century. Here Joan’s quest, guided by spiritual visions, is condemned by hatred. Those in power—especially from the Church—revile her for daring to dress and act like a man. A variety of poetic forms, including poems in verse structures that Joan of Arc might have heard during her lifetime, move back and forth among the voices of various individuals both real (e.g., Charles VII) and religious (Saint Michael); inanimate objects; animals; ideas (Victory); Joan herself as she awaits her death; and the Fire—waiting for her like an eager, dangerous would-be lover, a metaphor that plays out in a provocative and disturbing final poem that underscores the violence of misogyny. Joan approached her quest with confidence, and occasional uncertainty when her visions ceased; here she also is shown to feel a strong, steady sense of comfort, of coming home to herself, when presenting as a man, adding another fascinating dimension to this striking, discussible work of historical fiction that concludes with brief notes on poetic forms. (Age 14 and older)

"Stunning . . . elegant . . . arresting . . . supple and harrowing." - The Wall Street Journal

★"An innovative, entrancing account of a popular figure that will appeal to fans of verse, history, and biography." - Kirkus, starred review

In poems that surprise and move readers, bestselling author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death.

Told through medieval poetic forms and in the voices of the people and objects in Joan of Arc's life, (including her family and even the trees, clothes, cows, and candles of her childhood), Voices offers an unforgettable perspective on an extraordinary young woman. Along the way it explores timely issues such as gender, misogyny, and the peril of speaking truth to power. Before Joan of Arc became a saint, she was a girl inspired. It is that girl we come to know in Voices.