Anatole France's second volume picks up right after Joan's greatest triumph: the coronation of Charles VII at Reims. But the victory party is over. What follows is a slow, grim march toward her capture at Compiègne. France shows us a Joan increasingly isolated, her military advice ignored by a cautious and politically calculating king. The French court, it seems, has already gotten what it needed from her. The story then shifts to her imprisonment and the infamous trial at Rouen.

The Story

This volume is really two stories in one. First, it's a chronicle of military decline and betrayal, as Joan's campaign loses momentum. Then, it becomes a tense legal and psychological thriller. The heart of the book is the trial. France lays out the interrogation in detail, showing how the church court, backed by the English, meticulously built a case against her. We see their traps, their theological nitpicking, and their desperation to break her spirit. Joan's responses—sometimes brilliantly simple, sometimes defiant, often weary—are the gripping core. The book follows her through her abjuration, her relapse into wearing men's clothes, and finally, to the stake in the marketplace.

Why You Should Read It

What struck me most was France's approach. He's skeptical of the miracles but deeply respectful of the person. He paints Joan not as a mystic receiving constant divine broadcasts, but as a fiercely intelligent, pragmatic, and devout young woman trapped in an impossible situation. Her 'voices' are presented more as an unshakable inner conviction. This makes her courage feel more human, and her fate more tragic. You're not watching a saint ascend; you're watching a brave kid being murdered by bureaucrats. It’s a powerful, and surprisingly modern, take on a classic story.

Final Verdict

This isn't a light read, but it's a compelling one. It's perfect for anyone who loves historical drama that focuses on character over cliché. If you enjoyed the political intrigue of Wolf Hall or the tragic momentum of a story like In Cold Blood, you'll find a similar pull here. Be ready for a book that's less about battlefields and more about the battle of wills in a stone-cold prison cell. Anatole France asks you to look past the legend and meet the girl—and it's an encounter you won't forget.