Pope Joan

Written by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat

“Pope Joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama—love, sex, violence, duplicity, and long-buried secrets. Cross has written an engaging book.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review

 

In this international bestseller and basis for the 2009 movie of the same name, Donna Woolfolk Cross brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendor and shares the dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day.

 

For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die—Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. Now in this riveting novel, Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. 

 

Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn. When her brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak—and his identity—and enters the monastery of Fulda. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually, she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest office in Christendom—wielding a power greater than any woman before or since. But such power always comes at a price …

 

This audiobook contains an end note read by the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 16, 2009
• ISBN: 9781440779879

[auntieg0412 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting! I had never heard of the possibility there had been a Pope who was a woman. It's a well-written story and I enjoyed reading it.

[Charlene Romanosky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is by far the most satisfying novel I’ve read in ages. It may be that I had been stuck in a Mystery and Thriller mode for quite sometime but that said this fast paced ride through the worst of the dark ages years was a totally engaging
Flight of Christian/pagan anti feminist, feminism is a very worthy read true or not. Don’t skip the post script for any reason.

[thiscatsabroad · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I ended up aborting at about the 40% mark because I felt like I was reading a Harlequin Romance with a smattering of Latin that added nothing to the narrative.

[alexlubertozz-893592 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As a big fan of historical fiction, particularly set in the middle ages, I mostly enjoyed Pope Joan. The author, Cross, did an excellent job of recreating what it probably was like for a woman to grow up in ninth-century Europe, as well as describing the early Christian church. I also was fascinated by her description of Rome during this period, having read a lot about the late Republic and Empire.

As an agnostic, I definitely embrace Joan's notion that reason and logic are humanity's most important gifts. But I don't think that they ultimately confirm many aspects of her faith. I think the church fathers were probably right to fear reason, as it would in the end undermine their faith.

I also had problems with the ending. Clearly, the author felt it was important to at least hew somewhat closely to the legend of Pope Joan, and that includes how her gender was finally revealed. I think she was right to do this, but I had a lot of trouble with Joan's lingering in Rome when someone as smart as she was, with a chance at happiness with her lover, clearly knew the danger she was in. Of course, that's the trick with fictionalizing true stories or well-known legends. But, at its best, the book makes you think about why, for so long, women have been held back as less-than-equal partners. As patriarchal a society as ancient Rome was, Europe in the dark ages was a definite step backward. It's taken a long time to get to the point we're at, and still there are millions who would again plunge us backward. There's clearly something deeply frightening about women to some (most?) men. This novel doesn't answer what it is, but it certainly presents some clues and raises other pertinent questions.

[jrobinw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent book. The historical fiction as exciting as Pillars of the Earth BUT with a powerful woman in the lead. All women need to read this, tell their sisters, daughter, granddaughters, and nieces.

[March Delgado · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this book on an annual exchange table, and I decided to take it home. Over a year has passed, and I have finally decided to see if I want to keep it or not. This is the story, real or legend, of a woman who became the Pope of Rome.

Joan of Ingelheim is such a wonderful character that she has captivated me since the moment of her birth. What can you do if you are born a woman in a time and a country where that means being submissive or marked as cursed? Lately, I find myself constantly thanking my good fortune for being born in the country and time that I was. In this case, it has been no different. The path toward equality is very long, but much progress has been made, and I cannot help but feel grateful for it.

The novel is very well written, the setting is fabulous, the characters are well-defined, and the pacing is irregular because it adapts to what is happening. I have enjoyed this story so much that I couldn't care less whether a woman Pope actually existed or not, or whether anything I read is historical or completely invented.

Someone who crossed a line marked by others, a girl who was born far ahead of her time, who demonstrated, in the 9th century AD, for more than two years that a woman can be the head of the Holy Catholic Church.

Well, if she really didn’t exist, I’m very glad they invented her. She has become one of my favorite characters in a long time. It is a fascinating read that has kept me awake for more hours than I desired, but I felt unable to close the book, completely hypnotized. I recommend this reading with my eyes closed, whether you like historical novels or not. (Translated from Spanish)

[Nuryta · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Popess, by Donna Woolfolk

In a time when women had no rights, Juana is born and raised between her father's dogmatic Christian faith (a canon who pretended to comply with the new celibacy rule among priests) and her pagan mother's Nordic customs.

Not a particularly beautiful girl but of great intelligence, she takes advantage of her older brother's affection to learn the first letters, and later, she accepts the fortune life presents her with other teachers who recognize the spark in the young girl and develop her knowledge and reasoning ability, until the moment comes when being a woman puts her at a crossroads. It is then that she adopts her younger brother's identity to enter a convent where she will not only stand out for her cognitive skills but also manage to rise high within the structure of the Catholic Church, to the point of being named pope without anyone suspecting her condition as a woman.

An extremely interesting novel as it denounces a very harsh time for women; regardless of whether in reality Juana was crowned pope or not, it highlights the struggle of others who, like her, fought against the system seeking to be free to learn and express their thoughts, even if they had to renounce their femininity.

An excellent novel, highly recommended
Read January 2023.
QUOTES
Being a woman had been a source of unhappiness and frustration for her as far back as she could remember and she resolved to fight as hard as possible against those new trials of her femininity.
“Go ahead, close your library. You will not be able to close my spirit.”
We will pray as if everything depended on God and we will work as if everything depended on us.
Spirit and heart, faith and doubt, will and desire. Would the painful contradictions of her nature ever reconcile?
Everything old began as new. The new always precedes the old. Is it not foolish to disparage what precedes and praise what follows? (Translated from Spanish)

[esteka80 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have loved this book. At first, it didn't seem like much to me, but as I kept reading, I got hooked on the story of overcoming that it tells. (Translated from Spanish)

[a1stitcher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating. Was there a female Pope? Contemporary records have supposedly been obliterated, and there is only an account written some time after the event, which took place 853-855 AD.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It is easy to read and I finished in less than a week. I do have an issue with some of the events in this novel; there were too many timely and nearly miraculous "saves" for the main character. I understand there truly isn't very much to go on,in describing Joan's life. For me it just felt a bit too false. Despite this I was able to enjoy myself with this novel.

[AnatxuBio · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The rosebud grows in the darkness. It knows nothing of the sun, but it pushes against the darkness that limits it until the walls finally give way and the rose bursts forth, opening its petals to the light.

A man should be free to live as he wishes -And to himself he added: "And, while we're at it, a woman too." (Translated from Spanish)

[Lynvair · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The truth is that I started it without many expectations. What a surprise, an incredible story full of overcoming challenges and struggle. It perfectly portrays the life of women in that era. From the first page, it grabs you. Whether the Pope Joan existed or not, this story will not leave you indifferent. (Translated from Spanish)

[Fhany · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I simply needed to read a book like this. Regardless of whether Juana existed or not, or whether she became pope or not, I think it is a novel with incredible strength, portraying a wonderful female character, like few I have seen, with very clear ideas, always willing to sacrifice herself and fight for what she considers just. I have fallen in love with this character, and honestly, after the last two books I read, La papisa has saved me from a full-blown reading block.

Aside from the protagonist, who grabs you from the first page, the author's narrative style immerses you fully in the constant struggle of the protagonist. I believe it is a very simple narrative style, yet full of nuances, regarding the doubts and feelings of the protagonist, as well as the historical references of moments, clothing, or events from that time.

I also appreciated that at the end of the book the author reflects on the evidence for and against the existence of this pope and clarifies which parts of the novel are more historical and which are more fictional. Furthermore, I think the epilogue of this book is wonderful and undoubtedly encourages the reader to want to learn more about Juana and all those women who sacrificed who they were simply to be what they wanted to be.

Now, out of the novel, I must say that I am not the one to affirm or deny the existence of Juana as the first woman to occupy the papal throne, but it does me good to think that she existed and overcame all those obstacles imposed by society and the era she was born into simply for being a woman.

I leave it to each person to decide whether to believe in her existence or not. I highly recommend the novel, because beyond reading it with a filter of historical reality or with a filter of fiction with historical tones, it is definitely worth reading. (Translated from Spanish)

[400mom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is another book I would like to give 3.5 stars. I thought the story was interesting and the descriptions of life in the 9th century. I enjoyed the bits of history (although we didn't need to make it almost to the end to find out that Karolus and Constantine are the same person!). But I thought the way the story was written, with all the last-minute saves and the fact that all characters were either good or evil, did not do justice to the story. It was an easy read and I am glad I read it but it's not a book I will come back to.

[cemagoc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was one of the most spectacular historical fiction novels I have read. So well researched, yet intricately crafted to create a dazzling story. Cross inspired as a reviver of long-forgotten women and the lies that have been written to hide them. Absolutely recommended!

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ms. Cross writes a plausible story of the legend of Pope Joan and how she found herself pope of the Catholic Church in the 9th century. My ability to lose myself in the story was hampered by the too modern feel of the characters and some of the episodes that occur.

[kr_patterson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think I loved this book for different reasons than most people. For a long book, the pacing was excellent. Also, I felt the author was great with the handling of emotion. Each emotion felt real, and earned. There were times it was agony, but she had me in the palm of her hand. I was invested.

[valerieandbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel caught my eye because when I glanced at it at my favorite used bookstore, I initially read the title as it was, "Pope Joan", and thought I had mis-read it as Pope John. Nope, it really is titled Pope Joan. The synopsis from the back cover seemed interesting, even though I'm not a religious person nor am I particularly interested in religious history. However, this novel is actually a historical fiction account.

Set in the ninth century, Joan is a strong-minded and highly intelligent girl born to a father who automatically loathes her because she is a girl. Eventually, Joan hides her true gender and becomes John. Along the way, she moves up into the church hierarchy and ultimately becomes Pope. Of course, she accomplishes this without her peers finding out that she's really a female. There are a few that do find out the truth but they keep her secret. There's a love interest for Joan as well.

In real life, there are arguments for and against whether there was really a Pope Joan. In an author's note at the end of this book, Donna Woolfolk Cross shares this information and the possible supporting evidence with the reader. The reader is left to decide, and I think that yes there was a Pope Joan. I'd certainly like to think so.

As a woman, it was hard at times for me to read about how misogynistic men were towards women during that era. However, the author doesn't take on a preachy tone toward the mores of the times, or towards religion in general. Overall, a good read, and although it is 422 pages long, I finished it much sooner than I thought I would.

[charlaoppenlander · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a good book! I love historical fiction that teaches me something because I have to look up the facts while I'm reading it. The best book I've read in a while. The author did an excellent job following history and she wrote an interesting section at the end that includes more information about her research and other things she found out while writing Joan's story.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A clearly well-researched novel about Pope Joan, a supposed ninth-century pope supposed to have been a woman. The author has clearly done her research about the ninth-century and is able to incorporate many, well-documented events into the novel and into the characters' lives. Joan emerges as a very likable character, an unwanted daughter who nevertheless receives an education to match her intellect, and eventually disguises herself as a man, becoming a monk, healer, adviser to Popes, and eventually Pope herself. While even the author admits in the closing notes that Joan's existence is difficult to prove or disprove, this novel does provide a fascinating insight into a period that little is known about. Definitely recommended for historical fiction fans!

[nickelini · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Formulaic historical fiction with the requisite plucky heroine fighting misogyny, cruelty, and superstition. Characters were black and white with little-to-no character growth. Problems were solved through coincidences. Not an awful book--the author shows her extensive research of an era that we know little about today.

Pope Joan is fabled to have lived in the most obscure of times--that being the 9th century. Scholars (NOT just the Catholic Church) determine that Pope Joan probably did not exist--however, the story is buried so far back in history that I think it's more fun to believe that she was real.

This is a fascinating period of history about which we know so little, and that was my favourite thing about this book. At the end, the author outlines a handful of errors that readers wrote her about from the first edition, and she corrected them for later editions, so I have to give her kudos for doing that.

[dreamingbear-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A purely fictional account of a controversial and long-debated person ... quite the fascinating tale.


***POTENTIAL SPOILER***



The ending left me feeling a bit vague and unsettled. It seemed far more a storybook ending than was likely, although the epilogue was priceless.

[grheault_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

During the recent lead up to the newest pope, I wondered why had the old pope Benedict resigned? it was all so irregular and unprecedented. I conjured up my own version of a dark, embarrassing hush up that would last until many years after Benedict's death, when burial preparation would have shown that he had been transgendered, a woman who had lived as a man. Pretty original, eh? No. Not at all the first female pope came on the scene, according to rumor and legend, almost a thousand years ago, and she was called Pope Joan.

The book "Pope Joan" is a recent novelization of an old legend, and it did not engage me. I am reassured that my perfect track record of having no original ideas is still perfect.

[michellebarton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Joan is a young girl yearning for more than women are typically allowed during her time, and circumstances throw her into a situation where she must pretend to be a man in order to gain the education and learning that she desires, eventually leading her to become Pope. The book is based on possibly a true story, or at least historical rumor, which made it all the more interesting to me. Reads like a biography and covers such an interesting time and subject.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is historic fiction at its best. The story of a intelligent young girl who hid her gender so that she could study in the monasteries. She rose in the Catholic hierarchy all the way to the top to become Pope - I guess she really leaned in to her career! People in Rome still talk about whether or not there was a female Pope and even today, one of the criteria before officially naming a Pope is for a Cardinal to check if he/she is male! I read this to prepare for a vacation to Rome. While we were there, Pope Benedict resigned the papacy which was the buzz the whole time we were there and made this book even more relevant.

The audio version is beautifully performed by Barbara Rosenblat. This is one of those occasions of a perfect match between book and narrator - Bravo!

[astrologerjenny · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this very plausible, well-written historical novel. It’s vivid both in the settings and in the characters. It’s a brutal time, in which people are constantly fending off invaders and being conscripted for wars, while having to prove how pious they are.

Pope Joan is a pope with a secret, mainly that she’s passing as a man. And to me, this rings very true. With the low opinion of women that was common at the time, I’m sure a lot of women decided to go this route, even with the great danger of being discovered.

Of course, there is a romance in this book, and of course, Joan is constantly torn between love and the opportunities that have unfolded for her. My only real complaint with the book is that her lover, Gerold, is a bit one-dimensional: handsome, brave, understanding, accepting, pretty much perfect. He seems to have stepped out of a bodice-ripper and landed here in a more thoughtful novel.

[mawls · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Definitely a page turner. Sometimes I felt the action was too abrupt with not enough build up, but I can easily look past that and I say I really couldn't get enough of this book. The subject nature is intriguing and it's a well told story.

[teenielee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love religious conspiracies... I also love stories of women who are trying to be smarter than the world wants them to be. Hooray for Pope Joan!

[auranefertari · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A compelling look at a little-known Dark Ages legend. Cross has certainly done her research and patched together a story that is astonishingly believable in addition to well-written.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Back in the Middle Ages there was a popular legend of a 9th century woman who, disguised as a man, became Pope. Whether or not you believe this to be the truth doesn't matter much, because the story of this brave and intelligent woman is engaging regardless. I loved learning about all the strange superstitions and infuriating prejudices. Joan's own journey captured my heart as well. Excellent historical fiction.

[olgalijo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having grown up in a society in which women were (and sometimes still are) very coherced by their sex, I found Joan to be a very believable character.
Sometimes the plotline seems to be a little too thin, with a very real character being led by luck toward a destiny in too many instances. Even so, one can see Joan taking those decisions.
The Dark Ages setting is also a very difficult one to pull off, from a writers point of view. There are so many details of day to day life that are unknown to us, that it seems to be an impossible task to create a vibrant setting for the main story. In this case the attempt is successful, and one feels to be then and there while following Joan's life and tribulations.