pope joan

I've read a lot of books over the past few weeks, but most of the stuff I've read hasn't been worth recommendation. However, I just finished reading Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross and found it to be a really interesting and engaging read. This is a great book for anyone who likes historical fiction, medieval culture, or feminist topics.

My interest in this book was sparked a few weeks ago when I read this post about a Pope Joan movie. Although I remember a passing comment about Pope Joan from school, I didn't know much about the legend. Basically, a medieval legend claims that a woman in the ninth century disguised herself as a man, joined the clergy, and eventually became pope. The woman purportedly was exposed when she went into labor during a processional on the Via Sacra. (You can read more details about Pope Joan in the linked post above).

Donna Woolfolk Cross wrote this novel to try and imagine what life might have been like for Pope Joan. She wrote in a very compelling way, and I really liked following the sub-themes of doubt, human reason, and misogyny. I especially feel like the feminist issues addressed in the novel (particularly the treatment and education of women) can still find application in today's society. I also felt like Cross did quite a tasteful job with explaining how Joan became pregnant, which I appreciated for various reasons.

It is said that the Catholic Church destroyed all records with Joan's name in the 17th century, as part of the Counter-Reformation effort. Only one ancient record of Joan escaped this alleged destruction, a copy of Liber pontificalis. To be honest, I'm quite skeptical that Pope Joan actually existed. But it's a fun story to think about, nonetheless.