3.5**
This is a very heavy book. I mean, not in actual pounds (though, kind of, but that isn't what I am talking about) but in subject. It's also quite dark. Which, I think is something that's to be expected in relation to this time period. Medieval France sounds awful, probably because it was.
I feel like there are some really strong positives about the book, but also some things that definitely dampened my enjoyment. But there are also a few main pieces of the book I want to discuss, so this will be... different. Change is good, right?
The Passion of Botille
Dolssa who now? This isn't really Dolssa's story at all, so if you were super attached to Dolssa, sorry about that. I mean, Dolssa is involved of course. She was supposed to be burned at the stake because she talks to Jesus. And not just like, "talks" to Jesus in a prayerful sort of way, talks to him and calls him her "Beloved" and legitimately thinks they are in some kind of serious relationship? It almost seems as though she considers him an actual romantic partner, and I won't lie, that creeped me out. But Dolssa wasn't hurting anyone, and it sure seemed like Jesus, or certainly some power, was looking out for her. More on that later.
Anyway, Botille. I adored Botille, so this "lack of Dolssa" business was fine. Botille has two sisters and they all have a unique "gift". Botille is a matchmaker, and she's quite good at it. I loved reading about her making her matches, it was entertaining. And she was a strong woman, as were her sisters, in a time when women simply didn't have a voice. She stood up for herself, and helped others even when she knew there could be a high cost. And she was just all around charming, basically.
Religion
I am not the biggest fan of religious books, so I was wary for sure. But this isn't just religion, it's history, so I figured I stood a chance. Obviously, this story stems from true events: The Crusades and religious persecution in the 13th century. And even though I am not a fan of religious stuff, I sure as hell stand by everyone else's right to believe in whatever they please. So if Dolssa wants to chat it up with Jesus on the regular, who am I to tell her not to? More importantly, who are these friars who want her to die because of it? There's a bit about miracles and such too, which also didn't really bother me, because really, who wouldn't like a miracle? Basically, the book isn't preachy at all, it's just historical.
I liked that it showed the positive and negative sides to the church. Dolssa was just trying to be peaceful and worship and maybe help some people out in the process. But these friars and other church leaders... they were gross, as a whole.
"'Oh, no,' said Bishop Raimon. 'An execution is never wasted.' He chuckled. 'Attendance at mass soars after a burning.'".
So yeah, they were awful. Not to mention how many people had already died in the name of religion during the Crusades.
The Story Structure
So far, things have been pretty positive, right? Okay, well here's where I struggled: This book is long. And I don't just mean in page length, it feels long. There are parts that seemed to drag a lot. I also think that the section heading in the ARC confused me a bit, because they didn't have the page numbers (for good reason of course; as it is an ARC they wouldn't know the exact page numbers) but still, it threw me off, and I'll show you why. Here's the ARC and the finished copy, respectively: (SEE POST FOR IMAGES
As you can see, Part III was 420 pages. But I didn't know that, and since Parts I & II were so incredibly short, I think it seemed even longer.
The good news is, the whole thing was broken up into different POVs. The bad news was that I didn't really care at all about the friars' POVs. Like, I couldn't stand them, and frankly the main friar guy was boring. I found myself skimming his parts even when I didn't mean to. And even Dolssa's seemed monotonous. It was basically just about her and Jesus, and great, I already got that, thanks for the reminder. The non-Botille POVs were just so, so dry.
Overall
I feel like I would have liked this story more if it was straight up Botille, and then maybe Dolssa in her role as the mystical escapee, but just more of Botille and her friends, family, and community. I was so interested in their lives, even the historical parts, but the other stuff just brought the flow to a halt and took me out of the story. I am still really glad I read the book, and would recommend it, but if you are not into history at all, it might not be for you.
But if a story like this sounds like your cup of tea, The Passion of Dolssa will provide a beautiful and hauntingly somber tale of two young women's paths crossing, the history that led them there, and how they changed a small city by the sea.
**Copy provided by publisher for review