As I enjoyed Goldstone's previous two books immensely, it was a given that I would read this book as well. And just as with Four Queens: The Provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe and The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily, I read the book with very little prior knowledge.
But I felt like this book, unlike her previous two, presumed a certain amount of prior knowledge.
I had of course heard of Joan of Arc and had a vague idea of her history, but Goldstone starts off the book talking about the secret history that has never been revealed before... but how the story she presents differs from the prevailing theories is never clearly explained.

As always, I like Goldstone's focus on the female actors in history and the family relationships in the ruling families of Europe in the Middle Ages. I don't remember if it was Goldstone or a reviewer who pointed out that frequently the Men were under age, taken as hostage, or off in battle or crusade... so it was the Women as mothers and wives who frequently kept the kingdom/duchy/county running.