Passion of Dolssa

Julie Berry

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction + Young Adult

Initial Impression
This book has been sitting on my shelf since 2017. I picked it up after watching a YouTuber rave about the story, characters, plot, and the author’s writing style. It immediately appealed to me, so I got a copy, but for some reason, it took me years to finally read it.

Summary
Set in 13th-century France, the novel follows Dolssa, a young noblewoman who is condemned by the Catholic Church for heresy after claiming a divine relationship with Jesus Christ. Branded dangerous and sentenced to execution, she narrowly escapes and flees into the countryside—wounded, weak, and alone.

She’s found by Botille Flasucra, a village matchmaker who, along with her two sisters, takes Dolssa in and nurses her back to health. As Dolssa recovers, she begins performing miraculous healings through prayer, drawing attention far beyond their small coastal town.

Word of her abilities eventually reaches the inquisitors, who descend upon the village in search of her. They interrogate and torture villagers to force out her location. Will she be found? That’s for you to discover.

Characters
The story is told through multiple points of view, but even though it revolves around Dolssa, she narrates far less than Botille. I think that was a deliberate choice by the author—to have us see Dolssa through other characters’ eyes. Honestly, it makes sense. If Dolssa were constantly claiming she’s gifted and performs miracles, she could easily come across as a delusional narcissist instead of someone truly spiritual.

The characters are well-written, no doubt about that. But I didn’t connect with them as much as I hoped. Maybe it’s because they didn’t feel especially engaging to me, or perhaps the historical setting created a bit of distance. Whatever the reason, I just wasn’t fully invested in them.

Writing Style
This is supposed to be a YA novel, but honestly, it didn’t feel like one while I was reading. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Either way, the book didn’t click with me the way I wanted it to.

That said, it’s clear the author did a ton of research, and it shows in the details and in the writing itself. I appreciate the effort, even if the result wasn’t entirely my thing.

Setting and Atmosphere
The setting—13th-century France—is richly drawn. You can absolutely feel the atmosphere of the period in every chapter. The author does a great job of blending historical fact with fiction, making the world feel both grounded and mystical. There’s a spiritual and almost ethereal tone to parts of the story, thanks to Dolssa’s character, but it never goes over the top.

Overall Impression
I expected to enjoy this book more than I did, and I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t. With a story like this, it’s important to feel close to the characters—especially when the world-building is already so strong. I understand that the writing style was meant to reflect the time period, but sometimes that came at the cost of engagement. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: big parts of this book were boring, and boredom is the graveyard of a reading experience.

Key Themes

• Resistance and courage
• Persecution and intolerance
• Mystical and religious devotion
• Female solidarity and sisterhood