Wow. I just read the final pages of this book and my heart simply aches. As someone who was raised Catholic, I understand the comfort of faith, but also the horrible things that come from religion. One example of that is the crusades. The Passion of Dolssa takes place during the inquisitions in France and Spain in the late 13th century and highlights not only the ruthlessness of the Church at this time, but the trials of true believers and the dangers of those who helped them. 
 While the inquisitions are a dark mark on the Church's history, the character of Dolssa is faith incarnate - while she struggles with her calling, she finds comfort in "her beloved" and those who love her, such as Botille and her sisters. Julie Berry's strength as an author is certainly in her character development - I quickly came to know and love the town of Bajas, which made the terrors and betrayals to come even more painful. The final chapter gave me all kinds of feels. 
 I know I'll be thinking about this book for awhile, mostly because it really tugged at my heartstrings. While it left me a little emotionally drained, I am so happy this book was recommended to me. Any book that makes you feel so many things deserves 5 stars, in my opinion.