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nightc0urt's review against another edition
4.0
Set during the Third Crusade, Travelers Along the Away is a gender-bent Robin Hood retelling following a muslim main character! As someone who loves books from any POV, I am one who does love when the main character talks to their audience, it really feels like you’re connected to the book when they do that and I love it!
If you love the story of Robin Hood at all, then pick yourself up a copy! This story is full of shenanigans, wit, thievery, action, adventure and so much more! If you’re always looking to add a diverse read to your shelves, this book would be fabulous!! As I said, it follows a Muslim main character but the other characters all follow different beliefs as well as there is LGBTQ rep in this book so it was just overall, amazing!
Travelers Along the Way doesn’t have much romance at all (sorry for the fans of romance based plots) but this book felt like a breath of fresh air. It’s not romance driven but more focused on helping the “little people” and all the good things the classic Robin Hood would do. I do wish the characters were more flushed out but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Read if you like:
- Ya historical fiction retelling’s
- Not romance driven
- A foolhardy main character
- LGBTQ rep
- Action & Adventure
- Quick wits
If you love the story of Robin Hood at all, then pick yourself up a copy! This story is full of shenanigans, wit, thievery, action, adventure and so much more! If you’re always looking to add a diverse read to your shelves, this book would be fabulous!! As I said, it follows a Muslim main character but the other characters all follow different beliefs as well as there is LGBTQ rep in this book so it was just overall, amazing!
Travelers Along the Way doesn’t have much romance at all (sorry for the fans of romance based plots) but this book felt like a breath of fresh air. It’s not romance driven but more focused on helping the “little people” and all the good things the classic Robin Hood would do. I do wish the characters were more flushed out but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Read if you like:
- Ya historical fiction retelling’s
- Not romance driven
- A foolhardy main character
- LGBTQ rep
- Action & Adventure
- Quick wits
stone_stupas's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
greenldydragon's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
binnybeenreading's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
this book was insanely enjoyable. i absolutely loved rahma. i also love how this was set in a time period that isn’t commonly written about and instead of glorifying richard i, it shows how terrible the crusades were. this ensemble was so interesting.
bknight's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
emijoy15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
My thoughts are so complicated. I remember when this book was announced and not yet published. Retelling Robin Hood by flipping the script on the Third Crusade is such an excellent idea. Although criticized sometimes, the crusades have been romanticized and/or used as a plot device in Robin Hood stories for a long time. Centering the non-European experience of this divisive part of medieval history through a Robin Hood retelling could have been really incredible. Unfortunately, for me, the execution was lackluster and didn’t deliver on the potential.
The reasons for the characters’ motivations felt like they should have been obvious given the historical context. Still, I found myself really struggling to understand why anyone wanted to do anything. Other than that they said they wanted to do it. This applies to both individual characters and the group as a whole. Why are they together? Why do they care about each other? Why are they willing to risk their lives for each other? Why are they doing this? I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters or their relationships with each other.
The plot jumped from one adventure to the next, very rapidly. And, implausibly, Rahma’s –and only Rahma’s, despite everyone else being just as involved– reputation grows faster than the speed of human travel until crowds are parting for her on sight based solely on her green hood. My favorite parts of this book were when I could really sense the direct adaptation. Notably, Robin and Little John’s quarterstaff fight through Rahma and Teni’s introduction. I wish there had been more of these kinds of callbacks! It was so much fun! A callback I didn’t need wasKing Richard being so involved and integral to the villain getting her comeuppance and the resolution of the plot conflict. If we’re flipping the Third Crusade, can King Richard just not, please?
Initially, I thought I might just be the wrong audience, but the closer I got to the end the more I felt that something was missing in the delivery. I hope someone out there loves this. I want this book to be loved because I really believe in the premise. Overall, I do think this book is fun. I had fun listening to it! I just wish I could have believed it. I still wouldn't mind having a copy of my own on my Robin Hood shelf.
As an aside, the chapter titles were absolutely wild and did very little to illustrate what would be included. A few gems that completely took me out: "Electric Feel", "Wonderwall", and "In Like Flynn". There were several direct references to the '73 animated Robin Hood in the chapter titles, to the point that I went back to check if this book was published through Disney somehow. It's not. I wish I could say that anything about the content explained the chapter titles, but there was frustratingly very little to support them. The vibe was very much "anyway, here's wonderwall".
The reasons for the characters’ motivations felt like they should have been obvious given the historical context. Still, I found myself really struggling to understand why anyone wanted to do anything. Other than that they said they wanted to do it. This applies to both individual characters and the group as a whole. Why are they together? Why do they care about each other? Why are they willing to risk their lives for each other? Why are they doing this? I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters or their relationships with each other.
The plot jumped from one adventure to the next, very rapidly. And, implausibly, Rahma’s –and only Rahma’s, despite everyone else being just as involved– reputation grows faster than the speed of human travel until crowds are parting for her on sight based solely on her green hood. My favorite parts of this book were when I could really sense the direct adaptation. Notably, Robin and Little John’s quarterstaff fight through Rahma and Teni’s introduction. I wish there had been more of these kinds of callbacks! It was so much fun! A callback I didn’t need was
Initially, I thought I might just be the wrong audience, but the closer I got to the end the more I felt that something was missing in the delivery. I hope someone out there loves this. I want this book to be loved because I really believe in the premise. Overall, I do think this book is fun. I had fun listening to it! I just wish I could have believed it. I still wouldn't mind having a copy of my own on my Robin Hood shelf.
As an aside, the chapter titles were absolutely wild and did very little to illustrate what would be included. A few gems that completely took me out: "Electric Feel", "Wonderwall", and "In Like Flynn". There were several direct references to the '73 animated Robin Hood in the chapter titles, to the point that I went back to check if this book was published through Disney somehow. It's not. I wish I could say that anything about the content explained the chapter titles, but there was frustratingly very little to support them. The vibe was very much "anyway, here's wonderwall".
rafaestla's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
lady_moon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
That was alright! The writing was pretty good. I only wished the pace was a little faster. The characters together were a nice little found family. I loved the whole premise, the Jerusalem setting, all the different religions together - and all of that in historical context! Pretty neat.
Now, sorry, but especially in the beginning Zeena was/is pretty annoying. And I liked that Rahma is the little sister but she's the leader of the group but somehow she felt like the older sibling - she was much more reasonable and mature. Also, all the time we are remined/told (mainly by Zeena) how Rahma's ideas/plan are basically too crazy and risky and always get them into trouble - but at the same time they always worked out?? There wasn't even one time when Rahma's plan to fail and for them not to be able to deal. Like, I wished to see them fail for real at least once or twice, just so we can see the consequences to that and how they deal with them.
Something else that kinda annoyed me - and it's completely personal thing! not a critique! - was how... righteous everyone was 😩 Like, I wanted morals bended a little. A bit morally-grey-ness. But nope. Rahma was just so sweet and virtuous and filled with goodness. Uh! Despite the book revolving around war and beeing historical, it felt surprisingly lighthearted. The ending was... extremly YA. It was all too naive and too good to be true how the conflict was resolved. Probably because I'm really starting to outgrow YA books but I wanted a little more brutality. It felt odd how much power/influence Rahma had over things.
Also, sorry not sorry, but Queen Isabella was awesome, this girly was in her right to be angry. Was she also kinda sadistic? Yes, she was and we love her for it.
Now, sorry, but especially in the beginning Zeena was/is pretty annoying. And I liked that Rahma is the little sister but she's the leader of the group but somehow she felt like the older sibling - she was much more reasonable and mature. Also, all the time we are remined/told (mainly by Zeena) how Rahma's ideas/plan are basically too crazy and risky and always get them into trouble - but at the same time they always worked out?? There wasn't even one time when Rahma's plan to fail and for them not to be able to deal. Like, I wished to see them fail for real at least once or twice, just so we can see the consequences to that and how they deal with them.
Something else that kinda annoyed me - and it's completely personal thing! not a critique! - was how... righteous everyone was 😩 Like, I wanted morals bended a little. A bit morally-grey-ness. But nope. Rahma was just so sweet and virtuous and filled with goodness. Uh! Despite the book revolving around war and beeing historical, it felt surprisingly lighthearted. The ending was... extremly YA. It was all too naive and too good to be true how the conflict was resolved. Probably because I'm really starting to outgrow YA books but I wanted a little more brutality. It felt odd how much power/influence Rahma had over things.
Also, sorry not sorry, but Queen Isabella was awesome, this girly was in her right to be angry. Was she also kinda sadistic? Yes, she was and we love her for it.
trippyotter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
svenseven's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5