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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Also posted on Rally the Readers.
3.5 Stars
The legend of Robin Hood has been one of my all-time favorite tales since childhood. I love anything related to the Middle Ages, and the historical period paired with Robin and his colleagues’ dedication to aiding the poor has just always appealed to me. I also love watching film/TV adaptations of the story. The animated Disney version with Robin and Maid Marian as foxes and Little John as a bear is one of my favorite Disney movies. I was also addicted to the BBC’s spin on the tale a few years ago and faithfully tuned in to BBC America every Saturday night. (My love for that show may have had a teensy bit to do with Richard Armitage’s portrayal of Sir Guy of Gisborne and the fact that he was clad in black leather. Maybe. Just a tad. What was I saying?) Needless to say, I was psyched to read Scarlet and was ecstatic over the idea of a female protagonist who’s a member of Robin Hood’s crew.
One of the very first things you notice about the book is Scarlet’s narrative voice. Wherever the word “was” should be, you’re going to find “were” in place of it, as in, “I were bored. I went for a lookabout.” While Scarlet has a unique way of speaking, I didn’t find it distracting at all; I thought it quite suited her scrappy character and didn’t sound out of place in the story’s setting. The novel really shines at conjuring images of medieval England and making you feel like you’re there. The attention to period detail is impressive.
You’ll find the essentials of the Robin Hood legend here: he and his band of mates steal from the rich to give to the poor, who’ve been taxed into destitution by the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham. Besides Scarlet, Robin’s gang includes Little John and Much, with the occasional appearance by Friar Tuck as an innkeeper (alas, no Allan-a-Dale). I really liked the book’s depiction of Robin as a bit of a haunted soul, dealing with the weight of what he did and saw during his service in the Crusades. His character went deeper than the typical representation of him as a dashing hero of the common folk, and it was a refreshing take. Of course, the Robin in Scarlet is deeply concerned about the welfare of the people of Nottingham, and he works tirelessly to help them.
Where I hit a bit of bump in the book was with Scarlet herself. She’s an admirably tough, courageous character, but she also has a tendency to run off whenever anyone tries to get too close to her. Granted, the secret Scarlet guards is a big part of the plot, but I still couldn’t help becoming frustrated every time she pushed someone away or threatened to leave when she felt like she was being asked too many personal questions. I’m all for independent heroines, but Scarlet was also fortunate to have a group of fiercely loyal friends surrounding her, and I thought she didn’t always appreciate that fact.
I also wish that there had been a little more substance to Guy’s character. He came across as über-villainous, and personally, I prefer baddies with a morally ambiguous side to them. Overall, though, this was a solid Robin Hood story that had me longing to travel back to the Middle Ages to join up with a band of beneficent outlaws. But only if I were somehow immune to the plague and other such lovely medieval maladies, obviously.
3.5 Stars
The legend of Robin Hood has been one of my all-time favorite tales since childhood. I love anything related to the Middle Ages, and the historical period paired with Robin and his colleagues’ dedication to aiding the poor has just always appealed to me. I also love watching film/TV adaptations of the story. The animated Disney version with Robin and Maid Marian as foxes and Little John as a bear is one of my favorite Disney movies. I was also addicted to the BBC’s spin on the tale a few years ago and faithfully tuned in to BBC America every Saturday night. (My love for that show may have had a teensy bit to do with Richard Armitage’s portrayal of Sir Guy of Gisborne and the fact that he was clad in black leather. Maybe. Just a tad. What was I saying?) Needless to say, I was psyched to read Scarlet and was ecstatic over the idea of a female protagonist who’s a member of Robin Hood’s crew.
One of the very first things you notice about the book is Scarlet’s narrative voice. Wherever the word “was” should be, you’re going to find “were” in place of it, as in, “I were bored. I went for a lookabout.” While Scarlet has a unique way of speaking, I didn’t find it distracting at all; I thought it quite suited her scrappy character and didn’t sound out of place in the story’s setting. The novel really shines at conjuring images of medieval England and making you feel like you’re there. The attention to period detail is impressive.
You’ll find the essentials of the Robin Hood legend here: he and his band of mates steal from the rich to give to the poor, who’ve been taxed into destitution by the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham. Besides Scarlet, Robin’s gang includes Little John and Much, with the occasional appearance by Friar Tuck as an innkeeper (alas, no Allan-a-Dale). I really liked the book’s depiction of Robin as a bit of a haunted soul, dealing with the weight of what he did and saw during his service in the Crusades. His character went deeper than the typical representation of him as a dashing hero of the common folk, and it was a refreshing take. Of course, the Robin in Scarlet is deeply concerned about the welfare of the people of Nottingham, and he works tirelessly to help them.
Where I hit a bit of bump in the book was with Scarlet herself. She’s an admirably tough, courageous character, but she also has a tendency to run off whenever anyone tries to get too close to her. Granted, the secret Scarlet guards is a big part of the plot, but I still couldn’t help becoming frustrated every time she pushed someone away or threatened to leave when she felt like she was being asked too many personal questions. I’m all for independent heroines, but Scarlet was also fortunate to have a group of fiercely loyal friends surrounding her, and I thought she didn’t always appreciate that fact.
I also wish that there had been a little more substance to Guy’s character. He came across as über-villainous, and personally, I prefer baddies with a morally ambiguous side to them. Overall, though, this was a solid Robin Hood story that had me longing to travel back to the Middle Ages to join up with a band of beneficent outlaws. But only if I were somehow immune to the plague and other such lovely medieval maladies, obviously.
I didn't expect to like this so much! A wee fun quick read, highly entertaining, plenty of action and loved the stealth parts. A book for a rainy day.
It just... wasn't good. There is nothing likable about Robin. Scarlet is the one who is a master thief and comes up with all the plans. It also has that awful trope of a guy being mean to a girl because he likes her.
A retelling of the Robin Hood myth from the point of view of (Will) Scarlet, a lady thief. I've never been particularly enamored with Robin Hood before, but I couldn't put this down. There's a wonderful mix of action and humor and a slow-burn romance. The characters are heroic but not without their flaws: Little John is a possessive flirt, Robin is a bit of an angsty martyr, and Scarlet is a flight risk who blames herself for everything bad ever. But don't misunderstand me; those flaws don't make them annoying, they make them wonderfully three-dimensional. Scarlet is a heroine to root for, brave and broken, and kick-ass in a way that's refreshingly plausible, borne out of determined necessity rather than magic. The voice is unusual (Scarlet narrates with broken grammar) but incredibly compelling. And there were two plot twists that I didn't see coming at all! (read via NetGalley)
Great Robin Hood retelling! Love the relationship between Scarlet and Robin, and all the adventures they got into. Can't wait to find out what they're up to next!
Had to keep myself from staying up all night to read the whole book at once. I just loved it. I love the spin of having Will Scarlet be a girl and all her history that comes with that. I didn't want to finish it and have to put down these awesome characters but I found out there's going to be two sequels so that's setting to look forward to :)
Originally posted on The Daily Bookmark
5 / 5 Stars
Everybody knows the story of Robin Hood. We've heard the stories since we were children, watched many on-screen adaptations. It's a story that is based on historical knowledge and was passed down from the days of old by verbal storytelling. And none of the versions that I've encountered are as good as this one, not even close. A.C. Gaughen changed my perspective on The Hood and his merry men, and the entire story of the man who stole from the rich to give to the poor.
"Will" Scarlet, Robin "The Hood" Hood, and the band of merry men are first introduced in the midst of stealing funds to help pay Nottinghamshire's residents' astronomical taxes. Scarlet is a female disguising as a male, thus protecting herself from the sheriff, known as Gisborne or the Thief Taker. Scarlet is a practiced thief, there is none like her so The Hood protects her identity in exchange for her help. When Gisborne does come to town, things get complicated and gruesome for everybody. Connections are made and the band's histories are slowly but surely fleshed out in a way that leaves you flipping through the pages, eager for more.
What makes Scarlet so great is the fact that Robin Hood is such a well-versed story, one that has it's reaches and versions across the world. It's been told in so many different ways and with many variations, such that Scarlet becomes another variation, but a great one. The characterization is flawless, the prose spectacular and well-paced for the story at hand. There are shocks and twists and turns around every corner, leaving readers at the edge of their seat.
Another well-enjoyed aspect was watching my concerns with the story disappear as I read:
- Scarlet is told in Scarlet's perspective, with her heavily accented voice. At first, I thought it sort of annoying and didn't really grasp the point. Some moments, I actually had to say them out loud for the accent to work. But gradually, her accent becomes one with the reader and in that way, it makes perfect sense.
- I didn't like John Little. Pushy, arrogant, refuses to take no for an answer and almost had that creep-factor, circa Edward from Twilight. This "Little John" really irked me at first. Then his intentions were leaked out, bit by bit and in the end, I still didn't like him but not for the writing or Gaughen's vision. I just didn't like who he was as a character, as a person.
- It's incredibly violent and graphic. There are scenes where even my stomach squirmed and I enjoyed every minute of the Saw legacy movies. At first, this bothered me - this book was written for a young adult audience whose vision of the world are still growing and taking form. What made that bearable and understandable, though, is that this was old English reality. It wasn't sunshine and daisies all day long. Happy endings? Rare. And it was violent. Scarlet is half fairytale, have historical fiction. The violence helped solidify Scarlet's place in history.
Essentially, everything I had foreseen as an issue resolved itself and that made for a really wonderful story. All around, it was a new, exciting and fresh take on a beloved tale. I read Scarlet in one sitting, let that be a testament to Gaughen's brilliant debut.
5 / 5 Stars
Everybody knows the story of Robin Hood. We've heard the stories since we were children, watched many on-screen adaptations. It's a story that is based on historical knowledge and was passed down from the days of old by verbal storytelling. And none of the versions that I've encountered are as good as this one, not even close. A.C. Gaughen changed my perspective on The Hood and his merry men, and the entire story of the man who stole from the rich to give to the poor.
"Will" Scarlet, Robin "The Hood" Hood, and the band of merry men are first introduced in the midst of stealing funds to help pay Nottinghamshire's residents' astronomical taxes. Scarlet is a female disguising as a male, thus protecting herself from the sheriff, known as Gisborne or the Thief Taker. Scarlet is a practiced thief, there is none like her so The Hood protects her identity in exchange for her help. When Gisborne does come to town, things get complicated and gruesome for everybody. Connections are made and the band's histories are slowly but surely fleshed out in a way that leaves you flipping through the pages, eager for more.
What makes Scarlet so great is the fact that Robin Hood is such a well-versed story, one that has it's reaches and versions across the world. It's been told in so many different ways and with many variations, such that Scarlet becomes another variation, but a great one. The characterization is flawless, the prose spectacular and well-paced for the story at hand. There are shocks and twists and turns around every corner, leaving readers at the edge of their seat.
Another well-enjoyed aspect was watching my concerns with the story disappear as I read:
- Scarlet is told in Scarlet's perspective, with her heavily accented voice. At first, I thought it sort of annoying and didn't really grasp the point. Some moments, I actually had to say them out loud for the accent to work. But gradually, her accent becomes one with the reader and in that way, it makes perfect sense.
- I didn't like John Little. Pushy, arrogant, refuses to take no for an answer and almost had that creep-factor, circa Edward from Twilight. This "Little John" really irked me at first. Then his intentions were leaked out, bit by bit and in the end, I still didn't like him but not for the writing or Gaughen's vision. I just didn't like who he was as a character, as a person.
- It's incredibly violent and graphic. There are scenes where even my stomach squirmed and I enjoyed every minute of the Saw legacy movies. At first, this bothered me - this book was written for a young adult audience whose vision of the world are still growing and taking form. What made that bearable and understandable, though, is that this was old English reality. It wasn't sunshine and daisies all day long. Happy endings? Rare. And it was violent. Scarlet is half fairytale, have historical fiction. The violence helped solidify Scarlet's place in history.
Essentially, everything I had foreseen as an issue resolved itself and that made for a really wonderful story. All around, it was a new, exciting and fresh take on a beloved tale. I read Scarlet in one sitting, let that be a testament to Gaughen's brilliant debut.
I didn't enjoy this book very much at all. I love Robin Hood, so a retelling that put a girl into his band of Merry Men seemed like a fantastic idea. And it would have been...if this girl hadn't been Scarlet. I couldn't understand her motives behind her actions--starving herself because she feels guilty that people in Nottingham are starving? Lying and toying with people because...she felt like it? Having an "oh-woe-is-me" attitude throughout? I hated her character, and that made the inevitable love triangle that much more annoying because I couldn't for the life of me figure out why one person would fall in love with her, let alone two. This book also reduced Robin Hood to nothing but a minor role in his own story, and ruined beloved characters for me. The writing style and grammar were incredibly distracting--and this is coming from someone who ADORES the Jacky Faber series, which utilizes similar grammar and character voice! Scarlet was just a disaster from start to finish.
So much angst, and so much violence! I did get awfully sick of Scarlet's locution - "it were cold," "I were climbing," etc etc etc. And I also got a bit tired of Scarlet and Rob's shared martyr complex.
But I like Robin Hood stories, especially the ones that play up the romantic side of a hero in a forest, so even though it wasn't as good as Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood I immediately downloaded the sequel!
But I like Robin Hood stories, especially the ones that play up the romantic side of a hero in a forest, so even though it wasn't as good as Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood I immediately downloaded the sequel!