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stephaniecedits 's review for:
The Wicked Prince
by Celeste Baxendell, Celeste Baxendell
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: eBook
Cautions: none
Main themes: bravery, perception, respect, unexpected friendships
Main characters: Robin Hood (Roberta of Locksley), Prince John, Little Jon, Alan, Will Scarlet, King Richard, and Marian
Favorite quote: "They were a noble tragedy, not a love story."
Review:
I have no idea what I expected when I picked up The Wicked Prince, but whatever it was, Celeste Baxendell blew those expectations out of the water. A friend on Goodreads mentioned what how fun this read was, and I was looking for something lighthearted, and I ended up here. Of course, I got exactly what I wanted: This gender-bent Robin Hood retelling had me smiling and laughing throughout. But it was so much more than that.
Celeste dug into the stories we tell ourselves versus reality, showing through both characters how what we think of ourselves, and others isn't always accurate. We have to dig deeper to find out who we are, and who they are. We have to give up our preconceived notions and sit with what the evidence says, even when it's hard. Even when we have to let go of the picture we've held in our minds for so long.
In Prince John, we saw a man wrestling with the truth that he wasn't quite what everyone said he was, but he wasn't the man he wanted to be either. Celeste gave us a glimpse into a soft-hearted male hero, which I absolutely loved. John is a strong, intelligent, and witty schemer who feels and loves deeply. He stays even when running would be easier. But Robin is a runner. She's running from her past, who she has become, and maybe even from her heart. Both of them have to admit who they really are before they can find what's best for them and for their country. Robin's character kept getting stuck in this cycle of trusting and doubting John. I guess it makes sense, but I didn't feel like I got to see her character grow until the end. Though, to be fair, she does grow before that, she just also falls back into old patterns—which is an accurate representation of the human experience.
Celeste had the fun, flirty banter down to a science, and the relationships between Robin and her men and Robin and her cousin were on point. It's always refreshing to see strong male-female family-type relationships. Plus, the found family vibes are strong with this one. And Celeste's idea to have Robin be a woman was also a super fun spin on an old story. She also brought a fresh dose of morality and forgiveness to the legend through the way she led the characters to work together.
Lovely setting. Fun vibes. Fairytale retelling. Clean. Sweet romance. What better way to relax into your evening than picking up a book like this?
Format: eBook
Cautions: none
Main themes: bravery, perception, respect, unexpected friendships
Main characters: Robin Hood (Roberta of Locksley), Prince John, Little Jon, Alan, Will Scarlet, King Richard, and Marian
Favorite quote: "They were a noble tragedy, not a love story."
Review:
I have no idea what I expected when I picked up The Wicked Prince, but whatever it was, Celeste Baxendell blew those expectations out of the water. A friend on Goodreads mentioned what how fun this read was, and I was looking for something lighthearted, and I ended up here. Of course, I got exactly what I wanted: This gender-bent Robin Hood retelling had me smiling and laughing throughout. But it was so much more than that.
Celeste dug into the stories we tell ourselves versus reality, showing through both characters how what we think of ourselves, and others isn't always accurate. We have to dig deeper to find out who we are, and who they are. We have to give up our preconceived notions and sit with what the evidence says, even when it's hard. Even when we have to let go of the picture we've held in our minds for so long.
In Prince John, we saw a man wrestling with the truth that he wasn't quite what everyone said he was, but he wasn't the man he wanted to be either. Celeste gave us a glimpse into a soft-hearted male hero, which I absolutely loved. John is a strong, intelligent, and witty schemer who feels and loves deeply. He stays even when running would be easier. But Robin is a runner. She's running from her past, who she has become, and maybe even from her heart. Both of them have to admit who they really are before they can find what's best for them and for their country. Robin's character kept getting stuck in this cycle of trusting and doubting John. I guess it makes sense, but I didn't feel like I got to see her character grow until the end. Though, to be fair, she does grow before that, she just also falls back into old patterns—which is an accurate representation of the human experience.
Celeste had the fun, flirty banter down to a science, and the relationships between Robin and her men and Robin and her cousin were on point. It's always refreshing to see strong male-female family-type relationships. Plus, the found family vibes are strong with this one. And Celeste's idea to have Robin be a woman was also a super fun spin on an old story. She also brought a fresh dose of morality and forgiveness to the legend through the way she led the characters to work together.
Lovely setting. Fun vibes. Fairytale retelling. Clean. Sweet romance. What better way to relax into your evening than picking up a book like this?