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A review by emijoy15
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
- 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".