Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: February 2012
Pages: 304
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Fun (and review...and Debut Author Challenge)!
Will Scarlet is a member of Robin Hood's secret band of thieves, though most people don't know he's actually a girl. Scarlet is a tough girl hiding from a secret past that might just catch up to her when someone from the past shows up in Nottingham - looking to take down the Hood and his band.
Things I Liked:
I am in love with great historical fiction. I know it doesn't seem like it, when I review so much fantasy, dystopian, and paranormal, but a really well-written, well-researched HF hits just the spot in my reading itch. I loved the details and the language and Scarlet most of all. She felt real, she was not glorified or perfect or even nice most of the time. I honestly started saying "I were" and "it were" sometimes because I was so immersed in the story and the way it was written. I'm also a big fan of the girl disguised as a boy thing, but I think this one did it better than many. Not only was she not fooling those closest to her, she wasn't trying to. I think it's much easier to fool the masses and people you don't interact with regularly and nearly impossible with those you live with every day. And it doesn't hurt that it had a fabulous Robin Hood that I fell in love with. There's something so fascinating about his stories and his legend. Makes me want to read The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley that Suey and Angie have raved about. Great stuff!
Things I Didn't Like:
The only thing I want is another story, a sequel (I know, great stand alones should be left that way). Truly, though, I liked how it ended and things weren't instantly fixed. But I want to know when and how they do get fixed. I think people might not enjoy the story if they are annoyed by (intentially) poor grammar or if they don't like historical fiction in general.
Read-alikes:
The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley
A bit like StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
most of it was religious exclamations
mrg-factor: X
implied, but nothing described
v-factor: ->->
some action fighting and rather horrific stuff, but not truly gory
Overall rating: *****
Who's your favorite swashbuckling hero/heroine?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
