A review by fiction_gryphon
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
5.0
I honestly don’t understand why this book is receiving so many negative reviews! Personally, as a Robin Hood fanatic (in any form of the legend) I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this retelling! Marian is a bold yet flawed heroin, which I thought worked well to round out her character... she’s not all warrior woman and not all dainty damsel; she uses both sides of herself to her advantage. She’s not the untouchably perfect legend, as some of the tales make the Robin Hood character out to be, but also makes mistakes and has her doubts throughout. An added twist, of course, is that Robin is dead, and not only that, but Marian is possibly hearing his voice in her head. Definitely a unique idea!
Spooner does a great job of bringing characters to life while unveiling vivid settings through her beautiful prose. This story is real, it’s gritty, it’s enchanting, and I tore through it!
I liked the nuanced differences that Spooner brought to this retelling... how she built up the characters of the “merry men”, and especially her handling of Guy of Gisborne. I felt this Gisborne was reminiscent of Richard Armitage’s portrayal in BBC’s Robin Hood tv series, which is my favorite version of the character! Like Marian, he has his darkness and his light. His character arc was one of the most compelling in this story. It’s nice to see Gisborne get his shot at redemption for a change!
I saw another reviewer mentioned the 1938 film “The Adventures of Robin Hood” starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (one of my all-time favorite films)... I would argue that this retelling was just as charming! You get that magical feel of the beloved legend, while still taking in a new perspective that is fresh and interesting!
If you’re looking for a Robin Hood retelling that completely breaks from anything you’ve read before, this isn’t going to necessarily be the book for you. If you simply enjoy anything related to the legend and well-written prose, then I’d highly recommend giving it a try!
Spooner does a great job of bringing characters to life while unveiling vivid settings through her beautiful prose. This story is real, it’s gritty, it’s enchanting, and I tore through it!
I liked the nuanced differences that Spooner brought to this retelling... how she built up the characters of the “merry men”, and especially her handling of Guy of Gisborne. I felt this Gisborne was reminiscent of Richard Armitage’s portrayal in BBC’s Robin Hood tv series, which is my favorite version of the character! Like Marian, he has his darkness and his light. His character arc was one of the most compelling in this story. It’s nice to see Gisborne get his shot at redemption for a change!
I saw another reviewer mentioned the 1938 film “The Adventures of Robin Hood” starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (one of my all-time favorite films)... I would argue that this retelling was just as charming! You get that magical feel of the beloved legend, while still taking in a new perspective that is fresh and interesting!
If you’re looking for a Robin Hood retelling that completely breaks from anything you’ve read before, this isn’t going to necessarily be the book for you. If you simply enjoy anything related to the legend and well-written prose, then I’d highly recommend giving it a try!