Project: Fairy Tale – The Outlaws of Sherwood Forest

Title: The Outlaws of Sherwood
Author: Robin McKinley
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: My favorite re-telling, with relatable characters and much adventure.

As part of Alison at The Cheap Reader’s Project: Fairy Tale, I decided to review one original and three re-tellings of Robin Hood in February. Obviously this post is a little late, but here’s the last re-telling I picked up. It was also by far my favorite, which probably shouldn’t surprise me since I almost always love books by Robin McKinley. As with most of the other re-tellings, the story hardly needs a synopsis, but I would like to mention that in this version we actually start shortly before Robin becomes an outlaw…

Project: Fairy Tale – Scarlet

Title: Scarlet
Author: A. C. Gaughen
Source: library
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Review Summary: It’s a clever take on the original myth, but I was disappointed to see this fun adventure story turned into just another YA love triangle with an indecisive heroine.

As part of Alison at The Cheap Reader’s Project: Fairy Tale, I will be reviewing one original and three re-tellings of Robin Hood this month. Scarlet is the first re-telling I’ve  read and has the most unique premise among the re-tellings I’ve found. Told from the perspective of “Will” Scarlet, the author ponders the possibility that the young boy in Robin’s band was actually a young woman.  Adventure, and of course, romance quickly ensue.

Project: Fairy Tale – Ivanhoe

Title: Ivanhoe
Author: Sir Walter Scott
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: The writing style takes some getting used to, but it’s well worth it for this story of romanticized adventure and chivalry.

As part of Alison at The Cheap Reader’s Project: Fairy Tale, I will be reviewing one original and three re-tellings of Robin Hood this month. Ivanhoe is the best I’ve been able to find as an original, since (at least according to Wikipedia), Ivanhoe is the first story in which Robin Hood appears in his modern incarnation. In this version of the story, Ivanhoe is the central hero fighting to preserve England for Richard the Lion-Hearted, an endeavor which leads to his alliance with Robin Hood. Fortunately for our purposes, Robin Hood gets at least as much spotlight as Ivanhoe. This book also has the same over-the-top chivalry and sense of adventure that I’ve always found so enjoyable in modern re-tellings of the story of Robin Hood.