Sherwood

Spooner (Hunted) has crafted an action-packed retelling of the Robin Hood myth in which Maid Marian assumes the role of the heroic figure to protect the people of Nottingham. Marian is grief-stricken when she learns that her betrothed, Robin of Locksley, has been killed in the Crusades. But after she hears that her maid’s brother, Will Scarlet, is being sought as a fugitive, she sets out to save him, donning Robin’s distinctive cloak as a disguise. When rumors begin to spread that Robin has been sighted, Marian must find a way to keep her identity hidden from both her allies (including Little John) and brutal enemies, all while trying to protect Nottingham as she believes that Robin would have. Spooner writes thrilling, visceral action scenes, and her use of archaic language evokes the time period. But the novel’s true highlight is Spooner’s careful development of Marian’s character as she comes to terms with her grief. Though the romance is a sudden and late addition to the story, fans of retold classics will thoroughly enjoy Spooner’s latest. Ages 13–up. [em](Mar.) [/em]