From School Library Journal Gr 7 Up—In Marian's time, women (especially noblewomen) don't have much freedom. Yet with her betrothed, Robin of Locksley, she knows she will have more freedom than most. So when Robin dies during the Crusades, Marian is all the more devastated. And now the Sheriff's charge, Sir Guy of Gisemore, has been given the Locksley estate and has asked for her hand. Meanwhile, all of Nottingham is suffering under the Sheriff and Prince John. Fed up with the way her people are being treated, she dons Robin's hooded cape to seek justice. Spooner's novel is well written and engaging from open to close; readers won't mind the length of this hefty page-turner. It is primarily told from Marian's perspective with an occasional flashback to Robin before the Crusades. There is action, adventure, and just the right amount of romance. VERDICT Perfect for public and school libraries seeking more female-driven adventure stories and retellings of classic tales.—Kristin Joy Anderson, Lewis University, Romeoville, IL Read more Review “Spooner masterfully weaves a tale about grief, idealism, and identity. Marian’s Robin Hood proposes ‘the idea that one man could make a difference’—and that one woman can, too.”  (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)“A lively adventure featuring a lionhearted heroine... plenty of appeal for readers of Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small quartet.” (Booklist)“Steeped in tradition but infused with feminism and political concerns, a Robin Hood for a new audience.” (Kirkus Reviews)“I wept, reading it. My heart needed it so badly.” (Amie Kaufman, author of the New York Times bestselling Illuminae series)Praise for Hunted: “Spooner creates a detailed world populated by complex characters… An elegant, classic, and vivid fairy tale.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))“Unlike the cardboard heroes of fairytales, Yeva is a very human girl who must discover the meaning of the deep yearning that has always been within her. The author’s depictions will keep the reader spellbound.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review))“A haunting and romantic exploration of love and what sacrifices come with freedom.” (Marie Lu, author of the Legend and The Young Elites trilogies)“Haunting and graceful, with an edge that draws blood when you least expect it, Hunted is a masterpiece. Spooner deftly weaves together fairytale with fantasy, bringing to life an immersive, unforgettable world, a heart-wrenching romance, and a badass heroine.” (Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae and The Starbound Trilogy)“Elements of Russian folklore thread through this revision of “Beauty and the Beast,” and the smooth storytelling effectively creates atmosphere and mood as well as relaying the tale. Much time is spent on details… they all work to create a richly immersive and creatively fresh world for a familiar story.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books) Read more From the Back Cover Robin of Locksley is dead. Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.Who is there to stop them?Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero—Robin Hood. Read more About the Author New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the day while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, or an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York State with a degree in playwriting. She's traveled all over the world, to places such as Egypt, Australia, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galápagos Islands, and there's a bit of every trip in every story she writes. She currently lives and writes in Asheville, North Carolina, but the siren call of travel is hard to resist, and there's no telling how long she'll stay there. She's the coauthor of the award-winning Starbound Trilogy (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Their Fractured Light) and the Unearthed duology, and the author of the Skylark Trilogy (Skylark, Shadowlark, Lark Ascending) as well as two standalone retellings, Hunted (Beauty and the Beast) and Sherwood (Robin Hood).In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cats, and reads. Read more
S**C
A Unique Retelling With a Far-Reaching, Character-Driven Tale
Sherwood was a unique retelling with a far-reaching, character-driven tale at its heart. Spooner’s version of the Robin Hood origin story held real soul and conflict as it centered around a young woman grappling with grief and fighting the class of gender in a world that was inept at seeing their worth. And as the pages unfolded, more and more I admired Marian’s pure ambition to take hold of a hierarchy that no longer suited its people and to rise against it in the only way she knew how.Even with the story at times being densely packed and slow, I understood why it was needed and kept coming back for Marian. Her incapability to see beyond a few paces ahead of her good intentions was instantly relatable and true to her journey and bleeding heart. And due to that strong conscience, the unexpected nature of her fight both out of and under the cloak made for a story I couldn’t put down. She was never more real than when she had no idea the ripples she would cause yet she did what was needed anyway. Spooner did a fantastic job of sidestepping the tropes one would expect, instead crafting Marian in her own beautiful way. This was truly a character piece and I couldn’t be more happy that she was the main focus over any other element. And though I certainly wasn’t expecting the love story that developed, I’m all kinds of for it.Sherwood had a fascinating origin of a young woman not meant to become legend and should’ve been the original story all along. I look forward to the author exploring other fairytales and placing her own spin on them as she did this one.
N**L
Long Live Robin Lockley
Rebel ReviewsWhen Robin Lockley dies in Jerusalem, Marian is devastated not only has she lost her best friend and love but the Sheriff's right hand man Sir Guy and Robin's enemy is being given Robin's land and wants to take Robin's place in her heart. Lockley needs a hero to save them from the Sheriff and his men and if Robin isn't there to do it Marian will become him and save them herself.When I picked up Sherwood I thought I was getting a much different story then I got. First off I thought this was a Robin Hood retelling with Robin born a girl and not Marian taking on his identity. After I got over the shock I really loved this book but not as much as Hunted the author's beauty and the beast retelling. I have always loved the story of Robin Hood a man who rebels against the system because it is wrong and takes from the people who refuse to fix it and gives to the people it hurts the most. That is my kind of person.I did feel this book moved slow which is weird because it had a great deal of action and suspense. Marian's grief over Robin's death was written very real and raw and I really felt for her character. Marian's love for the people of Lockley and the downtrodden is inspiring. As always Meagan's writing draws you into the story doesn't let you go. I love how Marian is a huge tomboy and not at all graceful in this book. It made me connect with her even more. I loved that one of the reasons Marian pretended to be Robin was so the people would have hope when they needed it most. I really loved the romance but then it is my favorite romance trope(though I wish there was more of it). I wouldn't say more as not to spoil it. I also loved Marian's band of merry men(one of the men was not happy with that name and I burst out laughing like a loon at his disappointment)but wish she got to spend more time with them in the book. This book had an important message about knowing yourself and what you stand for. Overall this was an amazing Robin Hood retelling and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves strong female characters, rebels, and standing up for the little guyRating: 4.5 starsContent Rating: PG-13
J**H
A Robin Hood retelling to read over and over
I love Robin Hood retellings. Especially if Marian is a strong female character and not a damsel in distress. This book definitely does not disappoint! Marian is both physically strong (can out fight and out shoot Robin Hood) and strong-willed. Her strong-willed nature is what gets her in trouble and the driving force of the book. After the first couple of chapters, I thought I knew how the book would eventually end, but I was wrong. Although I was initially disappointed, I actually loved the way it ended.Marian and the other main character grew during the course of the book and they were not the same people at the end as they were at the beginning. The supporting characters were also well developed.There was lots of action and a little romance thrown in to make it a great book. One that I will read over and over. I highly recommend it.
M**R
Robin Hood with a feminist twist
“I don’t understand enough of the world to know whether you’ve changed it. But my Lady—Marian— you’ve changed us. And that’s not nothing.”I adored Sherwood by Meagan Spooner. It’s Robin Hood with a feminist twist. And its a fun book with lots of twists and turns that kept me entertained until the very end. I always enjoy a good retelling, and this one will be listed among my very favorites. Read this when you are in the mood for feel good fun. I give it 4.5 stars.
O**O
Don’t expect another Hunted
1.5 starsI loved HUNTED, and this was a huge disappointment for me. Marian was stupid, the relationship came out of nowhere, and there really wasn’t much that happened in a 500 page novel. I will read the next one though, which is about Peter Pan, because I’m trash.
M**'
Bummed!
I just knew I would love this book but I didn’t. I thought the idea was great but it just wasn’t for me! I do love some of the authors other books!!Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
J**R
Intriguing
I really love this author and wasn't disappointed by her latest novel. I really enjoyed reading this twist on Robin Hood with Marian taking his place. Even though some other reviewers said it dragged a bit in parts, the description of those sections was lovely. You really feel like you get an insight into life during that time in Nottingham, England. I have to say, the character of Sir Guy Guisborne was extremely intriguing. The more you learn about him, the more interesting he is. I only wish the author had given us even more of his interactions with Marian.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
2 months ago
