Sherwood
Written by Meagan Spooner
Narrated by Fiona Hardingham
4/5
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About this audiobook
Fans of Danielle Paige, Marissa Meyer, and Alex Flinn will devour New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner’s next fierce fairy tale-inspired story, which Illuminae author Amie Kaufman calls “a kick-ass, gender-flipped feminist retelling.”
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.
Meagan Spooner
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 author of Hunted and Sherwood and the coauthor of the award-winning Starbound Trilogy (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Their Fractured Light) and the Skylark Trilogy (Skylark, Shadowlark, Lark Ascending). In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cat, and reads. meaganspooner.com
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Reviews for Sherwood
152 ratings21 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a unique and well-done twist on the traditional Robin Hood story. The book has strong, layered characters and poses deep questions about morality. While some readers found the back and forth timeline tedious and the ending dragged, others were hooked by the story and cried at the end. The narrative stays faithful to the original folk story and offers a satisfying ending. Overall, this book is highly recommended for fans of historically plausible girl power and those who enjoy enemies to lovers plots.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this twist on the traditional Robin Hood story! So unique and well done! The story has strong, layered characters, and poses a deep question of where the line between right and wrong is drawn.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a wonderful rendition of Robin Hood. At first I was sceptical, but as the story unfolded I was hooked. I cried at the end which I haven't done reading a book in over a decade. I highly recommend this book!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5SHERWOOD was a wonderful re-imagining of the legend of Robin Hood. This time the star is Lady Marian. She grew up with Robin of Locksley. Together they learned to fight, and wrestle, and shoot bow and arrow. Marian was always a little faster to learn and a better shot. She was also taller. With Robin, she could be who she wanted to be. He didn't try to imprison her in the usual role for women of her time. Things change immensely when news returns to England that Robin has died in the Holy Land in service to his king. First comes the overwhelming grief which lingers for a long time. Then her maid Elena's brother Will Scarlet is arrested by the Sheriff's men and scheduled for hanging. Marian becomes aware of the injustices perpetrated by the Sheriff and determines to do something. She finds Robin's signature cloak, the sword and bow he had made for her, and sets out to rescue Will.Her adversary is Guy of Gisborne who is the Sheriff's man and the man who wants to take Robin's place both at Locksley and as Marian's new husband. She never intended to impersonate Robin but she wasn't quick to deny it either. Not once she saw how much hope Robin's reappearance engendered in the people of Nottingham. She gathers a crew - Little John, Alan-a-Dale, Will Scarlet, her maid Elena, and her stableman Midge, among them - and sets out to right some wrongs. She feels that she is being guided by Robin's memory until she does something unforgivable and Robin's voice in her head goes away.I loved the characters in this story. Marian was so well-drawn and well-rounded. And Guy was no cardboard villain. Even Robin, who dies at the beginning of the book, is lifelife. I loved the interludes that went into the past and were from Robin's point of view about how he came to love Marian and how they grew up together. The writing style pulled me right into the story and didn't let me go until the last page was turned.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Not a bad Robin Hood Novel, but has Robin Hood v. William the Conqueror. We see Saxon democrats v. Norman tyrants, but then Robin, for vengeance, not justice, joins against Waltheof another Saxon. Wrong time period for me.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Started off a bit boring but enough to keep me interested, I fell in love with this book and it had a very satisfying ending❤️
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I really enjoyed Hunted and wanted to dive back into Meagan's magical way of retelling a classic tale.
It was great to read about Marian finding herself filling the shoes of Robin and all by mistake. The back and forth with the timeline became tedious, I understand it was a way of us trying to gauge the relationship between Marion and Robin but I wanted the present story to carry presume without pause.
As the story goes on it was hard to believe that no one found out that Robin was now a woman. A number of times I thought Marion had been caught but she managed to get away with it yet again. It seemed to drag near the end and scenes became repetitive, especially with Marion fainting consistently. Some events required further answering but it had great potential. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Had to DNF, too slow and didn’t hold my attention at all
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5what a well splendid twist on a story very much beloved by everyone.... the author took the story of a legend and added her own spin to it...
Upon hearing of her beloved betroth Robin of locksley's death in the holy war.. his fiance Marian picks up his cape and assumes the identity of Robin of the hoods in order to help a friend and while doing so ends up helping the unprivileged against the unfairness of the sheriff of Nottingham.
highly recommend it if you're a fan of the Legend. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I don't know what happend the story started out really good and then the pace dragged so much! The MC was always fainting and there were many questionable events. The story shifts between mundane moments to some action throughout the entire storyline and I became uninterested in it all!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Honestly the ending. It took a while to get there but the incredible plot twist that came about made the struggle through worth it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A desperately romantic and swashbuckling adventure with a strong feminist message. Slow paced but very enjoyable and with an unexpected ending.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I love how faithful this narrative stays to the traditional folk story, it made the twist even more engaging. I will admit that I was hoping for a surprise return at the end, but this ending was appropriate to the promises made in the beginning of the story and it was wrapped up satisfactorily. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historically plausible girl power, and there's a very believable enemies to lovers plot thrown in for good measure.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a quasi-historical fiction, a sort of 'what if' there was a real Robin Hood. The author choose to set this story at a more plausible time in history, at the time of William the Conqueror. The characters may be well known, but Godwin does an excellent job bringing them to life, and adding depth and detail to the famous stories of Robin Hood. I thought this was very good.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Robin of Locksley dies fighting in the crusades, leaving a grieving Marian to take up his mantle and defend his people. A fun re-telling of the traditional Robin Hood story that features Marian as Robin o' the Hood. Appropriate for tweens and older. A lot of Marian is 'special' and 'not like other girls', but if you like some of the modern YA fairy tale retellings, you'll enjoy this quick read.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I am so mad about this book. I wanted to love it so bad, I wanted to enjoy it so much. But all I was left with was a sour taste in my mouth and so much anger. I honestly should had DNF it but I didn’t , I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt but sadly it just disappointed me.You can’t say something is a feminist retelling if all your doing is talking down about the men counter parts.Throughout the entire book it is constantly been stated that Marian is better at everything over Robin, she’s a better archer, a better climber, a better rider, she’s stronger, she’s taller, she’s everything so much better than what Robin ever could have been and this is just ridiculous.A girl does not have to be better at everything over a man, to be a good strong character. She could have been better at some, equal to other skills and worse then some, make it believable.Also for a girl who is so much better at everything over Robin she spends a majority of the book constantly thinking “what would Robin have done in the situation” “how would Robin have handled it” and “what would Robin do” how about “what should I do” or “how can I handle this” no it was always about Robin and he would deal with situations.There was also way to many “oh poor me, my Robin is dead how will I ever go on” please give me a break, the original Marian’s always dealt with him leaving for long periods of time and having been thought dead. How you gonna say this is feminist if everything relies on how terrible her life is without Robin.The only reason people can shove feminism on this is because it’s Marian as Robin Hood and she even did that poorly.Also Little John being reduced to a side character so tiny he basically didn’t exist is just rude.And DO NOT get me started on the romance of this book because dear lord I hated it so, really Gisborne!!!! Why did there even need to be a love story? It was the same YA predictable love trash, “I hate you, oh wait now I love you dearly, be with me” get out of here.Overall I am so so so very disappointed with this retelling and honestly it’s the first Robin Retelling I have ever hated and I love the tale of Robin Hood dearly so this just makes more angry and let down.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I thoroughly enjoyed this twist on the legend of Robin Hood. I love how Lady Marion is worked into the story and becomes its central figure. I don't want to give too much away! The book bogs down a little in the middle, but about halfway through, the action picks up, leading to a surprising conclusion.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book did not do what I expected at all! It was an off chance audiobook loan from my public library. I was expecting a YA romance with a very distant connection with reality. But it is in many ways a very somber book with Marian suffering grief for much of it and with realistic consequences mostly for her actions later. Marian has her own agency despite the time it is set in and while the romance is a shock for anyone brought up on versions of the story and in some ways it is still a bit trope like, for me it actually worked. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When Marion receives the news that Robin of Locksley, the man she had intended to marry, was killed, she is thrown into grief and despair. Who is this Guy of Gisbourne who is to take over the estate she has loved and cared for in her betrothed's absence? To save the brother of her maid, Marion takes on an alternate persona and a legend is born.I am caught between three stars and four stars and am going with the more generous rating to be nice. Parts of this I enjoyed, and parts had me rolling my eyes. I've read and enjoyed female Robin Hood stories before. This one was interesting to see Marion as Robin (though I will confess I found it hilarious that no one-NO ONE!-ever realized that it was a woman). I honestly thought Robin being dead was a mislead and that Robin would reappear, wounded, but eager to retake his position. My mistake. This does not happen. He's dead. D.E.A.D.What did Gisbourne do that was so awful? Why did Marion hate him so much from the start? The book doesn't tell us. So the romance between Marion and Gisbourne was, quite frankly, the most unbelievable part of this book. My favorite scenes were the flashbacks told from Robin's POV of how he falls for Marion, but even those are shadowed by the realization that Marion didn't actually love him back. Not in the same way.It did keep my attention, even when I was rolling my eyes. So maybe if you're a reader looking for a female Robin Hood story, you'll enjoy this. Just be warned, the first half of the book is raw with Marion's grief and sadness.I guess she loved him a little?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rebel 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 stars
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It’s ages -- nearly ten years, in fact -- since a Robin Hood retelling in novel-form caught my eye.Sherwood begins with the death of Robin of Locksley in the crusades. Back in England, his grieving betrothed, Marian tries to help when her maid’s brother gets into trouble with the law. She sneaks out disguised in Robin’s cloak, not expecting to be mistaken for him. But as one thing leads to another, Marian sees a way she can help more people.I love the way Sherwood twists and reimagines the Robin Hood story, putting Marian at the centre. Her grief, her history with Robin and her ideas about what he would do, her skill as an archer, her passion to fight injustice, her frustrations and discomfort with being a noblewomen, her relationships. Marian discovers she’s not the only one who feels constrained by social expectations and she’s not the only one with a desire about how best to improve the lives of others. I was completely hooked.Marian’s skills -- shooting, riding, climbing -- are clearly the result of hours of practising with Robin. I liked the believability of that and how it gives Marian another motive for continuing to masquerade as Robin Hood, since in her life as Lady Marian her strengths are neither useful nor recognised as strengths. I also liked that she makes mistakes and that her actions have complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable, consequences.Sherwood surprised me and made me unexpectedly invested in [redacted due to spoilers]. It gave me lots of feelings and made me stay up until 2am. Like Hunted, Spooner’s take on Beauty and the Beast, this successfully does something different while still including much that is familiar. A poignant, compelling retelling.“I thought you were in love with him,” she admitted. “With Robin Hood. And that’s why you were vanishing all the time.”Marian laughed, as giddy as if she’d had too much to drink. “I suppose I am, in a way. In love with being Robin Hood. The difference it makes -- to speak to men and have them listen to your words. To act in the world, not merely react. To ride out when I choose and be free.”
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I absolutely LOVED this novel. It, however, won’t be published until March of 2019, so I have no one with whom to discuss and gush over the novel! I received an early copy from the publisher. Thank you! This novel is a rewritten version of Robin Hood. Robin Hood goes off to fight in the Holy wars, but he doesn’t survive, dying with his last thought of Marian. When Marian finds out a few months later, she is devastated. They were to be married; they had grown up together and were well-suited. He allowed her to be herself. I use the word “allowed” with hesitation because of the connotations associated with it. He wasn’t giving her permission; he truly believed Marian was wonderful and she should be whoever she wants to be. Most men would have insisted she act more like a lady, but Marian is very physically capable. She taller than most women, can shoot a bow better than most men, can fight with a sword, and can handle herself outdoors. She doesn’t need a man to protect her or place her in a cage of traditional womanhood. She would be stifled sewing and running a household as her only duties.Sound different from the tale you know? Well, Meagan Spooner never writes a story as you expect, which is what I so enjoy and love (just read her novel Hunted--it’s amazing!). Marian is a strong feminist lead. Don’t groan with the word “feminist”--it’s not a bad word. It references a strong female, not a male-hating woman. Marian retrieves some of Robin’s clothes from his home. When one of Robin’s men--a person from his lands--is arrested by the Sheriff of Nottingham’s lead man, Marian dons Robin’s cloak and determines that she will rescue him. This act is the beginning of Robin’s legend. As Marian is tall, no one suspects this person is a woman. Marian is able to hide behind the hood of Robin’s cloak. People want to believe that there is help in their dire circumstances of little pay, little food, and little care from those with power. As Marian sees more and more that help is needed, she takes on Robin’s role and becomes the nemesis of the Sheriff’s man, Guy of Gisborne.The rivalry of Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne is intense. He wants Robin’s lands and Robin’s woman, Lady Marian. Marian cannot see herself with such a cruel man. She must use subterfuge to not let Sir Guy suspect that she is his nemesis. It’s a difficult plan because he is not stupid. Lady Marian plays a dangerous game. I refuse to say anything else because the novel unfolds with a completely different take on Robin Hood and I will not spoil it for anyone. In the end, I could talk about this novel from many points of view, but there is one main theme that applies to every part of the novel: we see what we want to see, which blinds us to the truth. Put this on your “to read” list NOW!