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juushikaTitle: The Outlaws of Sherwood
Author: Robin McKinley
Published: New York: Ace Books, 1989 (1988)
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 278
Total Page Count: 114,929
Text Number: 334
Read Because: personal enjoyment, borrowed from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
century_eyes
Review: Outlawed by a fatal accident in the midst of politically divided England, Robin seeks shelter in Sherwood forest and becomes an unlikely rallying point for the disenfranchised. Intended to be the true story behind the legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood is more local and less legendary a tale with a distinctly human scope and cast. That said, some McKinley has a certain frothiness, a lightness of tone and a guaranteed happy ending, which is in evidence here. Surprisingly, the combination works; even moreso, I enjoy it despite my disinterest in the Robin Hood mythos. As a Robin Hood story, Outlaws is by no means definitive nor is it intended to be, but it strikes a balance between the recognizable and the unique—not always with grace, as with Robin's minimal longbow skills, but in a way that's always satisfying. The cast is frequently familiar and universally strong, including the women—of whom there is more than one, and their strength doesn't necessitate forsaking traditional femininity: bless you, McKinley. The characters offer just enough emotional resonance and, especially in the relationship between Robin and Marian, insight to give the story weight, but the weight is balanced by McKinley's distinctive frothiness, such that the book is compulsively readable and never too heavy. It's good but not great entertainment; it didn't win my heart, but it's a satisfying few hours tainted only by an overly compact conclusion, and I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Robin McKinley
Published: New York: Ace Books, 1989 (1988)
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 278
Total Page Count: 114,929
Text Number: 334
Read Because: personal enjoyment, borrowed from
century_eyesReview: Outlawed by a fatal accident in the midst of politically divided England, Robin seeks shelter in Sherwood forest and becomes an unlikely rallying point for the disenfranchised. Intended to be the true story behind the legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood is more local and less legendary a tale with a distinctly human scope and cast. That said, some McKinley has a certain frothiness, a lightness of tone and a guaranteed happy ending, which is in evidence here. Surprisingly, the combination works; even moreso, I enjoy it despite my disinterest in the Robin Hood mythos. As a Robin Hood story, Outlaws is by no means definitive nor is it intended to be, but it strikes a balance between the recognizable and the unique—not always with grace, as with Robin's minimal longbow skills, but in a way that's always satisfying. The cast is frequently familiar and universally strong, including the women—of whom there is more than one, and their strength doesn't necessitate forsaking traditional femininity: bless you, McKinley. The characters offer just enough emotional resonance and, especially in the relationship between Robin and Marian, insight to give the story weight, but the weight is balanced by McKinley's distinctive frothiness, such that the book is compulsively readable and never too heavy. It's good but not great entertainment; it didn't win my heart, but it's a satisfying few hours tainted only by an overly compact conclusion, and I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
