drgnlv's Reviews (823)

This book was a PERFECT romance and fairy tale retelling. I was taking notes in my head while I read about the deft way Deen weaves her story. That is, when I wasn’t so completely engrossed in the story that I lost all sense of place and time. The structure beats were masterful and each one hit yet another of my favorite types of character interactions in a refreshing, exhilaratingly new way. I loved this book from the bottom of my heart and I can’t wait for the next installment of the trilogy!!! Don’t worry—no frustrating misunderstandings at the end of this book. The next book seems set up to follow either a different set of characters or a new stage in the relationship of the two mains. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!!!

The story started out strong, but after the halfway point, I didn’t know why I was reading anymore. I love the Robin Hood legend, but apart from the twist at the beginning, there is nothing original about this retelling. I enjoyed watching how Marian became “Robin Hood,” but after she succeeds, there’s really nothing to keep the excitement going.

One of the main parts of the Robin Hood tale is its impermanence. Eventually, Robin is going to be stopped or found out or killed, but when Robin is Marian, whose status is usually what saves Robin in the end, the situation becomes more confusing and less interesting.

I didn’t finish this novel because I wasn’t interested in watching “Robin’s” slow decline. Maybe someone who prefers that part of the Robin Hood tale to the cheerful heists and robberies would enjoy the entire book.