Gaughen herself is an avid fan of the Robin Hood lore, and so many of the little parts of the characters come from the stories about Robin Hood. The most interesting and page-turning part of the story is the way in which Gaughen spins “fact” into her story. Problems arise, however, when it seems that Guy might know more about Scar’s past than she likes to admit to anyone. This is disrupted when Guy of Gisbourne is hired to capture and kill Robin and his Merry Men, forcing Scar and the boys to get creative to get things done and still outwit the great thief hunter, Lord Gisbourne. The crux of the story revolves around the daily attempts by the band to make sure the townsfolk have enough to eat and also pay their sky-high taxes (sound familiar). Robin is ever the do-gooder, for-the-people charming man he always is, though for this story he is a wee bit younger, with a little more brooding teenager lurking beneath his eyes. But I think it pushes forward the narrative rather than holding it back. And of course, being a YA fiction novel with a mysterious cross-dressed girl, there is love interest. Of course, her being a girl is a secret, and the boys Robin, John, Much, and Allan protect her.
And because of this, it makes sense that the character Gaughen creates to be Will Scarlet is rough around the edges and hell to face off against when Scarlet has her knives.
Gaughen plays this well: Scarlet is a girl who ran away from home early in her teens, and has been living with six teenage guys for the past half-a-decade or so. Gaughen’s Scarlet tells the story of the Robin Hood gang from the point of view of Robin’s most trusted member, Will Scarlet. Published just last year from Walker & Company Publishers, A.C. And recently I have found a new favorite view on Nottingham. Whether it’s the animal-animated Disney version, the BBC’s highly reviewed television series, or Cary Elwes singing in tights, I have always loved Robin and his merry men. Photo via I have always been a follower of Robin Hood. Lina Benich ‘16 / Emertainment Monthly Books Editor
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