In the third book in A.G. Gaughen’s reimagining of Robin Hood, the main character, Scarlet, previously known as both Maid Marian and Will Scarlet, has escaped imprisonment by her uncle, Prince John. Kept from her grandmother, Elinor of Aquitaine, and her love, Robin of Locksley, Scarlet must travel with new and old allies to stop Prince John from foiling King Richard’s return home.
I definitely enjoyed this book, because it easily put the classic story of Robin Hood into the context of historical events like the Crusades and the writing of the Magna Carta, while remaining about a young women finding the value of herself and who she wants to be. I especially enjoyed the way that Scarlet is challenged to consider the perspectives of characters from almost every part of her society and tries to balance all their interests in her moral compass. I would recommend this book to teens who like both romance and action—there’s a lot of both— or who enjoy coming of age historical fiction novels.