Scarlet

There's good and there's bad, bad first...as I like to hope that the good can counter act the bad, or at least balance it all out.Scarlet was good but could have been better. I liked the idea of Scarlet, but I felt she lacked depth within her character. I understand she is a thief, I understand that she doesn't eat and I understand like everyone else she has things she doesn't want to talk about, but I feel like some of it was somewhat shallow in terms of character depth. I'll admit Lord Gisborne was a wee bit psycho, neurotic and I would say slightly self absorbed but that's an understatement he was narcissistic in a Lord Voldemort type of way without the twisted "One ring to rule them all" of Sauron. I understand why she'd want to run away but the running away bit and jumping into fights to save other people kind of contradicts her character a bit, I mean it could be all about the fact that she wanted to save herself from the monster that is Lord Gisborne but also it didn't explain why her parents didn't love her. It says that she thinks they didn't because they contracted her to the masochistic man who wanted to be the conqueror, but it doesn't give evidence. There is no evidence of her statement of the lack of love from her parents, it's just her word, no memory or flashback to a scene where she eavesdrops on them talking about it. According to the information supplied basically her parents give her to the man just so she could have a life worthy of her upbringing and nobility. That doesn't mean that her parents don't love her.Little John is very confused, or at least confusing. He loves Scarlet one moment and the next he's tumbling another girl. For a guy who claims to be in love with a girl, that doesn't happen, he changes before professing his love, not after the fact. not to mention he seems to have it in for Robin more than he should. I think Little John lacks the "would follow Robin over a cliff" loyalty that he has been so famed for. And of all people why would Little John not have been with Robin when he went trussing over to London to as the story says basically to pick up Scarlet? Little John through out the whole story seemed to have one purpose in mind, to have a truss with Scarlet. Don't get me wrong, his character although yes being quite flirty is slightly lacking in the loyalty department, almost like they got a discount.Then there was Much. I don't really have anything negative about Much or at least space for him to be improved upon except for the fact that I think he was the stereotypical under appreciated genius, who didn't come over as a genius. I felt like Scar built him up and he fell short, after all gunpowder does not come from rocks in caves, it comes from a plant. And in that time period bird droppings would have been used mixed with the gunpowder to create an explosion. Not to mention that a keg of flour that had been sealed air tight would have created a BIGGER, CHEAPER and EASIER to access bomb than scraping stones once heated that is.Last but not least Robin the Hood or Lord Robin of Locksley. Scar said he was charming, but I did not find him so charming. I found him mostly non-challant about the majority of the chaos unfurling. Robin seems to me the type who would be exploring and who would be finding the crevices and nooks and crannies in which to set people free from his OWN keep. It's his keep for crying out loud and he doesn't even know all the passage ways and tunnels that Scar knows about. Yes I know he was away at the crusades at the time of the construction but he would have known about some of it, not all of it but some of it, and he would have been allowed to gather his personal effects. In addition I did not find Robin's story portraying King Richard I as a war tyrant appealing, King Richard I was a good king as he returns Robin's title in the end of the original story, so I don't see where King Richard I suddenly gets his "KILL THEM ALL!!" rawr.Now for the good...Scarlet may have been a bit flimsy on the narration but when she got her teeth into something she stuck with it like an attack dog and an intruder, she's a headstrong and valiantly stubborn. And her knife skills to fend off a sword had to be superb, yes it is possible to defend with a knife as she would be quicker to dodge and slip into the range where a sword is completely useless. She's a good fighter, I'll admit and I'm in agreement with Little John about how she can't take a hit which is most likely because the boys coddle her. And her anorexia gives her depth with her insecurities about her self worth, her self value and her physical appearance, though not all directly linked they are indirectly linked by her compassion and generosity both of which she has in abundance for the people of Nottingham. Her generosity is fulled by her compassion in such a way that even a slash at her pride, character and value of what she is and was does not deter her from doing great acts of kindness. And although aloof Scarlet does open up and create bonds between the other characters as time goes on, though clearly the strongest bond with Much and Robin over Little John.Normally I would say he is a gentle giant, but in this story Little John is more like a punching bag. He takes the hits for those of the band that cannot, aka Scarlet and Much. Though a little over credited in the story for being charming and not so tempestuous, Little John is the comedic relief being the truss and tumbler in the sack that every girl vies for, with the exception of one. Though as charming as Little John is, he seems to have very little action and is more along the lines of an escort or babysitter to Scarlet. He does have a few moments where he is very big brotherly and other moments where he is a suitor trying to tame the shrew, well, he's the suitor that fails. He allows himself to be manipulated by Scarlet every now and again but at the same time he also manipulates her or at least attempts to manipulate her before failing miserably. His devotion to protecting Scarlet is big brotherly and clearly strong and slightly outlandish but it rings true, I am slightly disappointed he doesn't feel the same devotion to protect or defend or even stand along side or take the bullet for the other members of their little merry men. However Little John does show that when push comes to shove, he'll shove and shove and shove until he gets his point across, albeit a bit juvenile, but still nonetheless it's what brings out his good qualities.Much to do about nothing, or something in this case. Much has a lot of Muchness, he's determined to be more for the band than just the under appreciated smart guy, but he's also the character to whom everyone turns to for observations that they cannot see for themselves. If Scarlet's the ears, Much is the eyes. He sees everything happening around him with such clarity it's quite jaw dropping, well at least in comparison to everyone else. But he is a little biased towards Robin rather than just being the third party. Much appears to me like Samwise Gamgee in turn of being a peace maker and a bit of Hermionie in brains and with Neville's determination and tenacity to help and be of use despite being slightly challenged in terms of ability added to Professor Xavier's clairvoyance he's a character to be reckoned with. Actually he's a character all on his own and despite only having a supporting role he really could use a novel all for himself in his adventures where readers would be lost in his head. Right where they should be I might add, because characters such as these when well developed and independent create a depth to the plot and reveal facets of characters otherwise unknown raise the level and intensity of the story in which they belong. And Much though quieter than most characters of his nature, is that character.Robin, Robin, Robin, Robin...what to do with a thieving outlaw who was once a Lord...not much really except hang him. Well according to the Sheriff of Nottingham who loves taxes and cold hard cash. Robin is not so devious as I would have liked although he is quite the adventurer. He is famed for outsmarting the Sheriff of Nottingham and falling in love with Lady Marian, which he does by the way, but he's a bit darker and quieter, more observant and brimming with intensity of his desire to do good more than anything else. And perhaps for some people this is overwhelming, and so much so that it overshadows his charm, his cunning, his skills and his bravery, but I think this is just on that line. Just enough to overshadow his charm, his cunning, skills and bravery to bring out the creature that hides within him. Robin in this story is not the charming flippant character most write about, he is the stronger though younger, intense character with fierce loyalty for his band of followers, he possesses great strength to make up for what they lack in numbers and the desire to protect not only those whom he was to rule over once his father had died but those who follow him to ensure that regardless of the current situation they are fighting at full strength. He is a leader for all of these people and fights to show it, even if the people will not let him. Robin in this story is not flippant, nor is his a floozy but he is a leader who has taken on a burden that surpasses his years and experience as a titled man of his time.The title of my review is Lady and the Tiger-esque which should give you an idea about the ending to which I say no more about it here, lest I give away any spoilers I should be giving...

Good values we want our daughters to align as well as writing that keeps you wanting to read "just one more chapter"...and another and another! Scarlet is a strong, independent and smart heroine. She is always thinking of the people in her shire, willing to lend a hand and, of course, helping Robin Hood and his merry men to triumph over the evil sheriff and prince. Even in the worst predicaments, Scarlet finds a way to persevere. Best for children over 12 as there is a strong love interest with Robin Hood and others. I recommend all three books in the Scarlet series by Gaughen.

Actual rating 4.5 stars for one of my minor quibbles.Scarlet is a book that I'd heard a few things about, and whose premise sounded interesting. I bought it a while back, and it's been living on my Kindle, just waiting for me to read it. I was in the mood for something sort of fairy tale-ish that would draw me into its world, so I decided to give Scarlet a try, and it turned out to be the perfect book. It was exactly what I was looking for and more. Some spoilers to follow, so proceed with this review with caution.My only real beef with this book was that I thought the situation between Robin and Scarlet got a little tiresome at times. It was one of those instances where you want to take both characters, give them a good shake, and scream at them, "Would you two just sit down and talk!" For the most part, I thought Gaughen handled the complexities of their relationship very well, but I did get kind of exasperated with their constantly being on the edge of confessing things only to fight or have some third-party element interrupt them. It worked for a while, but then started to feel too contrived.The love triangle aspect was something I initially met with some resistance, but I thought it ended up working really well in this novel, for a couple of reasons. First, I got that Scarlet was very confused. Her emotions were a jumble, and there was a lot about her past she didn't want to confront, and I could see why it was difficult for her to decide what she should do about John. I also thought it was very realistic that she questioned his intentions toward her. However, what I particularly liked, was the way things were resolved in the end. I loved that Scarlet got annoyed with everyone trying to take her agency from her, and that she wasn't about to put up with that. I think there's far too little of this in YA lit, so I was thrilled to see a female character stand up and call out the male characters on their offensive behavior.In general, that was my favorite part of the book: that it was a feminist take on Scarlet, but more importantly, it never felt like Scarlet was a twenty-first-century female stuck into a narrative about the Middle Ages. Scarlet chafes at the confines of her society and has to take extreme measures in order to live outside of the norms of the day, and it takes its toll on her. Her decisions to take control of her life is no easy one, and it's one that has truly dire consequences for her. I loved that she fought for herself, that she called other characters out on the sexist behavior but in such a way that she taught them how to view things from the flip side. She was strong, capable, but not invincible, and needed others to help her, which felt very realistic to me. Sometimes you can't do things on your own, and that goes for both male and female characters. Others may rescue Scarlet, but she does a fair bit of the rescuing as well, and I loved it. I also loved that she could be rough and abrasive. She was a very flawed character, which made her all the more realistic, and I had no trouble at all identifying with her and sympathizing with her because of her experiences.I also very much enjoyed Robin. He's a complex, nuanced male lead in a sea of what I think are frankly bad male lead characters in the genre. He's tortured, but not in the shallow way that a lot of male YA characters are tortured. It's understandable why he's traumatized after what he's seen and what he's done, and it's also easy to see why he's developed a hero complex as a result.The relationship between Scarlet and Robin is beautifully developed. I loved the push/pull between them, and I liked that they had to fight their way toward an understanding. Sometimes I thought Scarlet was a little dense; there were things Robin let slip that made his feelings rather obvious, but I could understand that she was blinded by her own sense that she was unworthy. The relationship between them is one of the most mature and rewarding I've encountered in YA lit. It makes sense why they feel what they feel for one another as it's easy to see what it is each of them finds attractive about the other. More importantly, I liked that this book showed that love is about sacrifice, and that real love is one in which you not only accept your partner's flaws, you wouldn't change those flaws because they're an essential part of what makes that person who they are. Scarlet and Robin don't have an easy road to understanding, but when they do get there, neither of them is expected to change for the other--nor would either of them want that. They love and accept one another as they are.I also have to put in a quick plug of Much. He was a lovely, lovely character. He doesn't get as much page time as some of the other characters, yet I felt like I had such a good handle on what sort of person he was. The friendship between him and Scarlet is beautiful.Along with the deft way Gaughen handles the emotional aspects of her narrative, I was impressed by how well she handled action scenes. The book moves along at a brisk pace, and I didn't want to put it down. The writing was so vivid that I could picture everything she described: the look of the towns, the personalities of the characters, and the events driving the plot. The book has a wonderful, authentic voice, and it's a delight to read such a well-written book.I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series. I'm anxious to see where Scarlet and Robin's journey will take them next.

I have read the reviews and the plot summary and was sure this could be an interesting book. I love Robin Hood tales, shows, movies, etc. and Will Scarlett is always my second favourite character (sometimes even the first), and the idea that he is really a woman disguised as a man to avoid trouble sounded good, but the book is badly written, slow pace, the characters are not well created and some of the situations are less than believable at best.Scarlet refusing to eat but being a bad-ass, trying to remain a man but refusing to cut her lovely long hair because it is pretty, and the band of merry man being all the time obsessed with her eating habits. On the first 40 pages Robin (Rob) tells her to eat at least 10 times, it gets boring pretty fast.I can't rate any book one star but this was a disappointment

This book has to be one of my favourites because I was completely in love how the author changed Will Scarlet from a young man into a young woman. However I honestly hated the part where little John honestly thought he had a shot of sweeping Scarlet off her feet. I just didn't like the idea of John having feelings Scarlet. Apart from that I really enjoyed this book can't wait for Lady Thief. Oh yes i forgot to say i found gisbourne quite extreme and scary than the tv shows or films.

I loved this new take on Robin Hood and his merry gang. While the language takes a bit getting used to it makes the story seem authentic to the period and I grew to appreciate the voice of Scarlet. I love that she is an independent woman who fights for what she believes in. If you are looking for a book with a strong female charachter this is definitely one to read.

Enjoyed the twist that Will Scarlet was a girl. I know a good book when I don't want it to end.

Absolutely fantastic!