Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C.
Gaughen
Publisher: Walker
Children’s
Publication Date:
2.14.2012
Pages: 292
Genre: Young
Adult, Retelling, Romance, Historical
Series: Scarlet #1
Source: Finished
copy from publisher
Rating: 4
Stars
Summary (from Goodreads):
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by
this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.
It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.
It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.
Review:
Why,
oh why, did it take me so long to read this book? I tried reading SCARLET back
when it was in ARC format, but I couldn’t get into the language and I set it
aside. But I recently decided to give it another go, and it absolutely blew me
away. A.C. Gaughen is a master story teller and her debut is brilliant.
I’ve
always been a fan of the Robin Hood mythology, but this is such a new and fresh
way of telling it—Will Scarlet is now just Scarlet and a girl disguised as one
of Robin’s men. Oh, and did I mention she and Robin have some serious chemistry?
Even
if that was all this story was, it would be enough for me, but Gaughen ups the
ante even more by layering in more of the tale of Robin Hood and giving Scarlet
a twist that had my jaw dropping. It is a phenomenal book with action and
romance and mystery and thrills. The descriptions are lush and vivid, putting
the reader firmly in the middle of the story with lifelike characters.
This
is a very promising start to Gaughen’s series and career.
I highly enjoyed this one but haven't yet read the next two -- and I need to! I'm thinking I might have to reread then binge the rest.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH HANNAH! And the next one. The next one is pretty brutal (so man feels!), but so, so amazing. Looking forward to your thoughts on it and Lion Heart!
ReplyDelete"Why, oh why, did it take me so long to read this book?" That was me as well. I had to request book two from my library before I was even close to finishing because I couldn't suffer a break between the two books.
ReplyDeleteDreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books
I've had this since it was on NG and never read it either. It sounds like a really unique book, though, and a different writing style/language, too, which I usually enjoy if I'm expecting it. I really need to give this one a try! I love it when I read an older book and it just goes beyond expectations! Great review, Hannah!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis one has been in my TBR list since forever! Glad you liked it :)
ReplyDelete