Does Noel mostly hunt down and obsess over Retellings?
Does Noel go through book phases, and then have to hunt down books that fit those odd phases?
Is it hard to find good retellings?
The answer to the first two is rather obvious to some
(nods head yes, while saying NOOO...), the last one is tricky. It's not hard to find good retellings, but if you're looking for specific ones?
Heck yes, it is!
Here's a list of the top
Robin Hood and Maid Marian Retellings! *You can find links, my personal thoughts about them, and their descriptions in this post!*
The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell
When sixteen-year-old
Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates,
Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her
dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a
host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own
community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his
noblemen.
Amazon | Goodreads
While at first, I was very intrigued because of the synopsis, I found out a bit more about the book and honestly rather lost interest in reading
The Forest Queen, I'd definitely say decide for yourself though. This is one book where everyone has different feelings, so there are lots of mixed reviews and it varies per person.
Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead
Steeped in Celtic
mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R.
Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to
contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to
shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.
Goodreads | Amazon
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
Robin of Locksley is dead.
Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll
go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of
Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the
Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of
Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.
Who is there to stop them?
Marian
never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a
beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep
of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice
to become her own hero: Robin Hood.
Amazon | Goodreads
Maid Marian by Elsa Watson
An
orphan and heiress to a large country estate, Marian Fitzwater is wed
at the age of five to an equally young nobleman, Lord Hugh of Sencaster,
a union that joins her inheritance to his. But when she is seventeen,
Lord Hugh, whom she hasn’t seen in years, dies under mysterious
circumstances.
Marian is left alone again—a widow who has never been a
bride. But now, like all unmarried young ladies of fortune, she is made
the ward of King Richard the Lionheart. Since Richard is away on
Crusade, Marian’s fate lies in the hands of his mother, the formidable
Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. The bridegroom Eleanor selects will get
Marian’s lands and, in return, pledge his loyalty—and silver—to the
king.
Marian herself is irrelevant and she knows it. Determined not to
be sold into another sham marriage, she seeks out the one man who can
help uncover the queen’s intentions: Robin Hood, the notorious Saxon
outlaw of Sherwood Forest.
Amazon | Goodreads
This was a very good Maid Marian and Robin Hood retelling, one of the better ones I've read! Marian was surprised to find Robin Hood was a decent man and rather handsome after all the stories she'd heard of him, she enlists his help and stages her death so she'll be free of the Queen's plans for her. And then she begins her new life with the outlaws that pledge to help her regain her fortune and expose her enemies.
Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen
Will Scarlet is good at
two things: stealing from the rich and keeping secrets - skills that are
in high demand in Robin Hood's band of thieves, who protect the people
of Nottingham from the evil sheriff. Scarlet's biggest secret of all is
one only Robin and his men know...that she is posing as a thief; that the slip of a boy who is fast with sharp knives is really a girl.
The
terrible events in her past that led Scarlet to hide her real identity
are in danger of being exposed when the thief taker Lord Gisbourne
arrives in town to rid Nottingham of the Hood and his men once and for
all. As Gisbourne closes in and puts innocent lives at risk, Scarlet
must decide how much the people of Nottingham mean to her, especially
John Little, a flirtatious fellow outlaw, and Robin, whose quick smiles
have the rare power to unsettle her. There is real honor among these
thieves and so much more - making this a fight worth dying for.
Amazon | Goodreads
This is a YA retelling and a trilogy, where Will Scarlet is secretly a girl in hiding whose name used to be Maid Marian. It came out when love triangles were more popular, so it might seem cliche, but one of my top Robin Hood retelling recs!! (I rated it 5 stars!)
Hawksmaid by Kathryn Lasky
Before she was Maid Marian, she was Matty....
Matty has been raised to dance well, embroider exquisitely, and marry
nobly. But when Matty's mother is murdered before her very eyes and her
father, a nobleman, is reduced to poverty, Matty's life changes.
As the daughter of Nottingham's most famous falconer, she finds a new
destiny in the hawks her father keeps. She begins to understand their
thoughts and even speak their language. The beautiful merlin Marigold
becomes Matty's closest winged companion and her fiercest ally.
It is a treacherous time in England. The sheriff of Nottingham is
rising to power, and a true king has been kidnapped. Determined to
fight, Matty's friend Fynn becomes Robin Hood. As Maid Marian, Matty
joins Fynn and his Merry Men, famously robbing from the rich to give to
the poor.
Amazon | Goodreads
Another top favorite retelling, that I also rated 5 stars! It's technically a middle grade and is a standalone, but I've re-read it countless times! Marian and Robin's romance in this one was not cliche in the least, and was developed throughout the book very nicely!
Hood by Jenny Edler Moke
You have the blood of kings and rebels within you, love. Let it rise to meet the call.
Isabelle of Kirklees has only ever known a quiet life inside
the sheltered walls of the convent, where she lives with her mother,
Marien. But after she is arrested by royal soldiers for defending
innocent villagers, Isabelle becomes the target of the Wolf, King John's
ruthless right hand. Desperate to keep her daughter safe, Marien helps
Isabelle escape and sends her on a mission to find the one person who
can help: Isabelle's father, Robin Hood.
As Isabelle races to
stay out of the Wolf's clutches and find the father she's never known,
she is thrust into a world of thieves and mercenaries, handsome young
outlaws, new enemies with old grudges, and a king who wants her entire
family dead. As she joins forces with Robin and his Merry Men in a final
battle against the Wolf, will Isabelle find the strength to defy the
crown and save the lives of everyone she holds dear?
Goodreads | Amazon
This retelling is going to be released in June 2020, and this is one of my most anticipated reads this year! I'm so excited to read about Robin and Marian's daughter, if any of you get the chance to read this you MUST let me know what you thought of it!!!
Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson
With her king a captive
and her coffers drained, England is left in turmoil during the
Crusades. After the death of her father in the Holy Land, Lady Marian of
Ravenskeep finds herself alone--and at the mercy of men vying for her
lands and her beauty. Thrust into games of political intrigue, the
sheltered knight's daughter soon learns to trust no one. . .
Afforded
a hero's homecoming, Sir Robert of Locksley returns from the Crusades a
shattered man. In a country he barely recognizes, one torn apart by
treachery and betrayal, he finds in Marian a kindred soul. Their quest
for justice will take them into the depths of Sherwood Forest, where the
dream of a new England will be born. . .
Goodreads | Amazon
This one was not a personal favorite for me, but I did enjoy most of it. It's an adult version for sure, as Robin is scared from the Crusades and it shows, as well as the fact that the romance is not exactly PG...
The Forestwife by Theresa Tomlinson
Mary, 15 years old and
an orphan, must flee into Sherwood Forest to avoid an arranged marriage.
There her life truly begins, for she finds a community of heroic
outlaws that includes a woman with seemingly magical healing powers and a
young man who is bravely leading the fight against tyranny. This man is
Robin Hood, and Mary will soon be known as Maid Marian, the green lady
of the woods.
Goodreads | Amazon
This retelling was more on the whimsical side, I didn't enjoy it a whole lot as it was all from Marian's pov and had no action really at all. None of Robin Hood's adventures or anything. Though it was a good and quick read, with romance and family throughout. Word of warning: the ''thees'' and ''thas'' can be annoying and other tones!
The Rescue of Maid Marian by Richard Percy
The adventures of Robin
Hood the teenager and his young outlaws present a fresh and
aspirational look at this classic hero. The evil Sheriff has captured
Maid Marian to be his wife, how can Robin and his band of outlaws rescue
her?
Goodreads | Amazon
A nice, fun and quick read for any fan of Robin Hood & Maid Marian, for younger audiences, as well if they're really interested in Robin Hood!
What are your favorite kind of retellings? Have you read any of these??
Thanks for reading & have a lovely day!!
~Books with Noel
