It’s impressive the power a symbol can carry. Case in point: for a brief spate about three or four years ago, I was working in Beijing, which is noted for (among other things) its affection for foreign brands and its creative interpretation of copyright law. Near my apartment lay a popular clothing store called "Robin Hood, Ltd.," which offered a shirt emblazoned with their own logo design and the motto, "Be yourself." This shirt was so ubiquitous that I would sometimes step out of the apartment into a crowded street and find myself enveloped in a double layer of irony: first, because if everyone's wearing it, then how original is it? And second, since the shirts were all knockoffs, they’re not even themselves original. China, y’all!It's not unusual for a store in China to attract an adoring fan base with the perceived exoticness of some foreign imagery (regardless of its veracity); indeed, this is hardly unique to the Chinese. It says something about the power of symbols, however, that the Robin Hood name could carry a connotation powerful enough to inspire attraction in a culture that already has its own Robin Hood-like mythos.In The Outlaws of Sherwood, Robin McKinley takes her signature approach to unravel the story and characters behind the Robin Hood legend. She stresses the importance of stories and how they can evolve depending on the needs of certain times and situations. She particularly emphasizes what those stories can mean for those with limited choices, and how they can offer a sense of escape or freedom. Robin and Little John form the crux of the growing legend, yet their lack of alternatives, since they have each killed a man and can no longer return to society, are posed in contrast to those who are turned away from the band because they have other options:He still could not quite believe that anyone would willingly throw over a living, however meager, to live as an outlaw. "Ah, but Robin, that's just it: we /are/ choosing," said Much when Robin admitted a little of this to him..."None of us wakes in the night speaking the name of the man he killed by accident. " (34)Ms. McKinley also carefully traces the arc of the legend as it grows, and carves out the spaces where it begins to move beyond its human sources:If Robin Hood had not gathered a band of outlaws around him, the tale-tellers would have had to invent one for him. But the band did exist, and none of its members was taken either... and this, too, improved in the retelling. (36)"Have you asked Robin Hood who he is?"Cecily said, puzzled, watching Tuck's deft hands, "No. I would not.""Have you asked yourself who he is?"Cecily said slowly, "He -- he is our leader.""The leader of a band of outlaws," said Friar Tuck, "who live leanly in Sherwood. And did you hear the folk today talk of this Robin Hood whom they saw shooting his arrows into the target better than anyone else?""They spoke of him -- as if he were not human," Cecily said..." (206)Ms. McKinley also brings out the human weaknesses behind the characters in these stories. Robin's fits of temper, for example, or Tuck's failure of will in the face of a threat to his beloved dogs, offer a depth not often explored in other Robin Hood pastiches. Despite these elements, there are other areas where the novel stumbles. Ms. McKinley's choice of highly stylized language to tell the story is a sizeable risk; it's clear why this was done, but it’s a bit like watching the action through a stained-glass window. As far as the novel goes, this will make it or break it for most readers -- either the language works for them or it doesn’t. The love stories, moreover, feel forced, as if Ms. McKinley were setting them up to make a point without considering if they worked for the characters. At least they're part of the B-plot and can be easily skimmed.I suppose it means something, as well, that I never figured out if there really was a Robin Hood, Ltd. brand based in England. It's entirely possible that the store, and their much-admired logo, were both offshoots of a Chinese company that only sought to appear foreign. The logo design itself could have been pilfered from a foreign apparel company; the store was, after all, across the street from a fake Chipotle's. Such is the power of symbols.
I have a thing for Robin Hood. Specifically Robin Hood retellings. I love Robin, Marian, Little John, Will Scarlet, Much the Miller, Alan-a-Dale, and the whole merry crew. I read Ivanhoe cover to cover just for Robin Hood's periodic appearances. And when I went on study abroad to England, I dragged my best friend all the way to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest as well so I could walk around in the woods and soak it all up. It's still one of the happiest, most golden days I can recall, that one. My first encounter with the tale itself was no doubt the Disney animated version (which I still love watching with my son), but I'm pretty sure the first actual novelization I read was Robin McKinley's THE OUTLAWS OF SHERWOOD. And it remains my very favorite to this day. Admittedly, I seem to possess the McKinley gene. I love her writing. I love the unexpected, twisty paths she takes, the obstinate characters, and the wry humor. True to form, her Robin is not the typical Robin of legend. If you cherish the strapping, dashing, swashbuckling hero a la Errol Flynn, then this version is probably not for you. But if you like an unusual, but beautifully wrought, take on a classic then you really ought to give this one a shot.The story opens with the following lines:A small vagrant breeze came from nowhere and barely flicked the feather tips as the arrow sped on its way. It shivered in its flight, and fell, a little off course--just enough that the arrow missed the slender tree it was aimed at, and struck tiredly and low into the bole of another tree, twenty paces beyond the mark. Robin sighed and dropped his bow.Robin is on his way to Nottingham Fair to meet his childhood friends Marian and Much and have a bit of well-earned frivolity. As an apprentice forester in the King's Forest, Robin barely scrapes by and his days off are few and far between. Unfortunately, while on his way he is ambushed by a few of the Chief Forester's men who have had it in for Robin for years. No one is more surprised than Robin when he wins the resulting archery contest and the skirmish ends in an attempt on his life and Robin's arrow buried in his attacker's chest. From this point on Robin is a wanted man. His friends convince him to go into hiding while they work up a plan to keep their friend alive and prevent the Norman overlords from raining down punishments on all the Saxons' heads as a result of Robin's "crime." Against his better judgement, Robin goes along with Much and Marian's plan and, in the process, he becomes a hero--albeit a reluctant one.There is so much good in this book and it all centers around the characters. Either you will fall in love with Robin or you will not. And if you love Robin, then you will love all of the characters for they gather around him despite his adamant refusal that he is no hero because they need him. Marian and Much, his old friends, see this. They understand it and they try to help Robin understand it. Their love for him, their need to believe in him, and their willingness to walk away from their homes and their lives to follow him into hiding in Sherwood Forest reflect the desperate nature of the times and the ways in which this good man is able to inspire and take care of other good men and women like him who have been caught in the ever-tightening vise of Norman justice. I love watching this transformation, this coming together of such a motley band of comrades. Every time I read it I savor each one. And, as with any McKinley book, if you're a fan of strong female characters who do not do what they are expected to do, then this book is for you. Marian is awesome. It's Marian who is the excellent shot. It's Marian who has the vision and who knows Robin's potential before he does. It's Marian who risks more than anyone else to create the legend and keep it alive. There is one other standout female character, but I can't tell you any more than that as she is so excellent she must be discovered entirely on her own. Along with Deerskin, I think this is the most emotional of McKinley's works because it is as grounded in reality as any retelling I've read. THE OUTLAWS OF SHERWOOD is an emotional, subtly humorous, visceral take on the legend and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
What do You think about The Outlaws Of Sherwood (2005)?
Previously, I had read McKinley's retelling of Beauty and the Beast. So, I started her Robin Hood novel expecting a good tale--and I was NOT disappointed!Yes, we all know the story--Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck and the whole cast. In her epilogue, Robin McKinley notes she has read over twenty Robin Hood novels. Her own adaptation of this well know tale is nicely done.She has an enjoyable writing style, and gives some background to many of the characters. She points out some of the problems the outlaws would have had to cope with--something I have seldom seen. Her Robin is fallible; worries about his men and still comes off quite heroic. Maid Marian is also well done--this lady gets into the action and is not just a damsel in distress to be rescued.A good adaptation of a familiar tale; expanded to novel size length. If you like Robin Hood at all, try this one and you will not regret it.
—Mary JL
The first half of this book is a weak 2 stars - but it picks up to 4+ after that point, so rating it is really confusing. One thing's for sure, though - Robin Hood is the LEAST interesting character. Not to mention the worst archer in the group. Which is easily one of my favorite parts about it.To me, the book demonstrates the reality of a legend like Robin. Most iconic characters in both history and fiction owe their legendary status to timing, luck, and a bunch of awesome friends.This novel is obviously written by a woman, because even the truly awesome male characters are saved by women at one point or another. Maid Marian is certainly three-quarters of the way up the cool-o-meter - but Cecily is tops for me!Basically, pick this book up about halfway through (right around the archery contest) and you'll thank me. Up until that point it's mostly the day-to-day drudgery of trying to live in a forest... with Robin generally being a fuddy-duddy and worrying over his people like an old woman.And PLEASE - if you want to read a Robin McKinley - pick up The Blue Sword! It's GOLDEN.P.S. When did Friar Tuck get so cool???FAVORITE QUOTES:Let us not gallop to meet future difficulties. A walking pace is enough. (Robin)I have often been wrong, and whilst the training of the church has taught me to admit it, somehow I have never learnt not to be wrong in the first place. (Tuck)I knew your father. A good man, as many say – not all, for if all called him good it would not be the truth. (Tuck to Robin)It was common knowledge when I was a forester that I could hit the broad side of a barn only if it wasn’t walking away too quickly. (Robin)It is her misfortune not to be stupid, and so her hatred is difficult for her. It twists in her hands and bites her. (Rita on Beatrix)Tales are as much the necessary fabric of our lives as our bodies are. (Tuck)Any lone man who can, with little more than stubbornness and a few ragged friends, set so much of my aristocracy in a rage, is a man I wish to put to my purposes. (King Richard)
—Meg
I have to say, I was rather disappointed by The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. Once started, it wasn't bad enough to not finish, but it left much to be desired and the ending was entirely unsatisfactory. (view spoiler)[I'm A Saxon...Get Me Out of Here!The first half of the story concentrates mostly on introducing the traditional band of merry men, except none of them are merry. The only member who is moderately un-sorrowful is seen by the rest of the band as a feeble, annoying daydreamer.None of the characters are particularly likable or well-fleshed. They spend most of their time complaining about the Normans and how badly they've been wronged. The Saxon vs. Norman angle made me dislike the Saxons (the Outlaws) almost as much as the Normans, who - with one or two exceptions - we never actually meet. The racism was extremely off-putting. Their cause was less about helping the poor against the rich and more about xenophobic revenge. The horror of giving young Saxon girls to fat and cruel old Norman lords was a common theme throughout the book. When combined with the fight scenes and the (ever-so-slightly) racy love life of Little John, it reminded me of a PG-13 Braveheart sans the likable characters.Nothing Says Emo Like A HoodRobin is a chronic pessimist who constantly wonders why people want to help him. I began to wonder the same thing myself. His age was never defined, but he came off as a sulky teen who knows how to fletch arrows and not get lost in the woods. Marian's fate was dragged down by Robin's in more ways than one. Instead of being the typical playful rogue trying to steal a kiss to win fair lady's heart, Robin quarreled with her and told her to leave for her own good almost the entire novel. What little romance there was near the beginning died very quickly. Marian was strong, clever, a little too manipulative, but way too good for Robin.If I Could Write A SonnetAs for the writing itself, it wasn't so bad. There wasn't too much or too little description, but the phrasing was rather off - probably in an effort to sound slightly more Old English. It resulted in the dialogue being occasionally unintelligible. There was also a narrative shift half-way through the novel. After hearing only Robin's thoughts, suddenly we are thrown into one of the non-cannon female's minds. The narration flits whimsically from character to character from that point on, but the non-narrators' actions and dialogue are not distinctive enough to understand what they're thinking or feeling when you're not inside their heads.Watching You From Underneath A RockThe villains are almost entirely off-screen. We meet the Sheriff two, possibly three, times. But when I say "meet" I mean the Outlaws spot his physical presence. I can't recall if he actually has any dialogue. Oh, yes. I think he does in one scene. Guy of Gisborne is introduced extremely late, and lasts for all of one or two chapters, with almost as many lines as the Sheriff.Hi-ho, Hi-ho, It's Off to War We GoIn the end, instead of a glorious celebration, we find a party of battle weary folk who are sort of given what they want, but only for a price. When I signed up for this quasi-historical retelling, this is not what I had in mind. (hide spoiler)]
—Lisa
