Tween Tuesday

Shadows of Sherwood by Kekla Magoon

Robyn Hoodlum #1

The night her parents disappear, twelve-year-old Robyn Loxley must learn to fend for herself. Her home, Nott City, has been taken over by a harsh governor, Ignomus Crown. After fleeing for her life, Robyn has no choice but to join a band of strangers-misfit kids, each with their own special talent for mischief. Setting out to right the wrongs of Crown’s merciless government, they take their outlaw status in stride. But Robyn can’t rest until she finds her parents. As she pieces together clues from the night they disappeared, Robyn learns that her destiny is tied to the future of Nott City in ways she never expected.

Kicking off a new series with an unforgettable heroine, readers will be treated to feats of courage and daring deeds as Robyn and her band find their way in this cruel, new world.

Confession:

This was a fun read although a little slow at times.  I liked the references to the Robin Hood myth.  The futuristic setting was awesome, loved some of the gadgets and equipment that they used in their heists and helping people.   I was a little concerned that the maps in the book didn’t seem to match up to the descriptions of where they were going but that just might be me.  I love when maps are included in books, but I sometimes obsess over them and their accuracy.

Robyn is a very resourceful and likable character, although she does have faults that her friends are quick to point out.  She is impulsive and doesn’t always think about how what she does will impact people in the long run.  But she ends up liking and quickly becomes loyal to the people she meets along her journey.

Key and Laurel are the two kids that help Robyn the most.  Key is a delightful boy, who is cunning and quick.  He is the one that Laurel and Robyn find living in a treehouse in the forest.  He is wary of them at first, but he eventually warms up to them and he has a good mind for organizing heists and jailbreaks.  Laurel is a street kid that Robyn meets first.  She is also resourceful and knows her way around the city and the important people that will help them.  There is also a priest called Tucker and a girl, Merryan, that Robyn knew before her parents disappeared, she is the niece of Governor Crown, but becomes their ally pretty quickly. Then finally there is Scarlet, a tech geek girl, that flits in and out of their merry little band.

The story is mostly told through Robyn’s perspective, but there are occasional chapters from the Sheriff of Knotthingham’s point of view. These were interesting breaks from the rest of the narrative and gave us some insight into what else was happening in the city.

A fascinating reimagining of the Robin Hood myth with a little bit of magic thrown into a technologically advanced society.  A delightful start to a fun tween series.