This was incredibly refreshing, as my preferred genre of fantasy is incredibly male heavy and full of female stereotypes. This book's female focus is immediately striking, with a huge cast of varied, realistic, well rounded and convincing female characters. Tomlinson deserves major kudos for the concept behind this novel alone - and the convincing narrative she weaves, combining legend with legend and her own ideas - makes this one of the most satisfying versions of the Robin Hood story I've come across. (Apr.A 'powerful retelling' this book certainly is.
Unfortunately, the tale never quite takes off the spark of storytelling is overwhelmed by a heavy-handed and somewhat self-righteous social agenda. She also finds the time to carry on a troubled romance with Robert of Loxley (who turns out to be old Agnes's son) and to make a none-too-startling discovery about her own parentage as well. Almost immediately, once-sheltered Marian becomes a sort of feminist guerilla leader, enlisting an ever-growing band of (mostly female) friends to fight injustice. The book teems with wholesomely rough-hewn details in the style of Brian Jacques's Redwall series: the inherited girdle of the Forestwife, for example, is ``rich with the forest dyes of madder, blackberry, sorrel, and marigold.'' Also included are less photogenically folksy period particulars, such as the use of ``scold's bridles'' to muzzle outspoken women. As it happens, the old Forestwife-a skilled healer with vague connections to pre-Christian traditions-has recently died and Agnes takes on her job, with Mary (renamed Marian) as her assistant.
On the run from an arranged marriage, Mary de Holt is lead by her devoted nurse Agnes to the isolated cottage of the dreaded Forestwife. Readers who wish to see Maid Marian as more than a glorified moll to the Merry Men will find much to relish in this ambitious, albeit flawed reworking of the Robin Hood legends.
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