I am finally revisiting this book after years. Mainly because I finally want to read the sequel. I first read this in 2013, and I wasn’t too familiar with how to find out when the sequel would be arriving. The cliffhanger this book ends with me gutted me, so many years later once all three books are out, I have picked it up and it is just as good as before, if not better!

This is how I feel every time I pick up this book:

Scarlet penned by A. C. Gaughen, came out in early 2012 and is a fantastic retelling of Robin Hood. While the retelling itself is of the historic thief of Nottinghamshire, the protagonist is actually Will Scarlet the famed thief, a part of the Hood’s Band. It just so happens that the slight thief is actually a woman, shrouded in secrecy and a prickly attitude.

So I’m not too familiar with any Robin Hood retellings aside from the Disney version where Robin and Marian are animals, but this is one of the best stories I have ever read. It’s by far one of the best retellings I’ve encountered and probably will remain that way, very few people choose to retell Robin Hood given the difficulty of sources. While this is a purely fantastical reimagining of what the history of Nottinghamshire sometimes questions and tries to discern, it’s a story of the ages.

There are fleshed out characters, each playing very specific roles within the story. They play parts within the entire picture, that come together to tie in at the end. From Friar Tuck to Little John to our steadfast Robin Hood and all the villagers of Nottinghamshire, every single person comes together in small and big ways to play out the roles that make the story riveting.

As for Scarlet herself, I loved her. She’s this badass warrior who isn’t perfect. I think that’s actually the best part of the book, how realistic Scarlet feels to me. She’s a skilled fighter given her affinity for knife-fighting and yet she gets bruised and struggles with God, has trouble eating which borders on a disorder, has vanity about her hair and most of all despite her constant reminders that she’s fine alone feels fluttery with skipped heartbeats for one Robin Hood. She’s a three-dimensional character with more than one side to her and that is what makes her so relatable.

The story itself, from the first page to the last page is a constant rollercoaster. It doesn’t let up for a second making it hard to put down. It’s one of those books readers will finish in a single sitting. Every scene is charged with action and intrigue, romance or revelations and up until the last second, it’s an adventure. The pacing is exquisite.

Set in 12th century England, it’s tough to recreate a legend, especially given the lack of sources. There’s a reason these years were called the Dark Ages and it’s specifically because of the lack of information about the history of this time. Especially before the conception of the Magna Carta. So it’s amazing that the author has managed to instil within the reader the sense that this tale of complete lawlessness and unimaginable happenings is taking place not in a fantasy land but in the world’s very own England. It’s a brilliant sensation because not once did I feel like I was outside England and yet nothing can bring congruence to England today with how it has been written in Scarlet.

I loved everything about this book, the cliffhanger is a killer and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series so I might see how Scarlet will get herself out of the conundrum she is, be with Robin and make Nottinghamshire safe for the people once again. Lady Thief, here I come!!

PS: How stunning is the woman on the cover! It gave me huge inferiority complex at the age of 13! Truly a beautiful cover