A Classic Reimagining • Scarlet

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Publisher: Walker Children's Books
Publication Date: February 14, 2012
Source: Bought || Hardcover

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

I always admire authors who decide to put a fresh spin on an old tale, as A.C. Gaughen has managed to do with Robin Hood in Scarlet, her debut novel. This story is well-written and a very interesting twist on the lore that I’ve always known since I was a kid. I really enjoyed the reworking of Robin Hood’s story, and the fact that it was told from a different person’s perspective (and not Robin Hood’s). 

The main character, Scarlet, is based off of Will Scarlet, who was a part of Robin’s band of merry men. In this book, however, Scarlet is a girl – and that was definitely something that excited me and made me think. Not only do I get to see the entire tale of Robin Hood lived out through a female’s point of view (which is pretty cool and kickass, by the way), it comes across as believable. It made me stop and really consider the fact that Will Scarlet could have actually been a girl. 

I love the fact that there are multiple action sequences in this book. Because they’re in a dangerous and hunted position, Scarlet, Robin and their fellows John and Much are always running or thieving or scheming or training or… well, you get the picture. They’re nearly always involved in something or in the middle of it, and I loved that. There are times when I enjoy reading books that are fast-paced and action-filled; Scarlet was one of those books. 

However, while I did enjoy her character, I found that I could not completely relate to Scarlet. I think I felt like, in hiding her past from Rob and in merely hinting at it, I felt disconnected from her. While I think she’s brave and skilled and kickass, I only fell into like with her, and not love. 

I’m also not too big a fan of the romance in this book. I did swoon over Robin, since it was kind of hard not to love him after you encounter his character. But really, I feel like the romance could have been done without, like she could have just been a friend, rather than a lover. It didn’t take away from the story at all, mind you, but I guess I feel like even without it, the story could have existed. 

One more thing readers should be wary of – the language. It was a little difficult for me to get used to the way Scarlet speaks and thinks in the book at first (and this may have contributed to my being unable to connect with her). It does eventually become easier to read, once you’re used to it, and I found that the use of this type of speech definitely gave the book even more character. 

Scarlet was inventive, exciting and fun – I think A.C. Gaughen did an incredible job writing a kickass female into the Robin Hood story. While I didn’t quite connect with our title character, her story is still worth reading – if only so that you can experience Robin Hood from a completely different perspective that might just provoke you into thinking of all the what ifs related to this story.