For as long as I can remember I have always been a fan of Robin Hood legend. Movies and books alike have told various versions that I have soaked up and loved. Earlier this year I found the best ever with the first two installations of Stephen Lawhead's triology Hood and Scarlet. Those two books being from the perspective of, of course, Robin Hood (Bran) and Will Scarlet. This book fits right in!! I know that Elsa Watson is her own author and nothing to do with the former, but really this tale fits well into the mix. Here you have a version of the historic bard tale written in a way never read before. Of course the setting is different, so don't get me wrong, but what I mean is the perspective.
This book is the retelling from Marian's point of view. Through Elsa's words she is as real as can be. Marian is finally real with thoughts, opinions, dreams, and fears. She brings to you through her inner-most thoughts her life from birth to future and you cannot help but feel with her. Anger and love, pain and joy. It is all there and well shared.
Frankly, this book is fabulous and I could barely put it down. I hate that it was a library book, because I don't want to give it back. I guess I will just have to go and buy it myself now. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will dream of it for nights to come.
Jump in and explore the adventure and tales of a realistic Maid Marian from a juvenile to a young mistress. Learn the power of a woman in charge from both evil and good. It's just wonderful.
This book is the retelling from Marian's point of view. Through Elsa's words she is as real as can be. Marian is finally real with thoughts, opinions, dreams, and fears. She brings to you through her inner-most thoughts her life from birth to future and you cannot help but feel with her. Anger and love, pain and joy. It is all there and well shared.
Frankly, this book is fabulous and I could barely put it down. I hate that it was a library book, because I don't want to give it back. I guess I will just have to go and buy it myself now. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will dream of it for nights to come.
Jump in and explore the adventure and tales of a realistic Maid Marian from a juvenile to a young mistress. Learn the power of a woman in charge from both evil and good. It's just wonderful.
"Maid Marian" ~ Elsa Watson
Orphaned and married off at the age of 5, Marian Fitzwater is awakened during the night of her 15th birthday, the day of which she was to move to her husband's castle, to be told that he has just died.
As an unmarried woman with land attached to her name, she is now not only a very desirable catch, but now a pawn in the Queen of England's strategic chess game to supposedly turn all of England to her son, King Richard's favor. The catch is, Marian has no intentions of being married off to the highest bidder.
By seeking out the notorious Robbin Hood of Sherwood Forest to aid her, Marian finds out that she is to be wed to the younger brother of her now late husband, a child several years her junior. However, it is not the man she's worried about, but his power-hungry mother whom she noticed at her first husband's funeral had surprisingly dry eyes...especially considering the mysterious circumstances as to how he died...
Marian pleads to Robbin Hood to help her escape this dreadful marriage contract and save not only herself, but her lands from being snatched up and destroyed.
For as good as it sounded, this book was not all it's cracked up to be. I found the writing style to be tedious at times, and even though I wanted to get to the end of the book to find out what happened, I sort of already knew. The plot was predictable and at times, tiresome. I found it to be a very large "fluff" read, fun but not much substance behind it.
The book is told in first person from Marian's POV, and therefore we get to know surprisingly little about the other characters. Though it was refreshing to hear the story of Robbin Hood from an alternative point of view, it wasn't exceptionally engaging and made me roll my eyes a little at times. It makes me feel like this should have been a kid's book. All you had to do would be to take out the "we made love" sentence and it would have been. Young adults might like it, but adults will get bored quickly.
3 stars.
Orphaned and married off at the age of 5, Marian Fitzwater is awakened during the night of her 15th birthday, the day of which she was to move to her husband's castle, to be told that he has just died.
As an unmarried woman with land attached to her name, she is now not only a very desirable catch, but now a pawn in the Queen of England's strategic chess game to supposedly turn all of England to her son, King Richard's favor. The catch is, Marian has no intentions of being married off to the highest bidder.
By seeking out the notorious Robbin Hood of Sherwood Forest to aid her, Marian finds out that she is to be wed to the younger brother of her now late husband, a child several years her junior. However, it is not the man she's worried about, but his power-hungry mother whom she noticed at her first husband's funeral had surprisingly dry eyes...especially considering the mysterious circumstances as to how he died...
Marian pleads to Robbin Hood to help her escape this dreadful marriage contract and save not only herself, but her lands from being snatched up and destroyed.
For as good as it sounded, this book was not all it's cracked up to be. I found the writing style to be tedious at times, and even though I wanted to get to the end of the book to find out what happened, I sort of already knew. The plot was predictable and at times, tiresome. I found it to be a very large "fluff" read, fun but not much substance behind it.
The book is told in first person from Marian's POV, and therefore we get to know surprisingly little about the other characters. Though it was refreshing to hear the story of Robbin Hood from an alternative point of view, it wasn't exceptionally engaging and made me roll my eyes a little at times. It makes me feel like this should have been a kid's book. All you had to do would be to take out the "we made love" sentence and it would have been. Young adults might like it, but adults will get bored quickly.
3 stars.
Great plot! This story is from the point of view from Maid Marian.
