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Book Review of The Black Arrow (Penguin Popular Classics)

The Black Arrow (Penguin Popular Classics)
stormchaserblue avatar reviewed on + 43 more book reviews


The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is a book that was featured on the kids show Wishbone when my son was little. I liked the story line and went out to read the book, of course I could not find it anywhere. Not even at the library! Well its been several years and since I started thinking about reading several classics next year I figured what a great book to end this year with! (also I found it at a garage sale)

Its a1888 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. In the authors note he admits he wrote it in retaliation to another author. It consists of five books or sections (and yes I was really wanting to count all five books instead of just one) that were originally released as a serial in a magazine.

The Black Arrow tells the story of Richard (Dick) Shelton during the War of the Roses. He is being raised by Sir Daniel Brackley who unbeknownst to Dick is the villain who murdered his father. When the Black Arrow begins to retaliate for the four black hearts that have harmed the masses. Dick is sent to Kettley along the road he meets Joanna Sedley, disguised as a boy and going by the alias of John Matcham. She was an heiress kidnapped by Sir Daniel, who wanted to obtain guardianship over her like Brackley did over Dick.

Joanna tries to persuade Dick to turn against Sir Daniel, and when they run into the Black Arrow Dicks loyalties are tested. Later they run into Sir Daniel in the woods and go with him to the Moat House where Dick finds out that his guardian is a murder and has plans to kill Dick. He is rescued by the outlaws of the Black Arrow with whom he throws in his lot for the rest of the story.

The second half of the novel, tells how Dick rescues his true love Joanna from the clutches of Sir Daniel with the help of both the Black Arrow fellowship and the Yorkist army led by Richard Crookback, the future Richard III.