Scarlet – A. C. Gaughen (Review)

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: February 14th 2012 by Walker Childrens
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

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.

Review:

A C. Gaughen’s reimagining of Robin Hood’s tale is electric, compelling and absolutely brilliant. I’m sure the story started off from a “What if…” question…what if Scarlet was a girl? What would have been her story? How did she become who she was? And how exactly does it complicate her relationship with the merry men?

Scarlet is a very strong tale that manages to insert humour into a dire situation – more relatable, perhaps, with the Occupy movements, the recession and the poverty that seems to be creeping up on us in contemporary society. Solidly written and minutely imagined, Scarlet tells a story of a girl pushed to extremes, a girl who is a survivor in all the ways that count and a girl who knows how to be brave even when her very pores are quivering with fear.

The pacing of the novel is just right and the characterizations are done just so. The world building is exact and what can I say people, the novel is sure to be a success with the Robin Hood aficionados and those who like historical novels. There is a lot of heart in this novel and it really is impressive for a debut novel to be this strong in both the execution and the premise.

The only thing I didn’t like was the love triangle. (Can we really not get away from it?) I felt that it was rather unnecessary in the grand scheme of things but perhaps the next book will prove me wrong. If you read any debut novel this year (actually, you must read Fracture and Cinder too, I insist), you should read this one (and the other two, too) because you will be losing out if you don’t. Find a corner you won’t be disturbed or intruded upon, get comfortable and lose yourself in the green forest that hides more than just animals.