McKinley's version of Robin Hood starts with an accident. Unlike most tales, Robin is just a forester, not a noble, and he becomes an outlaw after accidentally shooting an arrow into the heart of a man that was trying to kill him. He was being bullied, and, as he was escaping an ambush of people who just didn't like him, he fired off an arrow hoping to give him some time; Robin didn't think it would actually hit anything. I like the idea of a Robin who is mostly a nobody: he isn't particularly good with a bow, he's not a skilled fighter, and he'd rather spend his days with his friends than plotting against the sheriff.
Reading a book like this, with more practical scenes, also makes me think that McKinley really thought about what outlaws do once they have to leave their homes. I would imagine that most people wouldn't know the first thing about living out of doors, without camping equipment, money, or a clue as to how to stay dry if it rains. Robin is luckier than most in this respect because he worked in Sherwood, and knew a lot about the forest and the protection if could offer. Still, the people who joined him faced damp beds, hard work, and never knowing where the next meal might come from. These outlaws have to deal with figuring out how to live, and stay alive, while battling the elements and the sheriff's men who want them brought to justice.
I also appreciate that McKinley didn't bring Prince John into the story. She kept it simple by making the outlaws the focus of the story, instead of the injustices of the Prince Regent. The sheriff, though corrupt, is mostly out for his own glory, and just wants Robin brought in to save his own reputation. While Robin and his men (and women) do believe that Richard needs to return to England and BE the king, they are more concerned about keeping themselves alive so that they might help the people of Nottinghamshire. They use the money they steal to help people who have been evicted or maimed to start a new life somewhere else, and if they happen to like the outlaw life, they stay and help the outlaws. Cecil is a very interesting case, but I'll let you discover why on your own.
The relationship between Robin and Marian remains the same, for which I'm grateful. Robin is in love with Marian, but because she is nobly born, and he is not, he doesn't want to say anything. His becoming an outlaw also makes it even less likely that they would be able to marry. Marian, on the other hand, loves Robin, and doesn't care a whit about their class difference. The two of them had been friends since childhood, and Marian was more at home in boys clothes in the forest that she was at home with her gowns and embroidery. As usual, they take forever to realize how the other feels, and there are arguments and loud differences of opinion that make each of them think the wrong things about the other. Still, Robin and Marian figure out what they want together, and it's a lovely scene.
The King Richard ending, I thought, was interestingly appropriate. Richard, who is French, has become king of England through his father, Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitane. The English people have no reason to love a French king, but they do because Richard is uncommonly kind and just for a monarch (even if he spends too much of his reign in the Holy Lands). Having Richard come to Nottingham to resolve Robin's situation stays in line with the tradional story, even if the resolution is a bit strange to me.
I like this novel, and not just because I found a signed copy. It's enjoyable overall, and there are enough differences between it and "traditional" Robin Hood narratives to make it interesting and endearing. I took off one star (since I can't figure out how to do half) because it got a little slow at parts, but if I could find a way to give it 8.5, I would. Robin McKinley is still a fantastic author (see my other R.M. posts), and The Outlaws of Sherwood is a great addition to a collection of her literary works.
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