Shadows of Sherwood (A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure)

This is a re-telling of Robin Hood.

Robyn likes to tinker with electronics with her dad. She’s also fearless, sneaking out and defying security to obtain parts she needs to build and tinker with her projects. She returns one night after sneaking out to discover a large pool of blood and her parents missing. They’ve been taken. Are they even alive? She runs before she can be caught only to be arrested shortly thereafter.

Robyn is resourceful. After breaking out of jail with her cellmate Laurel and meeting Key with whom they share a hideout, Robyn begins to see how bad life is for other people. As she and her band of thieves steal and give away food, medicine, and hope to the crowds, Robyn discovers what’s truly going on. All of the show more leaders of government disappeared on the same night. Someone is completely taking over. Robyn needs to stop the pain being asserted on the people, find her parents, and overthrow the evil leaders. In this quest she finds others to help, and they become a thorn in the government’s side with Robyn as the number one wanted criminal.

I liked Robyn and her crew. It’s truly a fun novel about taking from those in power to help those in need. Their abilities to thwart the enemy does require some suspension of disbelief because it sure does seem easy to embarrass the sheriff. There are still unanswered questions, so the next book should provide some more clues. I think it’s a lot of fun--it has flaws but not enough to take away from the novel. show less

This book had a great dystopian type plot. I can totally see myself continuing this series. I give it a bonus point for great female main characters of color; both the heroine and the antagonist. It's about time the characters in books reflect what kids actually look like as well as their personalities!

Heard as an audiobook, with varied voices for the characters which made entertaining listening.
I think this would be greatly enjoyed by teen and pre-teen female readers since the hero is a young heroine. The younger Laurel was a good foil for the teenage Robin.
As an adult reader, I enjoyed the spin-off of the Robin Hood tale but thought the Sheriff was pretty one-dimensional and that the adventures were more wish-fulfillment than truly age appropriate. Not necessarily a bad thing for young teens to read, just not satisfying for myself.

"Magoon cleverly weaves elements of the Robin Hood tale into this futuristic story about social justice, friendship, and identity. The wily kid heroes and thrilling adventures will appeal to young readers." ―Horn Book Magazine

Some interesting changes from the original story, but I'm not totally sold on the whole "moon lore" making Robyn "the chosen one" plotline.

A great book appropriate for middle grade readers and older. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.