Set in medieval England, Nottingham
re-imagines the story of Robin Hood and his merry men in the Sherwood Forest
with an entire female, lesbian cast.
The Sheriff of Nottingham is a cruel man given to punitive
acts of terror and brutality. Robyn and her brother, Michael, are fletchers but
are far from dear to the Sheriff because of lovely Gwyneth who chose Robyn’s
brother over the Sheriff. Life is difficult enough for the Fletchers, but when the
Sheriff finds and excuse, he gladly hangs Michael leaving Robyn and the very pregnant
Gwyneth in dire straits. In a moment of desperation, Robyn does the same thing
for which Michael was hanged – poaches in the prohibited parts of the forests.
She gets caught and ends up killing one of the Sheriff’s men. To save herself,
Gwyneth and her little boy, Robyn takes the help of her cousin, Midge, fakes
her own death and disappears into the depths of Sherwood to become and outlaw.
Marian, daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham, is one of Lady Emmeline’s handmaidens
along with Willa and Alanna. Politics and their fathers’ greed sees Willa and
Marian promised to undesirable, but rich and higher-ranking men. The man Willa
is promised to is much-married, a known wife-beater – and most importantly,
Willa is in love with Alanna, a minstrel. The worlds of the genteel ladies and the
outlaws are set on a collision course with the Reverend Mother of the Edwinstowe
Priory playing and anchor to the lives tossed in an upheaval.
The fraught times in Nottingham, and of all the characters,
are evocatively written. The desperation of the townspeople evokes strong
empathy much like in Hunger Games.
Burke writes a whole cast of very strong women who are strong and loyal. They have
an unshakable commitment to their convictions and emotions. Interestingly, the
most impulsive character is Robyn. When compared to the others, she is emotionally
immature and doesn’t have the same strength of commitment to her feelings or
respect for the others’ in her orbit. However, as a story it all works because
the others are just so awesome.
If romance and action float your boat, you can hardly go
wrong with this. Truly.
⭐⭐⭐☆★
