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In a Dark Wood
When the Sheriff of Nottingham goes in search of the new villain roaming the forest, his mission takes a sudden turn when he meets Robin Hood and learns of his plans to do good for the poor at the expense of the rich. Reprint.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
6 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cadnum
77 books19 followersMichael Cadnum has had a number of jobs over the course of his life, including pick-and-shoveler for the York Archaeological Trust, in York, England, and substitute teacher in Oakland, California, but his true calling is writing. He is the author of thirty-five books, including the National Book Award finalist The Book of the Lion. His Calling Home and Breaking the Fall were both nominated for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award. He is a former Creative Writing Fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts. Also a poet, he has received several awards, including Poetry Northwest's Helen Bullis Prize and the Owl Creek Book Award. Michael lives in Albany, California, with his wife Sherina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 16, 2015
This is no glorious Technicolor romp with dashing men, a greedy, dastardly villain and courtly romance. It is so much more, and after reading you may suddenly feel that all the other portrayals of the Robin Hood mythos are lacking in details and depth.
This is the story of the Sheriff of Nottingham, and his interactions with the prankster highwayman known as Robin Hood.
Woven in with Geoffrey's daily decisions are concerns about his young squire, his marriage, and his desire for a relatively peaceful life studying; the local words (cleverly explained for our benefit) and historical details that I've never seen before bring a sense that these are real people.
Although Robin remains much the same (indeed, by comparison he's almost lessened), his men become more believable while Geoffrey himself is revealed to be a man who tries to be fair and will complete his job without relish: no gleeful hand-rubbing here.
This is the most human rendition of the tales I've ever read.
You should know that this is not what I'd call children's fiction, although that's how it was categorized on NetGalley; reading with this misconception may alter your view. I would not recommend this for children, and you may wish to read it yourself before giving it to younger teens.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of the Sheriff of Nottingham, and his interactions with the prankster highwayman known as Robin Hood.
Woven in with Geoffrey's daily decisions are concerns about his young squire, his marriage, and his desire for a relatively peaceful life studying; the local words (cleverly explained for our benefit) and historical details that I've never seen before bring a sense that these are real people.
Although Robin remains much the same (indeed, by comparison he's almost lessened), his men become more believable while Geoffrey himself is revealed to be a man who tries to be fair and will complete his job without relish: no gleeful hand-rubbing here.
This is the most human rendition of the tales I've ever read.
You should know that this is not what I'd call children's fiction, although that's how it was categorized on NetGalley; reading with this misconception may alter your view. I would not recommend this for children, and you may wish to read it yourself before giving it to younger teens.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2024
A ponderous exploration of absurdism, this novel is essentially a day in the life of the Sheriff of Nottingham…except it lasts for months. And a good chunk of it, when not following our very low energy protag everywhere from the market to the bathroom, involves either him trying and failing to trail Robin and him trying and failing to get his wife to be more enamored with him, only for a super random bear attack to achieve both those things. On the plus side, it has a sort of folk horror vibe to it, mixing a certain gritty realism style with some genuinely evocative descriptions. It creates a moody and lush atmosphere, but starts to become simply overdone, leaning into tropes about the Middle Ages being nothing but misery 24/7 and twisting Robin's traditional merriment into a sort of ode to the absurd instead of a deeper joy rooted in Christian hope. Bit this book is not interested in truly understanding the tenets of Christianity nor the weight of its impact on this world and its characters. Mystics are maniacs and ritual is superstition. Religion is sitting on top of the world but not integrated into it. The characters who liberate themselves from these constraints, and the prospect of meaning itself, are the ones we are meant to relate to. We are supposed to be patting ourselves on the back for being modern most of the time, looking down our noses at our supposedly primitive ancestors as opposed to truly humankind them and perhaps learning wisdom from them which we ourselves have forgotten. The simple fact is that, without a belief in meaning, there is simply no point to the story being told, and it inevitably collapses in on itself. The Robin Hood legendarium is chock-full of meaning, because Robin is a religious man, who believes in a higher reality that lends all lower realities meaning. Without that essential component, the legend itself dies a dismal death.
June 16, 2017
As with a few books I've gotten via Netgalley from Open Road Media, I have had a paperback copy of this book kicking around for-virtually-ever. It's Robin Hood – of course I have. Though it is told from the point of view of the Sheriff, which has not been awfully successful in my experience… Still, it has had all sorts of acclaim and … well, Robin Hood. So much potential.
Unfortunately, this Sheriff is kind of a putz.
Sorry, but that's the word that was uppermost in my mind throughout. He is completely overwhelmed by his wife (I think that was his wife); he frets about what to wear to go see an important visitor ("We want to seem comfortable, but manly"). He makes the visitor wait to make himself appear more important.
Michael Cadnum caused damage to a theory of mine, to wit: a boar hunt in a medieval or fantasy setting is going to result in the severe injury or death of a named character, or at least a dog. Not here, though – the only death is the boar's. Oh well.
The writing is extremely self-conscious ("'I know all about what goes on in the forest,' she said, and long after her skitterish horse and nervous dogs had slipped by the carcass, her words hung round him like a necklace of thorns." – What?), and in its self-consciousness is stiff and stolid, like … like a yokel dressed up in satin and paraded in front of an important visitor. Perhaps it is in an effort to give the story a grounding in reality that there are all sorts of bodily functions described needlessly ("The horse was stocky and shaggy. It shat…")
This was not what I was looking for. Abandoned.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
Unfortunately, this Sheriff is kind of a putz.
Sorry, but that's the word that was uppermost in my mind throughout. He is completely overwhelmed by his wife (I think that was his wife); he frets about what to wear to go see an important visitor ("We want to seem comfortable, but manly"). He makes the visitor wait to make himself appear more important.
Michael Cadnum caused damage to a theory of mine, to wit: a boar hunt in a medieval or fantasy setting is going to result in the severe injury or death of a named character, or at least a dog. Not here, though – the only death is the boar's. Oh well.
The writing is extremely self-conscious ("'I know all about what goes on in the forest,' she said, and long after her skitterish horse and nervous dogs had slipped by the carcass, her words hung round him like a necklace of thorns." – What?), and in its self-consciousness is stiff and stolid, like … like a yokel dressed up in satin and paraded in front of an important visitor. Perhaps it is in an effort to give the story a grounding in reality that there are all sorts of bodily functions described needlessly ("The horse was stocky and shaggy. It shat…")
This was not what I was looking for. Abandoned.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
December 27, 2009
I think I'm going to end up writing my Robin Hood essay on this book. It's an interesting position to take for it: writing sympathetically about the Sheriff, making him the main character -- having no particular "bad guy". So much of Robin Hood fiction involves fighting the bad guys -- The Sheriff, Prince John, Guy of Gisborne -- that it seems odd to have a book that is more contemplative, more about emotional growth than about action and politics. You'd expect Robin Hood stories to be more about the fighting, the action and adventure and dashing men (in tights), but there's relatively little of that and it's certainly not the point.
I need to sit down and think about this, and find more comparisons from other Robin Hood stories, before I can write my essay -- it's not easy to think how to frame it, because it is so different. I can tell why I've read lukewarm reactions to this -- it isn't the vibrant Robin Hood that we're so used to: it's quieter and more contemplative. Worth reading, though, for giving depth and realism to the story. I think I wanted more of it, if anything -- more of Geoffrey learning to express his feelings, more about why he loves Hugh and Eleanor, and more of his strange affection with Robin Hood.
I need to sit down and think about this, and find more comparisons from other Robin Hood stories, before I can write my essay -- it's not easy to think how to frame it, because it is so different. I can tell why I've read lukewarm reactions to this -- it isn't the vibrant Robin Hood that we're so used to: it's quieter and more contemplative. Worth reading, though, for giving depth and realism to the story. I think I wanted more of it, if anything -- more of Geoffrey learning to express his feelings, more about why he loves Hugh and Eleanor, and more of his strange affection with Robin Hood.
June 6, 2019
The Robin Hood legend is retold from the perspective of Geoffrey, Sheriff of Nottingham, in this lyrically descriptive and quietly emotional novel. All-too-human, the Sheriff is nevertheless a “worthy” man, devoted to his duty, more honorable than cruel. Haunted by a sense of emptiness and futility, and consumed by the feeling of being trapped in his life, Geoffrey is slowly awakened to a greater sense of joy, and of self, by his dealings with the outlaw Robin. As the story unfolds, the Sheriff gradually finds himself more comfortable in his skin, better able to communicate his affection to his squire Hugh, and surprised to discover that he loves and is loved by his wife, Lady Eleanor.
Cadnum gives an excellent sense of the brutality of the times, grounding In a Dark Wood firmly in the historical. The tone is frequently reflective, almost as if pondering the borders between the human and the mythological, but also humorous, as in this exchange between Geoffrey and Robin:
"For my part, I wish you were like other thieves."
"More stupid?"
"More joyless."
Cadnum gives an excellent sense of the brutality of the times, grounding In a Dark Wood firmly in the historical. The tone is frequently reflective, almost as if pondering the borders between the human and the mythological, but also humorous, as in this exchange between Geoffrey and Robin:
"For my part, I wish you were like other thieves."
"More stupid?"
"More joyless."
May 29, 2020
This book brings back to life the character of Robin Hood, but it fails to develop a good story. The premise is interesting, a sheriff from medieval times who does his best to bring down a new outlaw. Who will outwit who? What is more important in order to prevail in this tacit war: the power the sheriff was allowed to by the King or the intelligence and skills of Robin Hood and his band?
I think the introduction of the book kept my attention, but as the story followed its way, the original and catchy layout faded out.
It felt like a good idea, but after reading Game of Thrones, I can't refrain myself from comparing all medieval stories to the epic saga; and there's no need to say which one wins the comparison...
I think the introduction of the book kept my attention, but as the story followed its way, the original and catchy layout faded out.
It felt like a good idea, but after reading Game of Thrones, I can't refrain myself from comparing all medieval stories to the epic saga; and there's no need to say which one wins the comparison...
December 25, 2024
Robin Hood's Sheriff of Nottingham makes for an interesting protagonist in a medieval slice-of-life. while Cadnum takes himself a bit too seriously at times with the dramatic dialogue, i ended up enjoying this more than i expected. it’s an underrated gem that’s easy to overlook unless you’re into slower, more subtle storytelling.
Read
February 22, 2013This novel wasn't what I was expecting. I thought there'd be more cat-and-mouse with the sheriff & Robin, in fact I just thought there would be more of Robin. Instead Geoffrey the Sheriff of Nottingham is the main character, sometimes shifting POVs with his squire, Hugh.
Geoffrey has marriage problems, a reputation to keep, as well as compassion & a conscience in a line of work where it's difficult to have one. Also he is quite religious. There are numerous mentions of Mary, God, sin, etc, which I can understand given the time period but still, the plot could have been better spent elsewhere.
Geoffrey hunts, prays, has affairs, interrogates prisoners, doesn't say what he'd like to say, etc, until the king's man comes and tells him about Robin waylaying the King's Road. 90 pages in Robin actually appears in the story and remains very briefly. The interaction between the two is far from antagonistic, suspenseful, or compelling.
It seems the story was more about Geoffrey becoming the man he truly is - compassionate and lenient with the law when mercy merits who actually loves his wife, and being a good role model for Hugh - rather than about Robin Hood and his escapades.
Geoffrey has marriage problems, a reputation to keep, as well as compassion & a conscience in a line of work where it's difficult to have one. Also he is quite religious. There are numerous mentions of Mary, God, sin, etc, which I can understand given the time period but still, the plot could have been better spent elsewhere.
Geoffrey hunts, prays, has affairs, interrogates prisoners, doesn't say what he'd like to say, etc, until the king's man comes and tells him about Robin waylaying the King's Road. 90 pages in Robin actually appears in the story and remains very briefly. The interaction between the two is far from antagonistic, suspenseful, or compelling.
It seems the story was more about Geoffrey becoming the man he truly is - compassionate and lenient with the law when mercy merits who actually loves his wife, and being a good role model for Hugh - rather than about Robin Hood and his escapades.
June 18, 2014
I had pretty high hopes for Cadnum's In a Dark Wood, which is a Robin Hood retelling told from Geoffrey the Sheriff of Nottingham's perspective, I mean, just look at cover and read the praise. However, it just kind of fell flat for me. As much as I love Robin Hood stories, I had different expectations. I liked that we got a sympathetic Sheriff in Geoffrey, a flawed and human character. I liked the contemplative tone and that we could see him grow over the course of the story. I didn't like that the narration skipped back and forth between him and his squire, Hugh. I thought that really could have been edited out and the story wouldn't have suffered from it. In fact, it probably would have been a little easier to follow if that was the case. There also wasn't really a villain, very much action or adventure, and for that matter, Robin himself doesn't actually get all that much page-time. Overall, it was good story, but just not what I was looking for in a Robin Hood retelling.
By the way, can you blame me if I imagined Geoffrey like his BBC counterpart?
By the way, can you blame me if I imagined Geoffrey like his BBC counterpart?
September 25, 2015
‘Looking in the mirror, I see you,’ a song of peace goes, reflecting on a once thought ‘enemy’, and that is a powerful thought behind this new look at the Robin Hood myth, from a third person point of view of the Sheriff of Nottingham, that character often seen as crude or oafish or downright nasty and evil.
This is a portrait of a very human man; one with passions that occasionally spill over onto women other than his wife; one with anger and fear of failing and despair – and yet one as well of human decency. As he is forced into tracking down Robin Hood, who has shamed one of the King’s men and perhaps the King himself indirectly,
his decency, his humaneness, shines through his desperation, and in so doing, garners the respect of Robin Hood, and the sheriff returns the favor.
This, then, is a portrait of emerging maturity and wisdom �� a double portrait – since we also follow his squire’s growing too – so that by the end, the sheriff and his squire perhaps would have hardly recognized the bedeviled souls they once were – but isn’t that true of all of us?
This is a portrait of a very human man; one with passions that occasionally spill over onto women other than his wife; one with anger and fear of failing and despair – and yet one as well of human decency. As he is forced into tracking down Robin Hood, who has shamed one of the King’s men and perhaps the King himself indirectly,
his decency, his humaneness, shines through his desperation, and in so doing, garners the respect of Robin Hood, and the sheriff returns the favor.
This, then, is a portrait of emerging maturity and wisdom �� a double portrait – since we also follow his squire’s growing too – so that by the end, the sheriff and his squire perhaps would have hardly recognized the bedeviled souls they once were – but isn’t that true of all of us?
January 9, 2021
I really liked this and I am so surprised. I went in expecting to hate it, but then it was pulled me in - I actually liked the Sheriff of Nottingham! How is that possible?! Good writing, that's how. This author knows his stuff, took a figure of legendary villainy and made him relatable, human, flawed.
And the author did his research and treated the legend with care and respect. Loved when he pulled the archery contest and the potter story together with the feast! And then when Will was captured, I was like, how will the merry men rescue him before the end of the book?! And then, such a cool resolution.
Robin Hood fans, don't skip it just cause it's different. It was different, but also good!
And the author did his research and treated the legend with care and respect. Loved when he pulled the archery contest and the potter story together with the feast! And then when Will was captured, I was like, how will the merry men rescue him before the end of the book?! And then, such a cool resolution.
Robin Hood fans, don't skip it just cause it's different. It was different, but also good!
September 5, 2023
Very boring. I was excited for the retelling but it didn’t have much substance or plot
September 4, 2019
It is an OK book once you get about half way. If you know the story of Robin Hood you would like this book. But there is one draw back it is from the Sheriff's point of view for most of the book and when it is not the sheriff's point of view then it is his squire's point of view.
July 31, 2013
pairing with movie, Now You See Me
In A Dark Wood
Historic Fiction
Pairing
I paired this book with the movie, Now You See Me because both the book and the movie have the “Rob from the rich and give to the poor” themes. I selected this book over the traditional Robin Hood books because this book is told from the Sheriff’s point of view, and the movie was from the detective’s point of view.
Audience
I would give this book to a high school student who enjoys medieval history or fans of Robin Hood who are looking for a different twist on the story.
SOL
The student will read, comprehend, and analyze relationships among American literature, history, and culture.
Review Source
Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June 1998 (Vol. 51, No. 10))
Awards, Honors
Selection Criteria
o Authority: Michael has studied Middle English, and has completed extensive research on Robin Hood. He has written two other books devoted to Robin Hood.
o Accuracy: The author used original Robin Hood sources as a reference for this book. The daily life of the medieval English citizen is well described.
o Relevance to Curriculum: This book is based on a Classic title, but provides a different perspective. Studying the different points of view helps the student compare literature on the same topic.
o Appropriateness: Students on the high school level should possess the inference skills needed to understand parts of the book where the author relies on that skill to get the message across. The language is on an older teen’s level.
o Scope: The book gives a vivid description of the setting and gives the reader and excellent view of midlevel England. The sheriff is presented in a different view, and many unknown details about the sheriff are told in the book. The sheriff is dealing with issues other than searching for Robin Hood that the modern teenager can relate to.
o Literary Merit: Michael is also a poet, and his writing style at times is poetic in nature. Very detailed and descriptive language makes the reader feel like they are actually part of the story.
o Value to the Collection: Students will enjoy reading this classic story from a different point of view. Alternate viewpoints provides the student with an opportunity to see something from both sides.
Ordering Information
In a Dark Wood, by Michael Cadnum. 1998 by Orchard Books [Library Binding]: 978-0531330715 $11.00
In A Dark Wood
Historic Fiction
Pairing
I paired this book with the movie, Now You See Me because both the book and the movie have the “Rob from the rich and give to the poor” themes. I selected this book over the traditional Robin Hood books because this book is told from the Sheriff’s point of view, and the movie was from the detective’s point of view.
Audience
I would give this book to a high school student who enjoys medieval history or fans of Robin Hood who are looking for a different twist on the story.
SOL
The student will read, comprehend, and analyze relationships among American literature, history, and culture.
Review Source
Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June 1998 (Vol. 51, No. 10))
Awards, Honors
Selection Criteria
o Authority: Michael has studied Middle English, and has completed extensive research on Robin Hood. He has written two other books devoted to Robin Hood.
o Accuracy: The author used original Robin Hood sources as a reference for this book. The daily life of the medieval English citizen is well described.
o Relevance to Curriculum: This book is based on a Classic title, but provides a different perspective. Studying the different points of view helps the student compare literature on the same topic.
o Appropriateness: Students on the high school level should possess the inference skills needed to understand parts of the book where the author relies on that skill to get the message across. The language is on an older teen’s level.
o Scope: The book gives a vivid description of the setting and gives the reader and excellent view of midlevel England. The sheriff is presented in a different view, and many unknown details about the sheriff are told in the book. The sheriff is dealing with issues other than searching for Robin Hood that the modern teenager can relate to.
o Literary Merit: Michael is also a poet, and his writing style at times is poetic in nature. Very detailed and descriptive language makes the reader feel like they are actually part of the story.
o Value to the Collection: Students will enjoy reading this classic story from a different point of view. Alternate viewpoints provides the student with an opportunity to see something from both sides.
Ordering Information
In a Dark Wood, by Michael Cadnum. 1998 by Orchard Books [Library Binding]: 978-0531330715 $11.00
did-not-finish
May 7, 2017Ishould've known better. I didn't like "forbidden forest" why wouldvi like this one? But I saw it in the book store and gave it a shot. . . . yeah, no. It just didn't work. I don't think I made it past page 56. :( see the problem is I WANTED to like it. The sheriff as the main character? Not as a standard baddie in a black cape running around laughing evilly and being evil for plots sake? It should've been perfect for me.
I freaking adore tormented hero's, anti hero's, "bad guys" turned good.
Let me demonstrate my obsession with "bad guy". Favorite harry potter character= Severus Snape. Favorite avatar the last airbender character= prince zuko. Favorite my little pony character= sunset shimmer. favorite BBC robin hood character= guy of Gisborne. favorite character supernatural character= soulless Sam. Favorite lion king characters= Scar and Kovu. (Hell, while I'm on Disney characters, I'll throw in Gaston. :) if it were for the beast, I bet he would've been the prince.) Favorite inuyasha character= inuyasha. Favorite BBC Sherlock character= sherlock Holmes (how I love me a high functioning sociopath!)
I could go on, but I think I've made my point. I should've love the book. I just couldn't do it. The writing I think, was the deal breaker. :( it was confusing, hard to following. It jumped between points of few that threw me off. And the way they talk.... Just ugh. It didn't sound natural. (Plus, I think its supposed to be young adult.... No. From what I read, I don't think so. Cheating with a nun? And that think with the goat? Ew.) Then there was the issue of robin hood. :( I know it's the sheriffs story. Its about Geoffrey. But come on! He learns about robin hood from the kings messager? Then has to learn the outlaws name from his Sargent? Boring! It wouldve been much cooler if he maybe attacked them while they were hunting. "Haha I am robin hood! Hand over your money and Bow before the most awesome king of the forest!" (Pretty much every robin hood ever.) Then sheriff Geoffrey n friends could've gone home going "what the hell!?" Then he could've learned about the stolen taxes. See? Much more fun, yes?
I mean, I like politics to play a roll in my stories as much as the next gal, but I can't do bad writing and nothing interesting happening for nearly 60 pages. (Especially in such a small book) I just can't. Maybe I'll try again later, but not today. In the very least, it looks nice sitting along side my other robin hood books. :)
I freaking adore tormented hero's, anti hero's, "bad guys" turned good.
Let me demonstrate my obsession with "bad guy". Favorite harry potter character= Severus Snape. Favorite avatar the last airbender character= prince zuko. Favorite my little pony character= sunset shimmer. favorite BBC robin hood character= guy of Gisborne. favorite character supernatural character= soulless Sam. Favorite lion king characters= Scar and Kovu. (Hell, while I'm on Disney characters, I'll throw in Gaston. :) if it were for the beast, I bet he would've been the prince.) Favorite inuyasha character= inuyasha. Favorite BBC Sherlock character= sherlock Holmes (how I love me a high functioning sociopath!)
I could go on, but I think I've made my point. I should've love the book. I just couldn't do it. The writing I think, was the deal breaker. :( it was confusing, hard to following. It jumped between points of few that threw me off. And the way they talk.... Just ugh. It didn't sound natural. (Plus, I think its supposed to be young adult.... No. From what I read, I don't think so. Cheating with a nun? And that think with the goat? Ew.) Then there was the issue of robin hood. :( I know it's the sheriffs story. Its about Geoffrey. But come on! He learns about robin hood from the kings messager? Then has to learn the outlaws name from his Sargent? Boring! It wouldve been much cooler if he maybe attacked them while they were hunting. "Haha I am robin hood! Hand over your money and Bow before the most awesome king of the forest!" (Pretty much every robin hood ever.) Then sheriff Geoffrey n friends could've gone home going "what the hell!?" Then he could've learned about the stolen taxes. See? Much more fun, yes?
I mean, I like politics to play a roll in my stories as much as the next gal, but I can't do bad writing and nothing interesting happening for nearly 60 pages. (Especially in such a small book) I just can't. Maybe I'll try again later, but not today. In the very least, it looks nice sitting along side my other robin hood books. :)
September 27, 2010
A marvelously written book, that is both charming as well as a touch melancholy, and draws the reader far away through time into a distance world, braining an old legend into vivid life.
Cadnum gives a rather fresh new perspective in his retelling of one of the most common and well known of legends, while the Sheriff of Nottingham is perhaps one of the most despised of villains, Cadnum chooses to tell his story from the Sheriff's point of view, and lets the reader watch the events unfold through his own eyes. Contrast to the most popular depictions of the sheriff as being near diabolical, and a sadistic evil-hearted man who torments and torches the helpless out of his own sense of insecurity and derives a sick pleasure from thier suffering, Cadnum gives a much more human and realistic view of the man.
He creates a complex character, who who many different sides to him, and struggles against his own weaknesses, and feels trapped within his position, feeling that he is not free but himself a victim to his duty and what is expected of him, and forced into acting in a way that goes against his own choice and free will. Locked in a struggle with himself, and the deep rooted Christian beliefs of the day. We can see the motives which drive him to the things he does.
The other thing which I really enjoyed about this story, was the fact that he gives a much more realistic and accurate view of what the conditions and lives of Robin Hood and his men would be like. Rather than romanticizing it, and making them all appear glamorous, handsome, well groomed, he shows instead a more likely portrayal of what outlaws living in the middle of the woods in the Middle Ages would look like. Dirty, ragged, with less than perfect hygiene, and bearing the scars of thier crimes and livelihood. Though Robin Hood himself still has an irresistible charm.
The major down side to the story is that it does leave the reader wishing to see more of Robin Hood.
Cadnum gives a rather fresh new perspective in his retelling of one of the most common and well known of legends, while the Sheriff of Nottingham is perhaps one of the most despised of villains, Cadnum chooses to tell his story from the Sheriff's point of view, and lets the reader watch the events unfold through his own eyes. Contrast to the most popular depictions of the sheriff as being near diabolical, and a sadistic evil-hearted man who torments and torches the helpless out of his own sense of insecurity and derives a sick pleasure from thier suffering, Cadnum gives a much more human and realistic view of the man.
He creates a complex character, who who many different sides to him, and struggles against his own weaknesses, and feels trapped within his position, feeling that he is not free but himself a victim to his duty and what is expected of him, and forced into acting in a way that goes against his own choice and free will. Locked in a struggle with himself, and the deep rooted Christian beliefs of the day. We can see the motives which drive him to the things he does.
The other thing which I really enjoyed about this story, was the fact that he gives a much more realistic and accurate view of what the conditions and lives of Robin Hood and his men would be like. Rather than romanticizing it, and making them all appear glamorous, handsome, well groomed, he shows instead a more likely portrayal of what outlaws living in the middle of the woods in the Middle Ages would look like. Dirty, ragged, with less than perfect hygiene, and bearing the scars of thier crimes and livelihood. Though Robin Hood himself still has an irresistible charm.
The major down side to the story is that it does leave the reader wishing to see more of Robin Hood.
April 29, 2016
In a Dark Wood tells the story of Robin Hood, the merry thief of Sherwood Forrest, from the perspective of the sheriff whose peace he breaks. Sir Geoffrey of Nottinghamshire may be the High Sheriff, but he’s no villain given to dressing in black, kicking children, and shaking down widows for the king’s tribute. He is a dutiful functionary of the Realm, obliged to administer the king’s business. Before him lives are weighed in the balance, arguments are settled, taxes taken in. It’s soul-smothering work, really, and his wife is no relief, taken up as she is with a handsome falconer. When a prankster takes up residence in the forest flanking the king’s High Way, demanding tolls, Geoffrey is at first annoyed, and then – interested. This Robin is no simple thief. He doesn’t seem to be interested in taking great hauls, sabotaging the king’s interest, or persecuting innocent travelers; he’s out to have fun. He must be stopped, of course; the king’s law is perfect and none who thumb their noses at it can get away scot-free. But Geoffrey shies from becoming the man’s ruin, just as an overtaxed man might feel a pang of regret after suddenly roaring at a giddy child to stop singing. There is something wrong in the silence that erupts. There are no heroes here, no villains, only men crushed by the burden of responsibility and those free of it finding ways to rescue one another from meaninglessness. It’s an interesting take on Robin Hood that restores the sheriff to his full humanity.
April 1, 2010
(4.5) The descriptions in this book are very unique, and help to make this a little fantasy gem. They're often uncommonly dark; aside from the fairly frequent discussions of methods of torture, the book is darkened by the prose itself, with the sun a wound in the sky. These things only heighten the sense of gentleness and laughter coming from Robin and the fascinating, somehow surreal Fool. I've only read two things I could compare this novel to: one, Mimus; and two, A Song of Ice and Fire.
PS I don't understand the standards for labeling something a "children's" or "youth" book, but judging from other fantasy NOT labeled such, I can safely say that this isn't one. Unless adultery and torture are common youth themes.
PS I don't understand the standards for labeling something a "children's" or "youth" book, but judging from other fantasy NOT labeled such, I can safely say that this isn't one. Unless adultery and torture are common youth themes.
January 18, 2010
Michael Cadnum's "In a Dark Wood" is a clever twist to the legend of Robin Hood. Told from the Sheriff of Nottingham's point of view, Cadnum shows how there really are two sides to every story. In this novel, the Sheriff is told to find a simple prankster named Robin Hood, who is somewhere in Sherwood Forest. What the Sheriff doesn't know but will soon find out, is how quick-witted this prankster is. It isn't long before Robin Hood is considered an outlaw, wanted dead or alive by the king."In a Dark Wood" is a perfectly written novel. Cadnum does a great job of putting his own mark on the legend of Robin Hood, which is considered one of the best pieces of fiction ever.
May 6, 2013
Robin Hood from the point of view of the Sheriff of Notingham. Sort of. Rather post-modern or deconstructed or one of those newfangled notions: it doesn’t all stick together, really. Some of it seemed rather like a dream, other bits more like a story. All in all, I didn’t dislike it, but I think my daughters (12&15) liked it more than I [It was a family read-aloud]. A good job of including medieval ideas in the characters’ minds - the conflict between a life more immediately chaotic than ours and a powerful religion of order and regulation.
February 5, 2009
Very interesting book, written from the perspective of the Sheriff of Nottingham as he attempts to hunt down the outlaw Robin Hood. It reads like a short story, with poetic license occasionally stepping into the way of the story. The action segments were exciting and the characters of Robin Hood and Hugh, the sheriff's squire, were very engaging. The lead character, however, was a bit empty. This is a running theme in the novel, but makes for a bit of dry reading.
June 8, 2012
I liked the retelling from the sheriff's point of view, and he is a much better man than legend would have it. The prose got a little heavy-handed at times--the author tried too hard to get metaphors into every sentence in some chapters. It was too much at times. And the sheriff comes across as almost too good to be true. What I liked best was the relationship between the sheriff and Robin Hood--nice, believable exchanges.
June 23, 2008
I admit I only read a bit more than half of it: from page 80 to about 200 and something. I was at a friends house and skimming through and just started to read in the middle... but anyway, it was a good book, but not good considering it's a retelling of Robin Hood. Robin Hood stories are so awesome that I would expect it to be better, but it was only fairly good.
August 19, 2013
I thought this would be such a cool book, the story of Robin Hood told from the Sheriff's perspective; But I hate the writing style, I couldn't follow the plot, all the characters are boring, and I got sick of the Sheriff's angst over every stupid thing. (I don't care what color tunic you wear to the feast! Nobody cares, Sheriff! Urgh.)
What a disappointment.
What a disappointment.
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April 15, 2013Just finished IN A DARK WOOD by Michael Cadnum. Exquisite writing, and compelling Sheriff of Nottingham in this twist on the Robin Hood tale… I'm not sure why this one is considered a YA novel, but I'm sure many a young adult would appreciate it.
December 1, 2014
Beautiful writing. Good descriptions of the period. Sophisticated portrayal of adult character and physical desires will make this difficult to recommend to middle-schoolers. Twist on the the Robin Hood Tale that portrays Geoffrey, Sheriff of Nottingham as a complex and many-layered character.
November 20, 2014
Re-telling of Robin Hood story.
May 5, 2010
That was an awesome book! I loved it! It had a very unique relationship between the Sheriff and Robin Hood and I just really enjoyed it and wouldn't mind reading it again.
August 4, 2010
good but i couldnt tell what he was talking about half the time
February 21, 2014
I think my expectations for Robin Hood books must be wayyy to high.
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