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The Forest Queen
When sixteen-year-old Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates, Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his noblemen.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2018
116 people are currently reading
8925 people want to read
About the author
Betsy Cornwell
10 books704 followersBetsy Cornwell is a New York Times bestselling author living in west Ireland. She is the story editor and a contributing writer at Parabola, and her short-form writing includes fiction, nonfiction, and literary translation and has appeared in Fairy Tale Review, Zahir Tales, The Violence Prevention Initiative Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame and a B.A. from Smith College.
Mechanica was published in 2015 and has featured on several best of the year lists, including Amazon.com’s Best Young Adult Books and USA Today‘s Must-Read Romances. In a starred review, Kirkus called this retelling of Cinderella “a smart, refreshing alternative to stale genre tropes.” Mechanica is a YALSA Teens’ Top Ten nominee for 2016.
Betsy’s debut novel, Tides, was published in 2013 to critical acclaim including a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, a place in the Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, and a Bisexual Book Awards nomination.
Betsy has two more novels forthcoming from Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, in 2017 and 2018.
Mechanica was published in 2015 and has featured on several best of the year lists, including Amazon.com’s Best Young Adult Books and USA Today‘s Must-Read Romances. In a starred review, Kirkus called this retelling of Cinderella “a smart, refreshing alternative to stale genre tropes.” Mechanica is a YALSA Teens’ Top Ten nominee for 2016.
Betsy’s debut novel, Tides, was published in 2013 to critical acclaim including a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, a place in the Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, and a Bisexual Book Awards nomination.
Betsy has two more novels forthcoming from Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, in 2017 and 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
January 11, 2019
CW: Suicide, sexual abuse, explicit killing of animals
I had high expectations going into this book as it is a lady Robin Hood retelling, which might be why it was a disappointment. I'm going to organize my thoughts into pros and cons as I'm having trouble eloquently explaining my issues with it. This might be for some readers, but it wasn't for me.
Pros:
- A slow burn friends-to-lovers romance
- Description of nature
- Seemingly accurate survival skills (I will never eat blackberries again.)
- (Brief) bi rep
Cons:
- Poorly executed and potentially harmful depiction of suicide (I go more into it at about 41:35 during our discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0TQz...)
- Writing style that reads as if it is for younger teens and poorly handles dark topics.
- One-dimensional characters whose personalities the reader was told about rather than shown.
- I was honestly bored throughout a majority of the novel as there were no surprises I didn't see coming. Also, most of the book takes place in one location which became claustrophobic.
- Ultimately, it did not seem like a retelling of Robin Hood. There were only a few instances of thieving, but it was more for personal gain than for the wellbeing of all. These few heists were also not actually described, but briefly summed up after the fact by the protagonist. Why write a story about the most legendary thief without spending time on the thieving?
I had high expectations going into this book as it is a lady Robin Hood retelling, which might be why it was a disappointment. I'm going to organize my thoughts into pros and cons as I'm having trouble eloquently explaining my issues with it. This might be for some readers, but it wasn't for me.
Pros:
- A slow burn friends-to-lovers romance
- Description of nature
- Seemingly accurate survival skills (I will never eat blackberries again.)
- (Brief) bi rep
Cons:
- Poorly executed and potentially harmful depiction of suicide (I go more into it at about 41:35 during our discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0TQz...)
- Writing style that reads as if it is for younger teens and poorly handles dark topics.
- One-dimensional characters whose personalities the reader was told about rather than shown.
- I was honestly bored throughout a majority of the novel as there were no surprises I didn't see coming. Also, most of the book takes place in one location which became claustrophobic.
- Ultimately, it did not seem like a retelling of Robin Hood. There were only a few instances of thieving, but it was more for personal gain than for the wellbeing of all. These few heists were also not actually described, but briefly summed up after the fact by the protagonist. Why write a story about the most legendary thief without spending time on the thieving?
April 30, 2018
I have a hard time forming a strong opinion on this one. It was just okay. Some parts were really interesting and others were not. Didn't love it; didn't hate it. I think I had a lot of really high expectations going into this, and it ended up being very different from what I anticipated. But I definitely think some people will really love it!
April 16, 2018
I'm with all the other readers who say they were immediately on board with this story once they heard the words gender swapped Robin Hood retelling. And I wasn't disappointed. Honestly, I could have read the lush, lyrical descriptions of the forest for days. But what really stands out to me about The Forest Queen - and makes it a particularly important book for this time - is the idea that people (specifically women) can build their own forms of community in the face of repression and exploitation. A soft book that deals with harsh themes and spins the Robin Hood tale into considering what true social and economic equality could look like and how such a community enriches the personhood of both rich and poor.
August 26, 2018
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I have to admit I don't know a lot about Robin Hood, as I'm fairly sure I've only seen the Disney version back when I was a kid, but I had a general idea of what the story is about. I think I expected it to be more action-packed than it ended up being.
There were a few things in this book that didn't quite work for me, and I think most of it has to do with the fact that to me, the writing feels young and some of the themes in the book don't really reflect that. It felt strange. A lot of the story hinges on having a certain suspension of disbelief and a very simplified view of the world, but then it also talks about dark themes like rape and the pregnancy resulting from that, and the entire thing between John and Sylvie. It just felt too different from the general feel of the story to me.
I think a part of that is that the characters don't seem to face much hardship while living out in the wilderness. It just felt too easy to me, and every conflict was quickly solved.
One last thing is that the romance didn't make much sense to me. There was nothing standing in the way of it except bad communication. If the two had talked openly for a single moment everything would have been solved, and with how close they were there wasn't really any reason why they wouldn't'. The obstacles in their way never felt real to me.
But despite my complaints, I did enjoy the story and the way it was written. It was easy to read, and I liked the framing of the chapters in seasons. I just think it lacked depth and tried to make up for that with mature themes that didn't fit the feel of the rest of the story.
There were a few things in this book that didn't quite work for me, and I think most of it has to do with the fact that to me, the writing feels young and some of the themes in the book don't really reflect that. It felt strange. A lot of the story hinges on having a certain suspension of disbelief and a very simplified view of the world, but then it also talks about dark themes like rape and the pregnancy resulting from that, and the entire thing between John and Sylvie. It just felt too different from the general feel of the story to me.
I think a part of that is that the characters don't seem to face much hardship while living out in the wilderness. It just felt too easy to me, and every conflict was quickly solved.
One last thing is that the romance didn't make much sense to me. There was nothing standing in the way of it except bad communication. If the two had talked openly for a single moment everything would have been solved, and with how close they were there wasn't really any reason why they wouldn't'. The obstacles in their way never felt real to me.
But despite my complaints, I did enjoy the story and the way it was written. It was easy to read, and I liked the framing of the chapters in seasons. I just think it lacked depth and tried to make up for that with mature themes that didn't fit the feel of the rest of the story.
September 18, 2018
So here's the thing--
I did actually enjoy this story as a whole. It's hard not to feel semi-attached to a retelling of a story and re-imaginings of characters that you hold close to your heart--especially the ones you grew up with.
My issues lie in a few specific place:
1) The writing seemed a little too simply done for me. Yes, I'm fully aware this is a YA novel and I shouldn't be expecting literary genius. However, considering 95% of what I read is YA, I feel like I have a good enough grasp on this genre of writing to know that this could have been done better.
2) The main character was so. damn. annoying. It was often times hard to look past the constant "I did nothing. I'm no one, really! Don't rely on me!" type of rhetoric. I can be down with a humble character who wants people to know THEY are the ones in control of their own destiny but...perhaps this goes back to my issue with the writing.
3) Bird. My issue with him would be the consistent "But, Silvie, you really know nothing" condescending attitude towards Silvie. Does she have outdoor know-how after being among the "money" of the land since birth? Of course not. But she's not fucking incompetent. Give her a god damn break.
Everything else?
I loved pretty much every character to death (other than John and the majority of Silvie and Bird...). It was clear who was deep in the heart of every one of them and I loved it so much.
Honestly, there were some darker topics than I expected to be in this particular story that I'm not totally sold were completely necessary for the growth of the characters they effected or the story line but...oh well?
I just can't give this book over a two-star, even though I loved seeing the relations of these characters and this story to the old story/characters that I love so much. It just missed too many marks...but it was still a good story.
Bottomline--You should totally read it. Just don't go into it expecting brilliance.
Final rating: 2.5/5 stars
I did actually enjoy this story as a whole. It's hard not to feel semi-attached to a retelling of a story and re-imaginings of characters that you hold close to your heart--especially the ones you grew up with.
My issues lie in a few specific place:
1) The writing seemed a little too simply done for me. Yes, I'm fully aware this is a YA novel and I shouldn't be expecting literary genius. However, considering 95% of what I read is YA, I feel like I have a good enough grasp on this genre of writing to know that this could have been done better.
2) The main character was so. damn. annoying. It was often times hard to look past the constant "I did nothing. I'm no one, really! Don't rely on me!" type of rhetoric. I can be down with a humble character who wants people to know THEY are the ones in control of their own destiny but...perhaps this goes back to my issue with the writing.
3) Bird. My issue with him would be the consistent "But, Silvie, you really know nothing" condescending attitude towards Silvie. Does she have outdoor know-how after being among the "money" of the land since birth? Of course not. But she's not fucking incompetent. Give her a god damn break.
Everything else?
I loved pretty much every character to death (other than John and the majority of Silvie and Bird...). It was clear who was deep in the heart of every one of them and I loved it so much.
Honestly, there were some darker topics than I expected to be in this particular story that I'm not totally sold were completely necessary for the growth of the characters they effected or the story line but...oh well?
I just can't give this book over a two-star, even though I loved seeing the relations of these characters and this story to the old story/characters that I love so much. It just missed too many marks...but it was still a good story.
Bottomline--You should totally read it. Just don't go into it expecting brilliance.
Final rating: 2.5/5 stars
February 9, 2018
A gender-swapped retelling of Robin Hood... what more could you want?
This book was fully immersive, and the cinematic descriptions really brought the story to life. I haven't read Mechinna, but didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything, and will now read this too.
The characters were brilliant, there were some I loved, and some I loved to hate, but they all added to the plot.
If you are a fan of fantasy with a twist, this is the book for you! Perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer, Once Upon A Time and Disney.
This book was fully immersive, and the cinematic descriptions really brought the story to life. I haven't read Mechinna, but didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything, and will now read this too.
The characters were brilliant, there were some I loved, and some I loved to hate, but they all added to the plot.
If you are a fan of fantasy with a twist, this is the book for you! Perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer, Once Upon A Time and Disney.
February 26, 2018
The Forest Queen is a retelling of Robin Hood in which Lady Silviana of Loughsley assumes the role of Robin Hood. Together with her friend Bird and others, she starts to rebel against her own brother John.
John, who was recently made sheriff by the king is very harsh and cruel to his citizens. He raises the taxes they have to pay both to him, and to the king. If they do not pay or do not pay on time, the citizens will find out exactly how cruel John can be the hard way. Lady Silviana, in the book simply called Silvie, has her personal reasons for hating her brother, as he has been bullying her all her life. As the opportunity presents itself, Silvie, her friend Bird and a villager named Little Jane run away to live in the nearby Woodshire forest where they start a community.
To me, this plot sounded extremely promising. I love Robin Hood, and the idea of a retelling with switched gender roles is just incredibly cool. The story itself was fun to read, and I actually did enjoy reading it. However, there were a lot of aspects in this book that discouraged me from really appreciating it.
First of all, there are so many characters, but none of them are fully developed. There are four main characters (Silvie, Bird, Little Jane, and John) but with neither of them, I feel that I really got to know the character. It was hard to guess what their motivations were for some of their actions, and most aspects of their backgrounds were simply nonexistent or very poorly introduced.
With some of the characters, I was completely unsure why they were introduced at all? For example the characters of Silvie’s father and Alana Dale where given some attention, but are far from realizing their potential. Silvie’s father was introduced and some very kind things were said about him, but then they introduced a couple very shocking facts and just left it at that?!?! He just made a couple of random appearances throughout the book, and simply was not addressed in the conclusion of this book at all. The character of Alana Dale had loads of potential, but the execution of her character felt so compressed that it seems like she became just a mandatory character that was required for a Robin Hood retelling.
Secondly, this book addressed some important matters. Obviously, it is about justice, kindness and compassion, but it also touches upon themes of birth control and abortion. Normally this would be something I am extremely grateful for to read about in Young Adult literature, but again it was so poorly executed here. There was one scene where it was briefly touched upon, and just one other moment where it was referred back upon. This made that the themes fell really out of place in this book and, according to my opinion, did not align with time and place in this book.
Finally, the book has only 173 pages, which is just too short to create a fully developed world with so many characters in it. The story itself is fun, but it is very rudimentary in its implementation. It would have been so much stronger with more character and worldbuilding.
All taken together I would rate this book 2,5/5 stars. I received a digital review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. My review is susceptible to changes in the final copy of this work.
John, who was recently made sheriff by the king is very harsh and cruel to his citizens. He raises the taxes they have to pay both to him, and to the king. If they do not pay or do not pay on time, the citizens will find out exactly how cruel John can be the hard way. Lady Silviana, in the book simply called Silvie, has her personal reasons for hating her brother, as he has been bullying her all her life. As the opportunity presents itself, Silvie, her friend Bird and a villager named Little Jane run away to live in the nearby Woodshire forest where they start a community.
To me, this plot sounded extremely promising. I love Robin Hood, and the idea of a retelling with switched gender roles is just incredibly cool. The story itself was fun to read, and I actually did enjoy reading it. However, there were a lot of aspects in this book that discouraged me from really appreciating it.
First of all, there are so many characters, but none of them are fully developed. There are four main characters (Silvie, Bird, Little Jane, and John) but with neither of them, I feel that I really got to know the character. It was hard to guess what their motivations were for some of their actions, and most aspects of their backgrounds were simply nonexistent or very poorly introduced.
With some of the characters, I was completely unsure why they were introduced at all? For example the characters of Silvie’s father and Alana Dale where given some attention, but are far from realizing their potential. Silvie’s father was introduced and some very kind things were said about him, but then they introduced a couple very shocking facts and just left it at that?!?! He just made a couple of random appearances throughout the book, and simply was not addressed in the conclusion of this book at all. The character of Alana Dale had loads of potential, but the execution of her character felt so compressed that it seems like she became just a mandatory character that was required for a Robin Hood retelling.
Secondly, this book addressed some important matters. Obviously, it is about justice, kindness and compassion, but it also touches upon themes of birth control and abortion. Normally this would be something I am extremely grateful for to read about in Young Adult literature, but again it was so poorly executed here. There was one scene where it was briefly touched upon, and just one other moment where it was referred back upon. This made that the themes fell really out of place in this book and, according to my opinion, did not align with time and place in this book.
Finally, the book has only 173 pages, which is just too short to create a fully developed world with so many characters in it. The story itself is fun, but it is very rudimentary in its implementation. It would have been so much stronger with more character and worldbuilding.
All taken together I would rate this book 2,5/5 stars. I received a digital review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. My review is susceptible to changes in the final copy of this work.
August 1, 2018
The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell was a book that caught my eye when I was wandering around ALA and when I read the summary, I immediately added it to my to read shelf. I love a good re-telling and it’s the first one I’ve read that is a Robin Hood story.
The Robin Hood in this story happens to be a sixteen-year-old girl named Silvie. When her brother, John, becomes the sheriff of Woodshire, she feels powerless to stop the abuse he heaps on the local commoners. When she finds out that he plans to marry her off to one of his friends, Silvie has to make a choice. Stay and live a life she doesn’t want or run away with her best friend and be who she wants to be.
I thought Cornwell did a great job of building out who these characters are. I got just enough back story regarding the relationship between Silvie and John to understand her reasons for not wanting to stay under his thumb. I also thought that she revealed enough about John along the way to make me really not like him, leading right up to, and after their confrontation.
I thought the other characters were well done too. Bird is Silvie’s best friend and they have grown up together but in different roles. Where Silvie is from a noble family, Bird is the son of the huntswoman and despite their differing backgrounds, they became close growing up. It is clear there is still misunderstanding between them due to their backgrounds, but I was happy to see them overcome these challenges and be able to depend on each other throughout the story. There are a number of other characters that added so much more to the story – Mae Tuck and Little Jane are just two of them.
As the daughter of a nobleman, Silvie has lived a comfortable life and has never wanted for anything…at least materially. Unfortunately, she doesn’t always agree with John’s methods with the commoners and when she leaves, she finds herself taking from the stores within the Abbey to help the people in the city. And she keeps doing it. It’s fair to say that Silvie struggled with this at first but it was great to see her grow into something more than a nobleman’s daughter. She learned how to survive and take care of herself and those around her.
The world that Cornwell has developed a world was great. The forest and the abbey were so well described that I could picture them in my mind. I really enjoyed Cornwell’s writing style and her ability to pull me right into the story alongside the characters was fantastic.
If you are looking for a quick read packed with action, great characters, and an interesting story, definitely consider picking up The Forest Queen. Based on this book, I will be picking up more books by Cornwell.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Robin Hood in this story happens to be a sixteen-year-old girl named Silvie. When her brother, John, becomes the sheriff of Woodshire, she feels powerless to stop the abuse he heaps on the local commoners. When she finds out that he plans to marry her off to one of his friends, Silvie has to make a choice. Stay and live a life she doesn’t want or run away with her best friend and be who she wants to be.
I thought Cornwell did a great job of building out who these characters are. I got just enough back story regarding the relationship between Silvie and John to understand her reasons for not wanting to stay under his thumb. I also thought that she revealed enough about John along the way to make me really not like him, leading right up to, and after their confrontation.
I thought the other characters were well done too. Bird is Silvie’s best friend and they have grown up together but in different roles. Where Silvie is from a noble family, Bird is the son of the huntswoman and despite their differing backgrounds, they became close growing up. It is clear there is still misunderstanding between them due to their backgrounds, but I was happy to see them overcome these challenges and be able to depend on each other throughout the story. There are a number of other characters that added so much more to the story – Mae Tuck and Little Jane are just two of them.
As the daughter of a nobleman, Silvie has lived a comfortable life and has never wanted for anything…at least materially. Unfortunately, she doesn’t always agree with John’s methods with the commoners and when she leaves, she finds herself taking from the stores within the Abbey to help the people in the city. And she keeps doing it. It’s fair to say that Silvie struggled with this at first but it was great to see her grow into something more than a nobleman’s daughter. She learned how to survive and take care of herself and those around her.
The world that Cornwell has developed a world was great. The forest and the abbey were so well described that I could picture them in my mind. I really enjoyed Cornwell’s writing style and her ability to pull me right into the story alongside the characters was fantastic.
If you are looking for a quick read packed with action, great characters, and an interesting story, definitely consider picking up The Forest Queen. Based on this book, I will be picking up more books by Cornwell.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2018
Somehow I missed the fact that this was a gender swap retelling of Robin Hood. I'm always a hit or a miss when it comes to retellings. This one I did find entertaining as a simplistic read for the young adult crowd. I did love the gender swaps too and it seemed almost one for one for each swap (almost).
What I found most interesting is that while there wasn't a ton of layers or depth to the storyline or characters, the story did touch on some deep subjects such as rape, suicide and abortion that seemed to contradict the simpler side of the story. A quick read at 300 pages, this will go over well for those who like the retellings of a class tale with the added twist of a gender swap. Robin Hood, meet The Forest Queen.
I now want a hooded cape, a pet owl and a big ass tree house. Can anyone help me with this?
A fantastic idea for a storyline... great descriptions of the forest and I probably most enjoyed the Maypole dancing scene as it reminded me of my childhood.
Completely different than what I had expected.
What I found most interesting is that while there wasn't a ton of layers or depth to the storyline or characters, the story did touch on some deep subjects such as rape, suicide and abortion that seemed to contradict the simpler side of the story. A quick read at 300 pages, this will go over well for those who like the retellings of a class tale with the added twist of a gender swap. Robin Hood, meet The Forest Queen.
I now want a hooded cape, a pet owl and a big ass tree house. Can anyone help me with this?
A fantastic idea for a storyline... great descriptions of the forest and I probably most enjoyed the Maypole dancing scene as it reminded me of my childhood.
Completely different than what I had expected.
February 23, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars rounded up
Gender bent Robin Hood? I was so in and I wasn’t disappointed.
First of all if you’re looking for something with great historical context this probably isn’t for you. Likewise if you want magic and dragons. It’s a fantasy in that it’s a reimagining of several original folktales around the mythic Robin Hood. (I have to admit that my head cannon on Robin Hood always sets it in 12th Century England and having researched that period certain things made my teeth hurt, or would have done if I hadn’t accepted this book on its own terms.) I would also suggest that if you go in looking for sweeping tales of derring do with lots of action you may be disappointed, because that’s really not what this is about.
So what do you get? Well, every major character from the Robin Hood tales and ballads is female in this book, which is an absolute treat. It’s a story about claiming your own freedom, and with that comes responsibility for your actions and a refusal of ignorance. The Forest Queen is about building a community having rejected an unfair system riddled with inequality and reached instead for a radical overhaul of the status quo. Something we sorely need with Britain’s current PM and America’s current President! It explores issues of class and poverty, justice and inequality. The cast is suitably diverse and the characters are engaging and often loveable. What Cornwall does well is put women in the driving seat without making them pseudo-men or subscribing to stereotypical gender norms. And on top of that it’s just an utterly charming book, written with delicacy and strength.
My one big bugbear is that it’s way too short for me. That’s very much a personal opinion because a book only needs to be long enough to tell the story, which it does. But I could have gobbled it up if it was three times as long, slow burner or not. My other very minor bugbear was that as much as I love Bird and really ship him and Sylvie, he was quite condescending and on occasion, mansplain-y – but perhaps that was the point, because Slyvie had a lot of growing up and cluing up to do.
I really, really enjoyed this. Highly recommend for lovers of quiet fantasy starring found-family.
3.5 stars rounded up
Gender bent Robin Hood? I was so in and I wasn’t disappointed.
First of all if you’re looking for something with great historical context this probably isn’t for you. Likewise if you want magic and dragons. It’s a fantasy in that it’s a reimagining of several original folktales around the mythic Robin Hood. (I have to admit that my head cannon on Robin Hood always sets it in 12th Century England and having researched that period certain things made my teeth hurt, or would have done if I hadn’t accepted this book on its own terms.) I would also suggest that if you go in looking for sweeping tales of derring do with lots of action you may be disappointed, because that’s really not what this is about.
So what do you get? Well, every major character from the Robin Hood tales and ballads is female in this book, which is an absolute treat. It’s a story about claiming your own freedom, and with that comes responsibility for your actions and a refusal of ignorance. The Forest Queen is about building a community having rejected an unfair system riddled with inequality and reached instead for a radical overhaul of the status quo. Something we sorely need with Britain’s current PM and America’s current President! It explores issues of class and poverty, justice and inequality. The cast is suitably diverse and the characters are engaging and often loveable. What Cornwall does well is put women in the driving seat without making them pseudo-men or subscribing to stereotypical gender norms. And on top of that it’s just an utterly charming book, written with delicacy and strength.
My one big bugbear is that it’s way too short for me. That’s very much a personal opinion because a book only needs to be long enough to tell the story, which it does. But I could have gobbled it up if it was three times as long, slow burner or not. My other very minor bugbear was that as much as I love Bird and really ship him and Sylvie, he was quite condescending and on occasion, mansplain-y – but perhaps that was the point, because Slyvie had a lot of growing up and cluing up to do.
I really, really enjoyed this. Highly recommend for lovers of quiet fantasy starring found-family.
August 6, 2018
So I really did like this book! I think its different than others I have read and I kept finding myself wanting more.
The main character of this book is amazingly written. I think she's so different from our typical heroine because she has her own fears to work through before she can help others. I think this part of her makes her so real and relatable to so many people.
I did like this book but I didn't love it. There was something missing from the plot that made it less interesting to read.
I think if there was a lot more action and more focus on the main characters skills with hunting it would have changed the whole book.
But it almost felt like reading two different books because this book gave off such a light feel with some mentions of dark tones but not enough to properly mingle the two.
The characters were well written I found myself wondering what they were up to whenever I was away from the book, however, I think its really missing that action element that I expected to see in this book!
All in all its a pretty good book I'm not sure if there will be a sequel but I'm excited to read more if there is!
The main character of this book is amazingly written. I think she's so different from our typical heroine because she has her own fears to work through before she can help others. I think this part of her makes her so real and relatable to so many people.
I did like this book but I didn't love it. There was something missing from the plot that made it less interesting to read.
I think if there was a lot more action and more focus on the main characters skills with hunting it would have changed the whole book.
But it almost felt like reading two different books because this book gave off such a light feel with some mentions of dark tones but not enough to properly mingle the two.
The characters were well written I found myself wondering what they were up to whenever I was away from the book, however, I think its really missing that action element that I expected to see in this book!
All in all its a pretty good book I'm not sure if there will be a sequel but I'm excited to read more if there is!
January 24, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! It was fresh and original, despite being a re-telling. It really stood on it's own two feet and didn't feel like reading a re-telling of Robin Hood. It was a quick and easy read, as I read it in one afternoon, but it was highly entertaining and I loved the character development over the novel. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2019
I like the story of Robin Hood and I'm always up for a retelling. However, this was a hard pass for me. Allow me to share a list of all my issues.
Problems:
• Heavily feminist. It really followed the whole "girls rule, boys drool" mentality. All the girls were shown as smart and powerful while all the boys were assumed to be jerks. There are even whole lines about Silvie not wanting to be tied down and how she is an independent women who don't need no man.
• Silvie was just kind of bland. She didn't really have much of a personality, or skills.
• All the names (like Sherwood and Locksley) were changed just enough that they were different, but so similar it was distracting.
• It didn't really follow the Robin Hood story at all. And the plot was all over the place.
• It was really dark, almost more NA than YA. In the first fifty pages there's an attempted suicide and discussions of rape. Silvie's brother seemed to be lusting after her (gross). There was also talk of how to avoid unwanted pregnancy and maybe of abortion, though I'm not sure. It just felt very inappropriate for the time period.
So yeah, there was really nothing I liked about this book, except maybe for the fact it was short. If you want a better gender-bent retelling of Robin Hood, then go read Robyn Hoodlum.
Problems:
• Heavily feminist. It really followed the whole "girls rule, boys drool" mentality. All the girls were shown as smart and powerful while all the boys were assumed to be jerks. There are even whole lines about Silvie not wanting to be tied down and how she is an independent women who don't need no man.
• Silvie was just kind of bland. She didn't really have much of a personality, or skills.
• All the names (like Sherwood and Locksley) were changed just enough that they were different, but so similar it was distracting.
• It didn't really follow the Robin Hood story at all. And the plot was all over the place.
• It was really dark, almost more NA than YA. In the first fifty pages there's an attempted suicide and discussions of rape. Silvie's brother seemed to be lusting after her (gross). There was also talk of how to avoid unwanted pregnancy and maybe of abortion, though I'm not sure. It just felt very inappropriate for the time period.
So yeah, there was really nothing I liked about this book, except maybe for the fact it was short. If you want a better gender-bent retelling of Robin Hood, then go read Robyn Hoodlum.
August 2, 2018
So much love! I love it so! If you know me or follow my review you know that fairy tale retellings are my weakness, and of them all, Robin Hood is my favorite. I've been hoping for this book since MECHANICA, where there was only a whisper of The Forest Queen, before it even existed. I was thrilled to finally read it and friends, it's as good as you all hope.
I love the forest and Silvi and just about everyone else in this book (except the obvious, but I'd never want to meet a person who roots for the sheriff in a Robin Hood story). Bird! (Swoons.) The characters, the story, the world; they're all so vivid and alive. I hope people read and love this story as much as I do!
I'm hoping for some more in this universe!
I love the forest and Silvi and just about everyone else in this book (except the obvious, but I'd never want to meet a person who roots for the sheriff in a Robin Hood story). Bird! (Swoons.) The characters, the story, the world; they're all so vivid and alive. I hope people read and love this story as much as I do!
I'm hoping for some more in this universe!
September 27, 2022
*WARNING: This review contains spoilers. (But I’d just go ahead and read it so you don’t waste your time on the book) *
If you love this book and think it’s amazing, then this review isn’t for you. I really didn’t like this book, and that’s pretty much what this whole review is about! I don’t like writing mean reviews, and I’m not trying to lash out at the author, but I had to write this review. Sorry if my anger makes this review not make much sense. Here goes. I was at the library and The Forest Queen caught my eye. I vaguely remembered seeing this book on Goodreads and I thought it was one of the many that I wanted to read. So, I checked it out and went home to read it over the weekend. I was expecting a nice, unique retelling of Robin Hood with a female lead. It sounded truly interesting, and I was very excited to start it. I was highly disappointed.
Well-written, clean, YA novels are hard to find in my opinion. They either contain a host of swear words, sexual content, or a lot of violence. I thought this book would be different, and it was, in the language category. There was none, and I appreciated that. However, sexual content and violence were present throughout the story. Rape was mentioned and talked about, murder and other violent actions were there, and there was an unhealthy amount of longing for someone. This all seemed to stem from one person, John. I understand that when you create a villain for your story, the reader is meant to hate and root against that person. I was disgusted by this guy. The gruesome things he did and the “love” (not brotherly) he had for his sister were repulsive. I could see some of the violence necessary to paint a picture of who John was, but I think the author took it a little too far. I was disgusted and nearly put down the book multiple times.
The characters seemed to fall into cliches. Especially with Bird and Sylvia. They were friends since childhood, and Sylvia is holding back on expressing her growing feelings for Bird because she doesn’t want to lose his friendship if he doesn’t care for her in the same way. This eventually drives him away but he comes back and it turns out they both love each other, which eventually leads to their marriage. Anyways, back to the point. Since Sylvia is understandably afraid of her brother, so much so that he haunts her in her dreams, Bird is the one who has been there through it all with her and comforts her through her fear. At first, I thought, that is very sweet, and I love how they help each other through all of this! It quickly became cliché, repetitive, and meaningless. It became one of those girl-has-a-traumatic-past-and-the-guy-is-the-one-that-saves-her kind of relationships. Yet, through all of it, Sylvia still holds back and doesn’t tell Bird how she feels. Annoying to say the least. I was only able to remember about ten characters in the book, the others were just names on a page.
The contradiction and the not acting over what you felt bothered me! Sylvia would claim to not love Bird, and the next thing you know she’s talking about how warm she feels around him or feeling jealous when another girl arrives. (Barfing while I write this.) Yet, at one point she says I always knew I loved Bird. She also says, “I’ve always known what John truly wanted.” Yet she doesn’t act on any of this until the end of the book! If you always knew this or that, why didn’t you run away from John sooner, or tell Bird you loved him!?
The writing also didn’t flow together very well. I found myself having to reread a paragraph or two to make sense of what happened and why are we feeling this way right now? Anger seemed to spring out of nowhere, making me not be able to relate to what they were feeling. Loose ends were left hanging, little things, but things I was still left wondering about. Yet they were never wrapped up. This, and more, prevented me from walking alongside the characters as I love to do in stories. The only reason I felt any emotion with this book was because of the shocking and disgusting things that went on with John, and the love between the characters (however cliché it was, there were some good moments).
After all of this, why did I finish this book? Well, I nearly didn’t. I put it down once and was going to just give it up. However, since I was on a long car ride, had read through all my other options, and wasn’t about to sit there and stare out the window for an hour and a half. I unwisely picked it up and finished it. There were so many things that nearly made me put it down again, yet I ignored them in hopes that it would get better. It didn’t, and by the time I realized that I was at the point where I only had a little bit left. And as you all know, spending all that time on a book, just to not finish it, is very disappointing. I ended up walking away with a burning desire to write a review on this book and all I found wrong with it. I didn’t even end up loving the characters. The only thing I will take from this book is disgust and the burning question of WHY!?
So, there was my rant on The Forest Queen. Maybe I’m being dramatic, and pretty much all YA novels are like this, and I just have to suck it up and get used to it. Or, maybe I’m right, and this YA novel is not worth the read at all. Please comment and tell me what y’all think. I’m curious to know if it’s just me, or if something is up with this book and this genre we call Young Adult.
If you love this book and think it’s amazing, then this review isn’t for you. I really didn’t like this book, and that’s pretty much what this whole review is about! I don’t like writing mean reviews, and I’m not trying to lash out at the author, but I had to write this review. Sorry if my anger makes this review not make much sense. Here goes. I was at the library and The Forest Queen caught my eye. I vaguely remembered seeing this book on Goodreads and I thought it was one of the many that I wanted to read. So, I checked it out and went home to read it over the weekend. I was expecting a nice, unique retelling of Robin Hood with a female lead. It sounded truly interesting, and I was very excited to start it. I was highly disappointed.
Well-written, clean, YA novels are hard to find in my opinion. They either contain a host of swear words, sexual content, or a lot of violence. I thought this book would be different, and it was, in the language category. There was none, and I appreciated that. However, sexual content and violence were present throughout the story. Rape was mentioned and talked about, murder and other violent actions were there, and there was an unhealthy amount of longing for someone. This all seemed to stem from one person, John. I understand that when you create a villain for your story, the reader is meant to hate and root against that person. I was disgusted by this guy. The gruesome things he did and the “love” (not brotherly) he had for his sister were repulsive. I could see some of the violence necessary to paint a picture of who John was, but I think the author took it a little too far. I was disgusted and nearly put down the book multiple times.
The characters seemed to fall into cliches. Especially with Bird and Sylvia. They were friends since childhood, and Sylvia is holding back on expressing her growing feelings for Bird because she doesn’t want to lose his friendship if he doesn’t care for her in the same way. This eventually drives him away but he comes back and it turns out they both love each other, which eventually leads to their marriage. Anyways, back to the point. Since Sylvia is understandably afraid of her brother, so much so that he haunts her in her dreams, Bird is the one who has been there through it all with her and comforts her through her fear. At first, I thought, that is very sweet, and I love how they help each other through all of this! It quickly became cliché, repetitive, and meaningless. It became one of those girl-has-a-traumatic-past-and-the-guy-is-the-one-that-saves-her kind of relationships. Yet, through all of it, Sylvia still holds back and doesn’t tell Bird how she feels. Annoying to say the least. I was only able to remember about ten characters in the book, the others were just names on a page.
The contradiction and the not acting over what you felt bothered me! Sylvia would claim to not love Bird, and the next thing you know she’s talking about how warm she feels around him or feeling jealous when another girl arrives. (Barfing while I write this.) Yet, at one point she says I always knew I loved Bird. She also says, “I’ve always known what John truly wanted.” Yet she doesn’t act on any of this until the end of the book! If you always knew this or that, why didn’t you run away from John sooner, or tell Bird you loved him!?
The writing also didn’t flow together very well. I found myself having to reread a paragraph or two to make sense of what happened and why are we feeling this way right now? Anger seemed to spring out of nowhere, making me not be able to relate to what they were feeling. Loose ends were left hanging, little things, but things I was still left wondering about. Yet they were never wrapped up. This, and more, prevented me from walking alongside the characters as I love to do in stories. The only reason I felt any emotion with this book was because of the shocking and disgusting things that went on with John, and the love between the characters (however cliché it was, there were some good moments).
After all of this, why did I finish this book? Well, I nearly didn’t. I put it down once and was going to just give it up. However, since I was on a long car ride, had read through all my other options, and wasn’t about to sit there and stare out the window for an hour and a half. I unwisely picked it up and finished it. There were so many things that nearly made me put it down again, yet I ignored them in hopes that it would get better. It didn’t, and by the time I realized that I was at the point where I only had a little bit left. And as you all know, spending all that time on a book, just to not finish it, is very disappointing. I ended up walking away with a burning desire to write a review on this book and all I found wrong with it. I didn’t even end up loving the characters. The only thing I will take from this book is disgust and the burning question of WHY!?
So, there was my rant on The Forest Queen. Maybe I’m being dramatic, and pretty much all YA novels are like this, and I just have to suck it up and get used to it. Or, maybe I’m right, and this YA novel is not worth the read at all. Please comment and tell me what y’all think. I’m curious to know if it’s just me, or if something is up with this book and this genre we call Young Adult.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2018
To me this plot sounded super promising. I love Robin Hood, and the idea of a retelling with switched gender roles is just incredibly fantastic. The story itself was fun to read, but I dunno I just couldn't love it. I do love the cover, super pretty! I am interested to see what other people think of this book. I haven't check any review yet, but I am wonder if people had the same annoyances that I did.
There are so many characters, but none of them are fully developed. There are four main characters, they are Silvie, Bird, Little Jane, and John but with neither of them, I feel that I really got to know the character. And I love Character driven stories...
It isn't a fairly long book either, you can read it within a day.
There are so many characters, but none of them are fully developed. There are four main characters, they are Silvie, Bird, Little Jane, and John but with neither of them, I feel that I really got to know the character. And I love Character driven stories...
It isn't a fairly long book either, you can read it within a day.
August 9, 2018
ARC provided by HMH Teen for an honest review
TW: abuse, elder abuse, rape, and sexual harassment
5/5 stars
This book was BEAUTIFUL. The story was so charming and lovely. I loved the themes throughout and I absolutely adore the characters. I really did not want to put this book down. I could have just sat and read it all day. It was lovely.
More thoughts and a full review to come!
www.livthebooknerd.blogspot.com
TW: abuse, elder abuse, rape, and sexual harassment
5/5 stars
This book was BEAUTIFUL. The story was so charming and lovely. I loved the themes throughout and I absolutely adore the characters. I really did not want to put this book down. I could have just sat and read it all day. It was lovely.
More thoughts and a full review to come!
www.livthebooknerd.blogspot.com
July 27, 2018
Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
When I first picked up The Forest Queen, by Betsy Cornwall, I didn't know what to expect. Would this be a story of female empowerment? An adventure story? Would there be intrigue and romance? The answer is YES to all of it. I found this book to be fun, and moving. Once I started it, I could not put it down.
What I Liked:
Setting:
As with most stories with "Queen" in the title, this book takes place in an unnamed medieval country with plenty of lords and ladies, castles, and forests. What made this setting unique was that there were also people of color mixed in. There has been a controversy in the book world about diversity in books such as these. Some people say, "Well, there weren't people of color in Europe in the Middle Ages". Others correctly point out that in a fictional novel you can make your characters any color you want! I am happy to report that the author chose the latter view. In this story, it's the people with darker skin who are the "noble" families. But there has been so much inter-mingling between groups that most people have traits of many cultures. I loved that.
Characters:
I really enjoyed how all the characters changed over the course of this book. Sylvie starts the story as a somewhat naive, privileged young woman. She does know that others have a much harder time in life, but she hasn't seen it firsthand. The nobles take almost everything through taxes, leaving peasants to nearly starve. When she is confronted with this reality, Sylvie begins to see everything differently.
There are many other memorable characters such as Little Jane, Bird, Mae Tuck, and the troubadour Alana Dean. All have experience with the unjust treatment of the nobles towards peasants. Little Jane, in particular, haunts me. She is pregnant (from rape), and goes from a frightened, hopeless girl, to a warm, confident mother. Her healing was heartening to see.
Story:
It doesn't mention it in the synopsis, but this story is loosely based on Robin Hood. This may seem silly, at first. But the author uses this story to show a world where people who are oppressed finally fight back to gain freedom.
There was plenty of suspense as Sylvie runs away from her comfortable life as a noble and into the forest. Will she be caught by her lecherous brother, Sheriff John? As more and more people join them, I was worried for everyone's safety!
Later, as Sylvie starts to "take from the rich and give to the poor', there's also the constant threat of discovery and imprisonment. I like that while Sylvie is doing this for honorable reasons, she also acknowledges the lines she is crossing (and that she gets a thrill from stealing).
Romance:
I enjoyed the tension and possible romance between Sylvie and Bird. Childhood friends, these two must set aside questions of attraction in order to survive out in the woods. They are too busy finding enough to eat to worry about romance. I like that later, as they settle in, they are reluctant to be a couple as they don't want to ruin their friendship.
There is also some fun, same-sex romance for other characters! I love that in this universe women and men find their own way to happiness without judgement.
Trigger Warning for Rape:
Rape is a theme in this book. While there are no actual descriptions of the act itself, this may be upsetting to some readers.
When I first picked up The Forest Queen, by Betsy Cornwall, I didn't know what to expect. Would this be a story of female empowerment? An adventure story? Would there be intrigue and romance? The answer is YES to all of it. I found this book to be fun, and moving. Once I started it, I could not put it down.
What I Liked:
Setting:
As with most stories with "Queen" in the title, this book takes place in an unnamed medieval country with plenty of lords and ladies, castles, and forests. What made this setting unique was that there were also people of color mixed in. There has been a controversy in the book world about diversity in books such as these. Some people say, "Well, there weren't people of color in Europe in the Middle Ages". Others correctly point out that in a fictional novel you can make your characters any color you want! I am happy to report that the author chose the latter view. In this story, it's the people with darker skin who are the "noble" families. But there has been so much inter-mingling between groups that most people have traits of many cultures. I loved that.
Characters:
I really enjoyed how all the characters changed over the course of this book. Sylvie starts the story as a somewhat naive, privileged young woman. She does know that others have a much harder time in life, but she hasn't seen it firsthand. The nobles take almost everything through taxes, leaving peasants to nearly starve. When she is confronted with this reality, Sylvie begins to see everything differently.
There are many other memorable characters such as Little Jane, Bird, Mae Tuck, and the troubadour Alana Dean. All have experience with the unjust treatment of the nobles towards peasants. Little Jane, in particular, haunts me. She is pregnant (from rape), and goes from a frightened, hopeless girl, to a warm, confident mother. Her healing was heartening to see.
Story:
It doesn't mention it in the synopsis, but this story is loosely based on Robin Hood. This may seem silly, at first. But the author uses this story to show a world where people who are oppressed finally fight back to gain freedom.
There was plenty of suspense as Sylvie runs away from her comfortable life as a noble and into the forest. Will she be caught by her lecherous brother, Sheriff John? As more and more people join them, I was worried for everyone's safety!
Later, as Sylvie starts to "take from the rich and give to the poor', there's also the constant threat of discovery and imprisonment. I like that while Sylvie is doing this for honorable reasons, she also acknowledges the lines she is crossing (and that she gets a thrill from stealing).
Romance:
I enjoyed the tension and possible romance between Sylvie and Bird. Childhood friends, these two must set aside questions of attraction in order to survive out in the woods. They are too busy finding enough to eat to worry about romance. I like that later, as they settle in, they are reluctant to be a couple as they don't want to ruin their friendship.
There is also some fun, same-sex romance for other characters! I love that in this universe women and men find their own way to happiness without judgement.
Trigger Warning for Rape:
Rape is a theme in this book. While there are no actual descriptions of the act itself, this may be upsetting to some readers.
October 21, 2018
I was and am very pleased with the way this book ended and was written. I read this book before it came out and before I had good reads back in June. But, I will say that I read it in two days, and it is a book I would read again. So, to all the people who are indecisive about reading the book, you know what I say, read it. And if you don’t like it then stop, or read it anyways. It’s your choice.
dnf
December 18, 2018Okay, so...I may try this one again? But for right now...the concept was a great one, but the way it was written was so confusing that I just couldn't keep up. There were time jumps and I could /not/ tell which one was the real timeframe and which one was the flashback. Just...not interested for right now :/
August 27, 2019
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy but then got a copy on Netgalley. Yay me! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (suicide TW, dark themes, and violence)
Publisher: Clarion Books
Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates, Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his noblemen.
Review: I thought this book was.... Not for me. The book did have some good points, the nature scenes were gorgeous and the survival techniques were pretty spot on from what I know.
However, that's where the good points ended for me. For the most part I was bored with this book and i fell asleep like 4 times reading it. The pace is so slow it was agonizing. There was suicide in the book. While there's nothing wrong with that, it was just badly written and I can see where this can be harmful for some. It was very insensitive in my opinion. The writing is not well done. It reads like it would be for younger kids but it doesn't deal with dark topics well at all. Telling rather than showing the character development. Lastly the book just wasn't a robin hood retelling. The book told me about some thieving, but some of it was for personal gain and in my opinion the best part of robin hood is how he evades the law, so why avoid that?
Verdict: Not my thing.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (suicide TW, dark themes, and violence)
Publisher: Clarion Books
Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates, Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his noblemen.
Review: I thought this book was.... Not for me. The book did have some good points, the nature scenes were gorgeous and the survival techniques were pretty spot on from what I know.
However, that's where the good points ended for me. For the most part I was bored with this book and i fell asleep like 4 times reading it. The pace is so slow it was agonizing. There was suicide in the book. While there's nothing wrong with that, it was just badly written and I can see where this can be harmful for some. It was very insensitive in my opinion. The writing is not well done. It reads like it would be for younger kids but it doesn't deal with dark topics well at all. Telling rather than showing the character development. Lastly the book just wasn't a robin hood retelling. The book told me about some thieving, but some of it was for personal gain and in my opinion the best part of robin hood is how he evades the law, so why avoid that?
Verdict: Not my thing.
May 17, 2019
4,5 stars*
A beautifully written Robin Hood retelling featuring a female "Robin" and many other female characters whose struggles within a patriarchal society are made visible. It's especially outstanding how the main character Silvie constantly acknowledges her privileges and does her best to dismantle them, or, if more helpful, uses them to support the oppressed. Also remarkable is the respect for rape victims, bodily autonomy, and reproductive health and rights. Those is should be self-evident of course, but their promotion to young girls is especially vital in days like these.
There are several diverse characters including Silvie, but the diverse aspects aren't really the focus of the story, nor are all important characters very developed (who is Bird even apart from the boy Silvie loves?). I suppose that is due to the shortness of the book, but still a little unfortunate.
Trigger warning for attempted suicide, childbirth and mention of/allusion to rape and incest.
A beautifully written Robin Hood retelling featuring a female "Robin" and many other female characters whose struggles within a patriarchal society are made visible. It's especially outstanding how the main character Silvie constantly acknowledges her privileges and does her best to dismantle them, or, if more helpful, uses them to support the oppressed. Also remarkable is the respect for rape victims, bodily autonomy, and reproductive health and rights. Those is should be self-evident of course, but their promotion to young girls is especially vital in days like these.
There are several diverse characters including Silvie, but the diverse aspects aren't really the focus of the story, nor are all important characters very developed (who is Bird even apart from the boy Silvie loves?). I suppose that is due to the shortness of the book, but still a little unfortunate.
Trigger warning for attempted suicide, childbirth and mention of/allusion to rape and incest.
May 22, 2020
Parang hotdog sandwhich na may coleslaw pero walang ketchup at mayonnaise.
Show not tell, Betsy. Show 👏 not 👏 tell 👏
AT BAKIT NAPAKAMOODY NI SILVIE??? Bigla-bigla na lang nagagalit. Parang sira amp!
Oks naman ako sa pagsunod sa istorya ni Silvie at ng iba pang mga characters, kaso ang boring lang na walang nangyayaring pasabog. This is a Robinhood retelling pero yung mga scene na magnanakaw sila for the poor hindi man lang napakita ng maayos or nabigyan ng emphasis at suspense. Ang flat ng mga eksena. Ang bland ng writing, pinuputol agad yung mga eksena, given na wala na ngang masyadong nangyayari. Parang tamad na tamad magsulat si ate mo Betsy.
Will give you MORE thoughts sa wrap-up ko (ang daming orange tabs, hindi magandang sign) pero ayun hindi naman ako galit or anything. Nakulangan lang talaga ako. Naenjoy ko kahit papaano kaso nakakainis lang na kulang. Kulang sa lahat. Parang pambatang story. Hindi pang YA.
Edit same date at 7:43 PM: Bump my rating to 2.5 stars making it 3 stars in the process.
Show not tell, Betsy. Show 👏 not 👏 tell 👏
AT BAKIT NAPAKAMOODY NI SILVIE??? Bigla-bigla na lang nagagalit. Parang sira amp!
Oks naman ako sa pagsunod sa istorya ni Silvie at ng iba pang mga characters, kaso ang boring lang na walang nangyayaring pasabog. This is a Robinhood retelling pero yung mga scene na magnanakaw sila for the poor hindi man lang napakita ng maayos or nabigyan ng emphasis at suspense. Ang flat ng mga eksena. Ang bland ng writing, pinuputol agad yung mga eksena, given na wala na ngang masyadong nangyayari. Parang tamad na tamad magsulat si ate mo Betsy.
Will give you MORE thoughts sa wrap-up ko (ang daming orange tabs, hindi magandang sign) pero ayun hindi naman ako galit or anything. Nakulangan lang talaga ako. Naenjoy ko kahit papaano kaso nakakainis lang na kulang. Kulang sa lahat. Parang pambatang story. Hindi pang YA.
Edit same date at 7:43 PM: Bump my rating to 2.5 stars making it 3 stars in the process.
July 12, 2018
This was a refreshing intriguing take on the legend of robin hood, we get robin hood as a female in this retelling that in no way takes away from the heart of the robin hood legend. Which is take from the overly rich and give to the lowly poor. The best part is that our Robin hood is a female who runs away from her rich life and strives with all her heart to to the best she can for her merry men. Their are some themes in this book that maybe hard for some readers to handle so be wary -they include abuse, elder abuse, rape, and sexual harassment. They are by no means described in detail but more like told they happened and what the end results of some these are. I think our author did a great job with the story and i wish it had only been longer.
August 9, 2018
*Source* Publisher/NetGalley
*Genre* Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations
*Rating* 2.5-3
*Thoughts*
Betsy Cornwell's The Forest Queen is supposed to be the retelling of Robin Hood with a feminist angle. It's a story about how a corrupt, too-powerful leader and his inner circle thrive at the expense of the common people and how one girl fights for what's right and makes a difference. Lady Silviana of Loughsley chooses to make a stand against her older brother, who just happens to be Sheriff John of Loughsley, after she learns that he is as much as a brute outside of the home, as he is at home.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations
*Rating* 2.5-3
*Thoughts*
Betsy Cornwell's The Forest Queen is supposed to be the retelling of Robin Hood with a feminist angle. It's a story about how a corrupt, too-powerful leader and his inner circle thrive at the expense of the common people and how one girl fights for what's right and makes a difference. Lady Silviana of Loughsley chooses to make a stand against her older brother, who just happens to be Sheriff John of Loughsley, after she learns that he is as much as a brute outside of the home, as he is at home.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
May 23, 2019
The Forest Queen⭐⭐ (I'm Sleepy now..)
Read full review at: https://grimmsnaughtblog.home.blog/
Story:
I was so bored.. The book contains dark and very twisted elements that usually gets me excited, but I yawned myself trough. Mostly because everything felt so easy for everyone.
These are harsh environments the characters are experiencing, but everything works out. They hide just walking-distance from the village in a cave that has a hot spring to warm them. And for food during the winter, they dig up some roots, pick some berries and hunt. Because hunting is easy for some reason.. And where they get their water supplies are NEVER mentioned. (I doubt water from a hot spring is drinkable..) And the reason nobody can find them is because they are in the forest.. Do I really need to point out that I don’t buy any of this?
And I suspect that this is supposed to have something like a feminist message by being a gender-bender, but man did that fall flat. Changing the original Robin Hood characters into females and turn the men into either goofs, good guys or really horrible bad guys is toothless and extremely dated idea if you want to convey a feminist message. ”Never tear down another person to make yourself look better” goes for genders too!
Characters:
Very black and white. There’s no nuances to the people. They are either bad or good. And the good always like each other. A group of random strangers band together in a very harsh environment and there’s no hint of tension? Very unlikely..
Conclusion:
I did not care about anything in this book. I did not even really get mad at it. And if I did not have notes from reading it, I could not have written this review because nothing really stuck with me. 2 stars.
Read full review at: https://grimmsnaughtblog.home.blog/
Story:
I was so bored.. The book contains dark and very twisted elements that usually gets me excited, but I yawned myself trough. Mostly because everything felt so easy for everyone.
These are harsh environments the characters are experiencing, but everything works out. They hide just walking-distance from the village in a cave that has a hot spring to warm them. And for food during the winter, they dig up some roots, pick some berries and hunt. Because hunting is easy for some reason.. And where they get their water supplies are NEVER mentioned. (I doubt water from a hot spring is drinkable..) And the reason nobody can find them is because they are in the forest.. Do I really need to point out that I don’t buy any of this?
And I suspect that this is supposed to have something like a feminist message by being a gender-bender, but man did that fall flat. Changing the original Robin Hood characters into females and turn the men into either goofs, good guys or really horrible bad guys is toothless and extremely dated idea if you want to convey a feminist message. ”Never tear down another person to make yourself look better” goes for genders too!
Characters:
Very black and white. There’s no nuances to the people. They are either bad or good. And the good always like each other. A group of random strangers band together in a very harsh environment and there’s no hint of tension? Very unlikely..
Conclusion:
I did not care about anything in this book. I did not even really get mad at it. And if I did not have notes from reading it, I could not have written this review because nothing really stuck with me. 2 stars.
January 29, 2018
The Forest Queen is a book of rebelling for the right reasons. Its a book that gives hope to the little guys. Its a book that gives the feeling that things will always get better. Its a book that shows all different forms of love.
If you cant tell already from my intro I really enjoyed this book and all it had to offer my ever starving brain. The main character is a lady of a noble house and has the benefits of all that comes with it. Until one day she finds herself second guessing all of her reasons for staying where she is and the adventure begins.
I learned a few things in reading The Forest Queen.
Love in all its forms is not easy, it's rough and it's raw.
Always have hope, even in the unknown, even when you think there is nothing left to hope for. You never know where it will get you if you just keep hold of that sliver of hope.
And most of all I learnt I need to know what other books have been written by the wonderful Betsy Cornwall.
Happy Reading booknerds =]
If you cant tell already from my intro I really enjoyed this book and all it had to offer my ever starving brain. The main character is a lady of a noble house and has the benefits of all that comes with it. Until one day she finds herself second guessing all of her reasons for staying where she is and the adventure begins.
I learned a few things in reading The Forest Queen.
Love in all its forms is not easy, it's rough and it's raw.
Always have hope, even in the unknown, even when you think there is nothing left to hope for. You never know where it will get you if you just keep hold of that sliver of hope.
And most of all I learnt I need to know what other books have been written by the wonderful Betsy Cornwall.
Happy Reading booknerds =]
March 19, 2018
In this well told revisionist Robin Hood, Lady Silviana of Loughsley is entreated by her best friend Bird to run away from her cruel brother John, the sheriff appointed by the king. At sixteen, Lady Silviana is a bit naive about the lives of the common folk, but she is motvated to flee when her brother offers her in marriage to an older nobleman. Once she escapes to the forest with Bird and Little Jane, a pregnant peasant girl, she begins to realize the extent of the cruelty and deprivation suffered by the common folk at the hands of not only John but most of the noble class. As she and her little band grow, she and her band of followers rob the rich to give to the poor. All in all, Cornwell has fashioned an engaging and affecting retelling of the Robin Hood legend, peopled by vivid characters, especially Sylvie, Little Jane, and Mae as the female versions of Robin, Little John, and Friar Tuck. Young adults who love retellings will eat up this novel. #TheForestQueen #NetGalley
July 7, 2018
I was excited to check out this book. The reimagined concept of Robin Hood with a gender reversal role was a thrilling thought. That is exactly what should have happened is "thrills". However, this book barely got afloat. None of the characters were that interesting. Yeah, I could keep them straight and knew who was who only because of the roles they portrayed but if this had been a regular story not reimagined; I would have not remembered any of them.
What saddened me was Silvie. I wanted her to pull out a win and knock it out of the park. Yet, she was mild at best. She didn't really act like a leader. Although, she was not the only one that lacked in strength. Her brother; Sheriff John. He was not the "evil" character that I imagined. Overall, you could say that I was "underwhelmed".
What saddened me was Silvie. I wanted her to pull out a win and knock it out of the park. Yet, she was mild at best. She didn't really act like a leader. Although, she was not the only one that lacked in strength. Her brother; Sheriff John. He was not the "evil" character that I imagined. Overall, you could say that I was "underwhelmed".
August 8, 2018
This is a telling of the Robin Hood legend, with some parts familiar and others changed to suit the characters.
Sylvie has got used to the cruelty of her brother, the new sheriff of the land. He is accustomed to treating others as he sees fit in order to improve his own standing. There comes a time when Sylvie can take it no more and she runs away to live in the forest with her childhood friend.
We watch Sylvie - the forest queen as she comes to be known - as her pairing quickly becomes a ragtag group of rebels, people who are determined not to give in to the sheriff’s demands.
The story has some interesting moments, but it really seemed to focus on exploring how their rebellion might continue.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prior to publication in exchange for my thoughts.
Sylvie has got used to the cruelty of her brother, the new sheriff of the land. He is accustomed to treating others as he sees fit in order to improve his own standing. There comes a time when Sylvie can take it no more and she runs away to live in the forest with her childhood friend.
We watch Sylvie - the forest queen as she comes to be known - as her pairing quickly becomes a ragtag group of rebels, people who are determined not to give in to the sheriff’s demands.
The story has some interesting moments, but it really seemed to focus on exploring how their rebellion might continue.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prior to publication in exchange for my thoughts.
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