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The Sherwood Ring: A Paranormal Romance About Colonial Ghosts, Spies, and Mystery for Children
Newly orphaned Peggy Grahame is caught off-guard when she first arrives at her family's ancestral estate. Her eccentric uncle Enos drives away her only new acquaintance, Pat, a handsome British scholar, then leaves Peggy to fend for herself. But she is not alone. The house is full of mysteries and ghosts. Soon Peggy becomes involved with the spirits of her own Colonial ancestors and witnesses the unfolding of a centuries-old romance against a backdrop of spies and intrigue and of battles plotted and foiled.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
40 people are currently reading
5189 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Marie Pope
4 books140 followersBorn in Washington D.C. on May 1, 1917, Pope later graduated from Bryn Mawr College and then earned her Ph. D. in English literature from John Hopkins University. Next she began teaching at Mills College in Oakland, California and remained there for many years. Beginning as an assistant professor and moving up to hold the position of professor and chairman of the department, Pope excelled as an instructor. Also an author, Pope concentrated mostly on Milton, Shakespeare, and Elizabethan England, and she traveled abroad in order to do historical research for her book The Perilous Guard which was selected for the Newbery Honor Book Award in 1975. Pope passed away in 1992.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 466 reviews
June 20, 2019
About a thousand nostalgic hearts stars for this older YA novel, a delightful mix of exciting Revolutionary War stories and kindly ancestral spirits.
Elizabeth Marie Pope wrote only two YA novels, this one and The Perilous Gard. They're both on my all-time favorites list, and I've read them both several times. I only wish she'd written more. Even though these books were written over fifty years ago, they have appealing heroines with a can-do attitude.
The Sherwood Ring, written in 1958, is a jewel of a YA fantasy that deserves not to be forgotten. Peggy Grahame is a lonely 17 year old girl, orphaned by the recent death of her footloose and mildly neglectful father. She's sent to live in the ancestral home of her only relative, Uncle Enos, an aging and crotchety historian. Before he dies, Peggy's father tells her, very matter-of-factly, to keep an eye out for the family ghosts that live in the mansion. And in fact, on the way to her new home in New York state, Peggy meets one of these spirits, Barbara Grahame, who points her the way home and leads her to a young Englishman, Pat Thorne, who is visiting the area and hoping to meet with Uncle Enos. Uncle Enos forcefully (and mysteriously!) orders Pat off the property when they arrive, but Pat has no intentions of giving up so easily, especially since he's attracted to Peggy.
As Peggy settles in to her new home, she meets a few more of her ancestral ghosts, who tell her very amusing and engaging stories about their lives during Revolutionary War times. These stories, not incidentally, help Peggy to solve the problems in her own life, including the mystery of Uncle Enos's antagonism toward Pat, and to find happiness and love.
The Sherwood Ring is one of my very favorite youth/young adult reads, well-written with a dash of wit and humor. Peggy herself is (understandably, given her upbringing, and I think she's a little shell-shocked by the upheavals in her life) on the quiet and passive side, although she starts to outgrow that. But the characters from the past are really delightful, especially Barbara Grahame and Peaceable Sherwood, the English spy who's been driving the local patriots to distraction. There's one scene in the middle of the book where Barbara needs to outwit and escape Peaceable, with whom she is falling in love against her will, that I absolutely adore. Best. Proposal. Ever! This one bit makes the whole book worth reading all by itself, even if the rest weren't great. But it is.
I love the unusual plot and setting of this book. Aside from having spirits from the past appearing to characters, it's written in a very realistic fashion (i.e., no magic), and it gives you a nice glimpse of life in Revolutionary War times. I highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy YA fantasies.
Elizabeth Marie Pope wrote only two YA novels, this one and The Perilous Gard. They're both on my all-time favorites list, and I've read them both several times. I only wish she'd written more. Even though these books were written over fifty years ago, they have appealing heroines with a can-do attitude.
The Sherwood Ring, written in 1958, is a jewel of a YA fantasy that deserves not to be forgotten. Peggy Grahame is a lonely 17 year old girl, orphaned by the recent death of her footloose and mildly neglectful father. She's sent to live in the ancestral home of her only relative, Uncle Enos, an aging and crotchety historian. Before he dies, Peggy's father tells her, very matter-of-factly, to keep an eye out for the family ghosts that live in the mansion. And in fact, on the way to her new home in New York state, Peggy meets one of these spirits, Barbara Grahame, who points her the way home and leads her to a young Englishman, Pat Thorne, who is visiting the area and hoping to meet with Uncle Enos. Uncle Enos forcefully (and mysteriously!) orders Pat off the property when they arrive, but Pat has no intentions of giving up so easily, especially since he's attracted to Peggy.
As Peggy settles in to her new home, she meets a few more of her ancestral ghosts, who tell her very amusing and engaging stories about their lives during Revolutionary War times. These stories, not incidentally, help Peggy to solve the problems in her own life, including the mystery of Uncle Enos's antagonism toward Pat, and to find happiness and love.
The Sherwood Ring is one of my very favorite youth/young adult reads, well-written with a dash of wit and humor. Peggy herself is (understandably, given her upbringing, and I think she's a little shell-shocked by the upheavals in her life) on the quiet and passive side, although she starts to outgrow that. But the characters from the past are really delightful, especially Barbara Grahame and Peaceable Sherwood, the English spy who's been driving the local patriots to distraction. There's one scene in the middle of the book where Barbara needs to outwit and escape Peaceable, with whom she is falling in love against her will, that I absolutely adore. Best. Proposal. Ever! This one bit makes the whole book worth reading all by itself, even if the rest weren't great. But it is.
I love the unusual plot and setting of this book. Aside from having spirits from the past appearing to characters, it's written in a very realistic fashion (i.e., no magic), and it gives you a nice glimpse of life in Revolutionary War times. I highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy YA fantasies.
April 12, 2018
Seventeen-year-old Peggy Grahame is sent to live with her only living relative, cold Uncle Enos. The ancestral upstate New York mansion, Rest-and-be-thankful, has barely been altered since its eighteenth-century heyday, and Enos himself is likewise stuck in the past, when his forebearers were heroes of the Continental Army.
Enos has no time for Peggy, but the lonely girl does make some friends. One is a dashing English lad named Pat, who is determined to woo Peggy despite her uncle's mysterious grudge against him. The others are ghosts from the Revolution: Richard Grahame, a brave and arrogant Patriot colonel; Eleanor Shipley, Richard's feisty sweetheart; Barbara Grahame, Richard's clever and sarcastic sister; and the misnamed Peaceable Drummond Sherwood, a charming Redcoat outlaw and nemesis to both Grahame siblings (for entirely different reasons).
The ghosts are not damned souls. Nor are they unhealthily attached to the old house. So why are they here, and what do they want with Peggy?
This is one of, if not the, most delightful books I've read so far this year. The plot is a winning mix, half a paranormal mystery, half a historical romance with a generous dollop of swashbuckling. The characters are so vivid I could almost see and hear them. The pairings were perfect . And the writing is so smooth and graceful that forty-page-long chapters sped by like the two-page staves of a James Patterson thriller.
Also, this is the first book I've read in ever so long that doesn't need a content advisory. It's a war story that contains only one violent incident (a minor character gets a face full of broken glass, but will heal) and no deaths. It's a YA romance with no sensuality, innuendo, or even kissing. Yet the war part is still exciting, and Sherwood and Barbara could start a forest fire in Washington State just by making eye contact.
Great plot, wonderful characters, strong setting, ships to die for, and high class prose. Recommended for everyone, especially fans of The Princess Bride, Johnny Tremain, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Howl's Moving Castle, The Queen of Attolia, Crown Duel and Court Duel, Labyrinth, The Secret Country, Wildwood Dancing, My Lady Jane, Still Star-Crossed, The Blue Sword, and Star Wars , especially if .
Enos has no time for Peggy, but the lonely girl does make some friends. One is a dashing English lad named Pat, who is determined to woo Peggy despite her uncle's mysterious grudge against him. The others are ghosts from the Revolution: Richard Grahame, a brave and arrogant Patriot colonel; Eleanor Shipley, Richard's feisty sweetheart; Barbara Grahame, Richard's clever and sarcastic sister; and the misnamed Peaceable Drummond Sherwood, a charming Redcoat outlaw and nemesis to both Grahame siblings (for entirely different reasons).
The ghosts are not damned souls. Nor are they unhealthily attached to the old house. So why are they here, and what do they want with Peggy?
This is one of, if not the, most delightful books I've read so far this year. The plot is a winning mix, half a paranormal mystery, half a historical romance with a generous dollop of swashbuckling. The characters are so vivid I could almost see and hear them. The pairings were perfect . And the writing is so smooth and graceful that forty-page-long chapters sped by like the two-page staves of a James Patterson thriller.
Also, this is the first book I've read in ever so long that doesn't need a content advisory. It's a war story that contains only one violent incident (a minor character gets a face full of broken glass, but will heal) and no deaths. It's a YA romance with no sensuality, innuendo, or even kissing. Yet the war part is still exciting, and Sherwood and Barbara could start a forest fire in Washington State just by making eye contact.
Great plot, wonderful characters, strong setting, ships to die for, and high class prose. Recommended for everyone, especially fans of The Princess Bride, Johnny Tremain, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Howl's Moving Castle, The Queen of Attolia, Crown Duel and Court Duel, Labyrinth, The Secret Country, Wildwood Dancing, My Lady Jane, Still Star-Crossed, The Blue Sword, and Star Wars , especially if .
December 28, 2011
For years I was convinced I had read this book. Then I saw the plot description of an orphaned girl sent to live with her eccentric uncle -- not what I was remembering at all! Eventually I tracked down a copy and began to read it. Soon I began to suspect that I had indeed read it before, and two thirds of the way through -- Barbara's story -- it was confirmed. This was the book I had been thinking I had read! Only it consists of 5 interlinked stories, only the third of which was memorable to me.
Peggy, the unfortunate lass of the frame narrative, was an unwanted daughter and niece. Her docility and inertness are realistic for someone who has spent her childhood trying to be as inconspicuous and obedient as possible. However, this didn't make her very interesting as a character and I forgot her. Anyway, as she droops alone and neglected in the family library, the ghosts of four of her ancestors show up and tell her stories about their exploits during the Revolutionary war.
My favorite story still is the one I remembered for so many years. Barbara Grahame's father and brother join the independence efforts and send her to stay with her awful, hypochondriac old aunt, who does nothing but bully and abuse her. Her brother is stationed nearby for Christmas but the aunt forbids her to leave. Fed up, she sneaks out and makes her way through the woods. Instead of her brother, she encounters a band of loyalists led by a British officer. Rather than merely escaping, she is determined to capture the man her brother has been after for months.
I think one reason I liked Barbara's story best is that she is the only woman who does anything other than pine and get married. This book was written in the 1950s and is not exactly avant garde in its gender sensibilities. Did women ever really think it was romantic for men to remark on their eventual marriage as a given, without asking? Well, I've seen that in later romance novels as well, so guess some must. I was most bothered in regards to Peggy, because isn't she a teen here? And she's been so crushed and unloved all her life it seemed unhealthy...
But anyway, happily ever after for all concerned, as far as we know.
Peggy, the unfortunate lass of the frame narrative, was an unwanted daughter and niece. Her docility and inertness are realistic for someone who has spent her childhood trying to be as inconspicuous and obedient as possible. However, this didn't make her very interesting as a character and I forgot her. Anyway, as she droops alone and neglected in the family library, the ghosts of four of her ancestors show up and tell her stories about their exploits during the Revolutionary war.
My favorite story still is the one I remembered for so many years. Barbara Grahame's father and brother join the independence efforts and send her to stay with her awful, hypochondriac old aunt, who does nothing but bully and abuse her. Her brother is stationed nearby for Christmas but the aunt forbids her to leave. Fed up, she sneaks out and makes her way through the woods. Instead of her brother, she encounters a band of loyalists led by a British officer. Rather than merely escaping, she is determined to capture the man her brother has been after for months.
I think one reason I liked Barbara's story best is that she is the only woman who does anything other than pine and get married. This book was written in the 1950s and is not exactly avant garde in its gender sensibilities. Did women ever really think it was romantic for men to remark on their eventual marriage as a given, without asking? Well, I've seen that in later romance novels as well, so guess some must. I was most bothered in regards to Peggy, because isn't she a teen here? And she's been so crushed and unloved all her life it seemed unhealthy...
But anyway, happily ever after for all concerned, as far as we know.
January 19, 2020
What a lovely little book with a perfect mixture of adventure, history, spies, love and intrigue!
December 9, 2010
I'm rather surprised by the seemingly lukewarm reaction to Elizabeth Marie Pope's The Sherwood Ring on goodreads. It isn't a perfect book, sure, but the charms far outweigh minor dragging by time's end. At least it did for me. I related to the belonging nowhere feeling. Pope's only other work, The Perilous Gard, is absolutely perfect in my eyes. I had hearts in my eyes, all the same. A young teen travels to a relative's and discovers the wonders of history when she befriends three ghosts. That might sound cliche. It's finding the coolest history story and thinking wow, if only circumstances had been right they'd have been my best friend (instead I had to make them up). I loved Peaceable Sherwood, the English soldier, and his awesomely cunning off the cuff style of life. i wish that I was like him. It's tales of derring do, familial loneliness and displacement, the one person who will call you on your shit, doing stupid things to impress people- it's good times. I love history as picturing who was really there as opposed to outdated headlines and stats. It's sitting with your favorite story and opening the pages and they talk back to you.
How would I describe this book to a Mariel who has not read it? "What you loved about The Princess Bride? This book has it. It is like something WE would have written when cheering ourselves up!"
Okay, so there's a time line period that is painful waiting like you were forced to wait for them. That's not even something I'd change. They had to do it. It's just that one part felt like talking to someone in an old folk's home who gives you their life history in its entirety. It was sad, is all, in the don't-wanna-think-about-that life truths.
How would I describe this book to a Mariel who has not read it? "What you loved about The Princess Bride? This book has it. It is like something WE would have written when cheering ourselves up!"
Okay, so there's a time line period that is painful waiting like you were forced to wait for them. That's not even something I'd change. They had to do it. It's just that one part felt like talking to someone in an old folk's home who gives you their life history in its entirety. It was sad, is all, in the don't-wanna-think-about-that life truths.
October 4, 2019
Completely, absolutely, utterly wonderful!
It has history, mystery, ghosts, romance - and one of the all time most memorable proposals of marriage.
This will become one of the rare books that I read over and over again. :)
It has history, mystery, ghosts, romance - and one of the all time most memorable proposals of marriage.
This will become one of the rare books that I read over and over again. :)
March 21, 2023
2023 Review
It appears I declared this book one of my all-time favorites in 2009 and then didn't read it again for the next 14 years.
In my defense, this is a very hard book to track down. Unlike The Perilous Gard, I couldn't find it at libraries or thrift stores. It didn't precisely fade from memory, but it wasn't one I thought about when I reflected on my favorite novels from high school.
Re-reading this one all these years later, I'm realizing my error. Not only is this book still well-worth reading for its own sake, I see in it now so many of the aspects that I look for in a book today. Perhaps it was when Elizabeth Marie Pope was writing. Perhaps it was who inspired her. But I find in these beloved, familiar passages traces of the authors I would come to adore, authors like Georgette Heyer, Elizabeth Peters, and Dorothy L. Sayers.
Would I have come to love those authors without Pope? Perhaps, but I see in this book how I made the jump from elementary school fairy tales to "adult" fiction.
These are the characters I love and the passages I still have memorized. (It rather surprised me how frequently I could quote along!)
Perhaps I will give this book a more in-depth review at another date. For now, though, I'm delighted to be reunited with an old favorite and tickled to discover it (mostly) lives up to my memories.
(Okay, do things tie together a little too conveniently? Yes. But nostalgia says that doesn't matter.)
2009 Review
The Sherwood Ring is probably one of my favorite books of all time, arguably passed up only by the Bible and The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Newly orphaned Peggy Graham has lived her entire life 'staying out of the way.' With her Father's death, she is sent to live with her Uncle Enos at the family's ancestral estate RestandBeThankful. Almost immediatly she is caught off-guard by the strange place: a mysterious young woman, the strange behavior of her uncle, and the handsome young historian who befriends her.
Things are only just getting started, though. You see, RestandBeThankful has a secret. Its haunted! Not by your typical ghost-in-chains, but by revolutionary era family members! Through their narratives, Peggy finds herself plunged into a hundred year old mystery and romance, involving the indomitable Richard, the spunky Eleanor, the spirited Barbara, and the clever British spy, Peaceable Sherwood.
Each characters takes a turn relating their story, adding to the plot and eventual mystery for Peggy is discovering that RestandBeThankful may have other mysteries besides ghosts....
I LOVE this bok. I've read it at least 20 times, and each new experience has added to my pleasure. Colonial history, spies, intrigue, mystery, love! Does it get much better?
It appears I declared this book one of my all-time favorites in 2009 and then didn't read it again for the next 14 years.
In my defense, this is a very hard book to track down. Unlike The Perilous Gard, I couldn't find it at libraries or thrift stores. It didn't precisely fade from memory, but it wasn't one I thought about when I reflected on my favorite novels from high school.
Re-reading this one all these years later, I'm realizing my error. Not only is this book still well-worth reading for its own sake, I see in it now so many of the aspects that I look for in a book today. Perhaps it was when Elizabeth Marie Pope was writing. Perhaps it was who inspired her. But I find in these beloved, familiar passages traces of the authors I would come to adore, authors like Georgette Heyer, Elizabeth Peters, and Dorothy L. Sayers.
Would I have come to love those authors without Pope? Perhaps, but I see in this book how I made the jump from elementary school fairy tales to "adult" fiction.
These are the characters I love and the passages I still have memorized. (It rather surprised me how frequently I could quote along!)
Perhaps I will give this book a more in-depth review at another date. For now, though, I'm delighted to be reunited with an old favorite and tickled to discover it (mostly) lives up to my memories.
(Okay, do things tie together a little too conveniently? Yes. But nostalgia says that doesn't matter.)
2009 Review
The Sherwood Ring is probably one of my favorite books of all time, arguably passed up only by the Bible and The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Newly orphaned Peggy Graham has lived her entire life 'staying out of the way.' With her Father's death, she is sent to live with her Uncle Enos at the family's ancestral estate RestandBeThankful. Almost immediatly she is caught off-guard by the strange place: a mysterious young woman, the strange behavior of her uncle, and the handsome young historian who befriends her.
Things are only just getting started, though. You see, RestandBeThankful has a secret. Its haunted! Not by your typical ghost-in-chains, but by revolutionary era family members! Through their narratives, Peggy finds herself plunged into a hundred year old mystery and romance, involving the indomitable Richard, the spunky Eleanor, the spirited Barbara, and the clever British spy, Peaceable Sherwood.
Each characters takes a turn relating their story, adding to the plot and eventual mystery for Peggy is discovering that RestandBeThankful may have other mysteries besides ghosts....
I LOVE this bok. I've read it at least 20 times, and each new experience has added to my pleasure. Colonial history, spies, intrigue, mystery, love! Does it get much better?
April 27, 2017
Sometimes, one-liner reviews just have to suffice. What a fantastic book this was! Nice plotline with plenty to entertain, good characters and pacing, just like YA fiction should be.
October 20, 2020
3.5 Stars - What a delightfully bizarre little gothic YA classic! This reads almost like interconnected short stories, except that the stories are linear and moving forward the overall narrative that happened in the past. I think the "current day" story suffers for this structure, but overall, this felt like a fun, gothy historical fiction with some matchmaking ghosts
January 27, 2008
OK, this book is the subject of my new personal crusade. It's the greatest completely unknown book aimed at the "Young Adult" group. My 3 brothers, 2 sisters and I all grew up loving this book and read it many, many, many times. It was a really big deal when we discovered Alibris and we all bought used copies to give to our kids. NO, IT'S NOT ABOUT ROBIN HOOD. It's a ghost story, historical mystery, romance, character study with parallel stories set in the American Revolution and mid-twentieth century America. Get it. Read it. Give it to your kids!
December 18, 2021
This is the second book I've read of the two books Elizabeth Marie Pope ever wrote.
The framing story is of the newly orphaned girl Peggy, who is sent to live with her grumpy uncle in Orange County, New York. And there she meets 4 ghosts who tell her the continuous story from the times of the American revolution.
So what worked:
Writing is solid. Also it is baby’s first historical romance between the enigmatic Peaceable Sherwood and Barbara Grahame, the sister of young Colonel Richard Grahame who is tasked to find and arrest the villain. ( they are all in their early 20s but read to me as 16)
And the romance itself is very cute and bantery, even though he is a bit alpha-pushy ("I always get what I want and I want you") and she is not like other girls (but considering it was written in the 50s and it was not overdone, it didn’t mar my enjoyment)
What didn't work:
I don’t see any reason why we needed the framing mediocre story, why couldn’t we start in the past and make Barbara our protagonist. She has connections to all of the players and she is a smart and interesting young lady.
But what brought the whole book down was the ending, where I was reminded this is a book from the 50s. Because we had another contemporary romance and it was atrocious. Also this book feels very childish and I was always surprised when it was mentioned that Peggy is 17, and not 13.
So in conclusion The Perilous Gard is much more atmospheric and magical with non-working romance, this one was light, cute and breezy with one romance out of three that worked much better. But I think I’ll take the Fairy Folk.
The framing story is of the newly orphaned girl Peggy, who is sent to live with her grumpy uncle in Orange County, New York. And there she meets 4 ghosts who tell her the continuous story from the times of the American revolution.
So what worked:
Writing is solid. Also it is baby’s first historical romance between the enigmatic Peaceable Sherwood and Barbara Grahame, the sister of young Colonel Richard Grahame who is tasked to find and arrest the villain. ( they are all in their early 20s but read to me as 16)
And the romance itself is very cute and bantery, even though he is a bit alpha-pushy ("I always get what I want and I want you") and she is not like other girls (but considering it was written in the 50s and it was not overdone, it didn’t mar my enjoyment)
What didn't work:
I don’t see any reason why we needed the framing mediocre story, why couldn’t we start in the past and make Barbara our protagonist. She has connections to all of the players and she is a smart and interesting young lady.
But what brought the whole book down was the ending, where I was reminded this is a book from the 50s. Because we had another contemporary romance and it was atrocious. Also this book feels very childish and I was always surprised when it was mentioned that Peggy is 17, and not 13.
So in conclusion The Perilous Gard is much more atmospheric and magical with non-working romance, this one was light, cute and breezy with one romance out of three that worked much better. But I think I’ll take the Fairy Folk.
November 1, 2020
Reread #1:
I'll always wish that Elizabeth Marie Pope had written more than two novels.
Am I indulging myself with these rereads? Maybe. It makes me feel like I've been unproductive in a way, though. But it's still interesting to see how much I've changed over the span of two years through these books. Pretty eye-opening sometimes.
Original review:
A True, True Treasure.
May 6, 2021
Oh look, it's Katie's least favorite romance trope, "I'm an entitled man who refuses to take no for an answer and who likes to demean and belittle women! Clearly you're going to fall in love with me, right? Right? R i g h t?"
*chucks him out the window*
*dusts hands*
Now, where were we?
*chucks him out the window*
*dusts hands*
Now, where were we?
January 6, 2022
I hugely enjoyed this book, which I would have absolutely loved as a teenager. (I'm not sure I HAVEN'T read this before??) It's a story that takes place in two timelines. Most of the action is around the time of the American Revolution, and the historical characters are sharply drawn, incredibly charming, and have fun, surprising adventures to tell. I loved both Grahame siblings and thought - not to be cliche - that their stories really brought the past to life. There's just enough history and just enough period-appropriate detail to make it engaging.
The present-day story is less engaging, though the way it's all tied up in a bow at the end is nice. Peggy's own trajectory is a bit less successful, because The only good part of this is the reveal , which did make me smile. I ended up liking the framing device in the story, largely because seeing history in action (Peggy using the same punch bowl, the appearance of the treasure room) is fun, and I like that each of the historical characters gets a limited section to narrate. And this wouldn't be the Sherwood Ring without the two timelines!
Highly recommend this as a fun and easy read with memorable characters.
The present-day story is less engaging, though the way it's all tied up in a bow at the end is nice. Peggy's own trajectory is a bit less successful, because The only good part of this is the reveal , which did make me smile. I ended up liking the framing device in the story, largely because seeing history in action (Peggy using the same punch bowl, the appearance of the treasure room) is fun, and I like that each of the historical characters gets a limited section to narrate. And this wouldn't be the Sherwood Ring without the two timelines!
Highly recommend this as a fun and easy read with memorable characters.
January 23, 2014
After Peggy Grahame is orphaned, she goes to live with her cantankerous old uncle in their even older family home in up state New York. He stays shut up in his study every day, so Peggy is free to explore the house and talk to ghosts. Each of them tells her another installment of the tale of her ancestor Nick Grahame's game of cat and mouse with loyalist Peaceable Sherwood. After numerous triumphs and reverses, they grow to respect each other, but they are still on opposite sides of the Revolutionary War. Peggy is fascinated by this tale, and wonders if it might provide some clue about why her uncle is unwilling to share his papers with a visiting British history student.
The characters in the past are fantastic, each more clever than the last. Peacable Sherwood is a delight, an eighteenth century Lord Peter Wimsey who says things like "Will you mind very much if I run myself into serious difficulties now and again after we are married, just for the pleasure of seeing you rise to the occasion?" I loved reading about how each outwitted the other, and the relationships between Peacable and the Grahames are wonderfully complicated. Peggy and her love interest are less enticing, mostly because their romance comes out of nowhere.
The characters in the past are fantastic, each more clever than the last. Peacable Sherwood is a delight, an eighteenth century Lord Peter Wimsey who says things like "Will you mind very much if I run myself into serious difficulties now and again after we are married, just for the pleasure of seeing you rise to the occasion?" I loved reading about how each outwitted the other, and the relationships between Peacable and the Grahames are wonderfully complicated. Peggy and her love interest are less enticing, mostly because their romance comes out of nowhere.
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January 7, 2021
*3.5
well. that was entertaining, if nothing else.
everyone loves ghosts reminiscing about their (somewhat creepy in this instance) past love lives.
ok, well, i do.
...i mean, i guess? ill admit i enjoyed it. one of the romances was cute as heck, one was eh, and one... um... leaves me questioning their ancestry? because, according to one of the ghost stories, im kinda under the impression they're related?
this confusion may be entirely my fault,because i definitely didn't skip several pages to find out if sherwood and barbara ended up together. however, before we all go pointing fingers, the diolouge was at least somewhat confusing. i kept getting lost.
this was also probably partly due to a separate factor; that being that the story switched between time periods easy peasy lemon sqeezy. which definitely did not help me make sense of things.
tl;dr: entertaining. but confusing. and for some reason, i have a thing for ghosts and their love lives...
well. that was entertaining, if nothing else.
everyone loves ghosts reminiscing about their (somewhat creepy in this instance) past love lives.
ok, well, i do.
...i mean, i guess? ill admit i enjoyed it. one of the romances was cute as heck, one was eh, and one... um... leaves me questioning their ancestry? because, according to one of the ghost stories, im kinda under the impression they're related?
this confusion may be entirely my fault,
this was also probably partly due to a separate factor; that being that the story switched between time periods easy peasy lemon sqeezy. which definitely did not help me make sense of things.
tl;dr: entertaining. but confusing. and for some reason, i have a thing for ghosts and their love lives...
April 12, 2017
Easy read and delightful multiple tale fare as you seldom (no, NEVER) see written in the present market. It's filled with young people who are healthy, tops in mind/spirit/self-identity and who cleverly traipse through difficult times in a joyous and remarkably KIND manner. Actually WITH manners on top of it.
Liked all the tales of the past and the one in the present. Uncle Enos reminds me incredibly of Flavia de Luce's Dad of current English mystery series.
This is witty banter, nasty or negative daily events looked in the eye and diverted or faced. But integrity, confidence, inspirational spirit, and aspiration toward affinity and a joyful life in the future are bottom line believed by the various under characters. Worry, anxious or whatever lacking occurs, hopelessness seems not a possibility. Joylessness not a formative concept.
And all the youthful female characters seem to have especially blissful futures. They got the ring, didn't they? The peace treaty got signed. The right nation wins. And also considerable respect and surety for the ultimate tranquility of true love and affection is held all around generally.
Such a wonderful and adventure filled fairy tale. Lovely, gentle read.
Liked all the tales of the past and the one in the present. Uncle Enos reminds me incredibly of Flavia de Luce's Dad of current English mystery series.
This is witty banter, nasty or negative daily events looked in the eye and diverted or faced. But integrity, confidence, inspirational spirit, and aspiration toward affinity and a joyful life in the future are bottom line believed by the various under characters. Worry, anxious or whatever lacking occurs, hopelessness seems not a possibility. Joylessness not a formative concept.
And all the youthful female characters seem to have especially blissful futures. They got the ring, didn't they? The peace treaty got signed. The right nation wins. And also considerable respect and surety for the ultimate tranquility of true love and affection is held all around generally.
Such a wonderful and adventure filled fairy tale. Lovely, gentle read.
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July 30, 2016I just loved this book as a ten year old. Ghosts, codes, secret passages, masquerades with dangerous searches going on---the ending was a tad disappointing, but everything up to then was a thrill to my ten year old self.
December 22, 2015
It's been years since I first heard of this classic YA novel about a young woman learning the thrilling history of her family's experiences in the American War for Independence firsthand from their ghosts, as she tries to untangle her own present-day historical mystery. At the time I decided it sounded like a thoroughly charming story, but I was unable to run a copy to ground. Lo, these many years later, and I am thrilled to discover it on Open Library. After that it took me a good few months to actually get around to reading the thing, but I'm so glad I finally did.
The Sherwood Ring is one of those rare books that actually lives up to its reputation.
It's short, but it's no longer than it needs to be. It's utterly charming. It's beautifully written. It's funny and smart as a whip. The light romance is precious, though occasionally predictable. The big twist at the end and the mystery of what's been eating Uncle Enos is extremely low-key, AND I LOVED THAT. Seriously, it's so delightful to read a tale in which THE FATE OF THE WORLD is not at stake, and additionally delightful that what is at stake is... The book is about history, by a history geek geeking out about history, and not just history but the study of history. It's an entire fluffy romantic YA adventure novel about how much fun you will have learning history. You can trust what it says here.
I wasn't so keen on some of the minor themes. Again we get a bit of the usual feminist narrative about how women in the past were expected to be basically mindless (hello, I have a Mrs Abigail Adams on the phone for you, and she's sounding a bit offended); and there was also a muted theme that depicted all the older characters as being malicious or neglectful, which I thought went rather at odds with the "History is awesome!" theme. But these were very subtle and did not stop me absolutely revelling in this wonderful book.
The Sherwood Ring is one of those rare books that actually lives up to its reputation.
It's short, but it's no longer than it needs to be. It's utterly charming. It's beautifully written. It's funny and smart as a whip. The light romance is precious, though occasionally predictable. The big twist at the end and the mystery of what's been eating Uncle Enos is extremely low-key, AND I LOVED THAT. Seriously, it's so delightful to read a tale in which THE FATE OF THE WORLD is not at stake, and additionally delightful that what is at stake is... The book is about history, by a history geek geeking out about history, and not just history but the study of history. It's an entire fluffy romantic YA adventure novel about how much fun you will have learning history. You can trust what it says here.
I wasn't so keen on some of the minor themes. Again we get a bit of the usual feminist narrative about how women in the past were expected to be basically mindless (hello, I have a Mrs Abigail Adams on the phone for you, and she's sounding a bit offended); and there was also a muted theme that depicted all the older characters as being malicious or neglectful, which I thought went rather at odds with the "History is awesome!" theme. But these were very subtle and did not stop me absolutely revelling in this wonderful book.
May 10, 2013
I like Elizabeth Marie Pope's writing. This was quite different to The Perilous Gard, but nonetheless it won me over quite thoroughly. There's a bit of the same thing in it that I enjoyed so much in Mary Stewart's work -- an old fashioned air that somehow promised everything would come right in the end.
It unfolds at its own pace, so be prepared to be patient even when things seem thoroughly obvious. There are strong and capable female characters, which helps, but the changing point of view does not help at all. Still, you get to know the characters, to want more of them, to want things to work out right for everyone.
It unfolds at its own pace, so be prepared to be patient even when things seem thoroughly obvious. There are strong and capable female characters, which helps, but the changing point of view does not help at all. Still, you get to know the characters, to want more of them, to want things to work out right for everyone.
January 18, 2021
What a treasure! Just goes to show that one can find a favorite book even if it's not in their favorite genre. The characters were so entertaining, especially Peaceable. Man that dude is awesome! He reminds me of Eugenides from Megan Whalen Turner's The Queen's Thief series. Except they are definitely different. Sherwood doesn't seem human, he's like unreal and absurd but so killing awesome. Eugenides however we get to know more and so we see his human side.
The plot was witty and held original elements that I loved. If it was predictable in some parts it wasn't in a bad way. The characters were all clever and entertaining.
The romance between Peggy and Pat did seem to launch quite quickly seeing as how most of the story wasn't even focused on them. It worked however since much of the same thing happened with Peaceable and Pat, as well as their personalities.
The parallels were so great! Ahhh...Enchanting....
"Quod desidero obtineo"
The only problem I have with this book is that I wish that I could get to know Sherwood and Barbara more. I feel like we only get a glimpse and it's sad :(
The plot was witty and held original elements that I loved. If it was predictable in some parts it wasn't in a bad way. The characters were all clever and entertaining.
The romance between Peggy and Pat did seem to launch quite quickly seeing as how most of the story wasn't even focused on them. It worked however since much of the same thing happened with Peaceable and Pat, as well as their personalities.
The parallels were so great! Ahhh...Enchanting....
"Quod desidero obtineo"
The only problem I have with this book is that I wish that I could get to know Sherwood and Barbara more. I feel like we only get a glimpse and it's sad :(
September 7, 2021
“A gentleman can hardly continue to sit,' he explained, in his serenest and most level voice, 'when he asks a very remarkable young lady to do him the honor of marrying him. And - 'he somehow contrived to grin at me wickedly, 'I usually get what I want, Miss Grahame,' he added, and pitched over in a tangled heap on the floor.”
This was a lovely light read involving friendly helpful ghosts and 3 charming love stories. I would have been so captivated had I read this as a young teen. I was pretty captivated as an adult. I would recommend this for any romantic teen who loves innocent love stories and history. Peaceable Sherwood was a wonderful character who provided a good portion of the gentle humor in this tale. He reminded me of Geoffrey Delavale in Patricia Veryan's Journey to Enchantment.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
November 9, 2018
As a young teen, I loved this romance with its lonely heroine, family ghosts, and American Revolutionary history, and I was delighted to rediscover its mysteries, charm, and humor. This edition has the original illustrations.
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November 22, 2020
I keep coming back to this book - today is the THIRD time I'm reading it since I randomly discovered it a couple of years ago. It's just astoundingly well-written! Minus a couple of dated mannerisms, the narratorial voice is so clear and compelling that I'd never have believed it was published in 1958.
This book also features Peaceable Sherwood, one of my ALL-TIME FAVOURITE romance heroes. This is a completely clean read - even kisses are only implied - yet somehow it satisfies my innate craving for romance. That's how much I believed in the relationship between Peaceable and his whip-smart heroine Barbara. (I can take or leave the other couple, though).
I feel an intense liking for every single character in this book, and I only wish it were longer.
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This book also features Peaceable Sherwood, one of my ALL-TIME FAVOURITE romance heroes. This is a completely clean read - even kisses are only implied - yet somehow it satisfies my innate craving for romance. That's how much I believed in the relationship between Peaceable and his whip-smart heroine Barbara. (I can take or leave the other couple, though).
I feel an intense liking for every single character in this book, and I only wish it were longer.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
May 9, 2012
Whoever it was who highly recommended this book on Amazon's Listmania, THANK YOU! I loved this book and immediately went out and specially ordered my own copy after I'd finished the library's, because I knew I'd be reading it again and again. This book would probably be billed as a YA fantasy because of the 'ghosts' in it, but it's really more like historical fiction - with a twist. Three of Peggy's ancestors appear to her at various times and tell her their stories, all of which take place during the American War of Independence, and all intertwine. Interspersed with these is Peggy's own story and romance whilst she tries, with the information provided by the ancestor's stories, to uncover a mystery in her family's past that concerns the uncle she is now living with.
Three great romances and the unbelievably drool-worthy character of the witty, ingenious and clever Peaceable Sherwood make this overlooked novel from the fifties a must-read!
Three great romances and the unbelievably drool-worthy character of the witty, ingenious and clever Peaceable Sherwood make this overlooked novel from the fifties a must-read!
May 17, 2017
I kind wish I'd encountered this when I was about 12. Then I would have forgiven Peggy for being so needy, Eleanor for being a twit, and Christopher Seven & family for being such loyal retainers, and the whole set of melodramas. Both a Romance and a romance novel, with some sort of history to hook it all on, I found it unsatisfying on all fronts.
July 10, 2009
One of my all time favorite books, this is about orphaned teen Peggy, who goes to live with her somewhat grumpy historian uncle. At first lonely, she soon begins to make friends with the locals - and with local ghosts.
January 5, 2019
This was the loveliest book, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
April 29, 2022
A gentle character-driven tale that is wrapped up neatly in the end.
December 26, 2024
I never read The Sherwood Ring as a kid, but I can tell you right now that I would have made it my whole personality. History! Ghosts! Romance! Humor! Secret documents! Emotion! Espionage! Loved it.
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