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Remixed Classics #3
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This thrilling female-led Robin Hood remix reframes the legend’s tales of the Third Crusade from a Muslim perspective, rewriting its origin’s male and overwhelmingly white Euro-centric narrative.
Jerusalem, 1192. The Third Crusade rages on. Rahma al-Hud loyally followed her elder sister Zeena into the war over the Holy Land, but now that the Faranji invaders have gotten reinforcements from Richard the Lionheart, all she wants to do is get herself and her sister home alive.
But Zeena, a soldier of honor at heart, refuses to give up the fight while Jerusalem remains in danger of falling back into the hands of the false Queen Isabella. And so, Rahma has no choice but to take on one final mission with her sister.
On their journey to Jerusalem, Rahma and Zeena come across a motley collection of fellow travelers—including a kind-hearted Mongolian warrior, an eccentric Andalusian scientist, a frustratingly handsome spy with a connection to Rahma's childhood, and an unfortunate English chaplain abandoned behind enemy lines. The teens all find solace, purpose and camaraderie—as well as a healthy bit of mischief—in each other's company.
But their travels soon bring them into the orbit of Queen Isabella herself, whose plans to re-seize power in Jerusalem would only guarantee further war and strife in the Holy Land for years to come. And so it falls to the merry band of misfits to use every scrap of cunning and wit (and not a small amount of thievery) to foil the usurper queen and perhaps finally restore peace to the land.
Praise for Travelers Along the Way:
"Travelers Along the Way is the Robin Hood retelling I did not know I wanted. Deeply researched and masterfully written, here is a story that’s not only thrilling, but also delightfully clever!" —Tanaz Bhathena, author of A Girl Like That and Hunted by the Sky
"If you love heists, found family, and stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, then put Aminah Mae Safi's heartfelt and humorous take on Robin Hood at the very top of your TBR." —Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling co-author of My Lady Jane
Jerusalem, 1192. The Third Crusade rages on. Rahma al-Hud loyally followed her elder sister Zeena into the war over the Holy Land, but now that the Faranji invaders have gotten reinforcements from Richard the Lionheart, all she wants to do is get herself and her sister home alive.
But Zeena, a soldier of honor at heart, refuses to give up the fight while Jerusalem remains in danger of falling back into the hands of the false Queen Isabella. And so, Rahma has no choice but to take on one final mission with her sister.
On their journey to Jerusalem, Rahma and Zeena come across a motley collection of fellow travelers—including a kind-hearted Mongolian warrior, an eccentric Andalusian scientist, a frustratingly handsome spy with a connection to Rahma's childhood, and an unfortunate English chaplain abandoned behind enemy lines. The teens all find solace, purpose and camaraderie—as well as a healthy bit of mischief—in each other's company.
But their travels soon bring them into the orbit of Queen Isabella herself, whose plans to re-seize power in Jerusalem would only guarantee further war and strife in the Holy Land for years to come. And so it falls to the merry band of misfits to use every scrap of cunning and wit (and not a small amount of thievery) to foil the usurper queen and perhaps finally restore peace to the land.
Praise for Travelers Along the Way:
"Travelers Along the Way is the Robin Hood retelling I did not know I wanted. Deeply researched and masterfully written, here is a story that’s not only thrilling, but also delightfully clever!" —Tanaz Bhathena, author of A Girl Like That and Hunted by the Sky
"If you love heists, found family, and stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, then put Aminah Mae Safi's heartfelt and humorous take on Robin Hood at the very top of your TBR." —Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling co-author of My Lady Jane
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2022
80 people are currently reading
9518 people want to read
About the author
Aminah Mae Safi
7 books445 followersAminah Mae Safi is the author of four novels, including Tell Me How You Really Feel (Feiwel & Friends) and the forthcoming Travelers Along the Way: a Robin Hood Remix (Feiwel & Friends, 2022). She’s an erstwhile art historian, a fan of Cholula on popcorn, and an un-ironic lover of the Fast and the Furious franchise. Her writing has been featured on Bustle and Salon and her award-winning short stories can be found in Fresh Ink (Crown Books) and the forthcoming Freshman Orientation (Candlewick Press, 2023) among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
March 5, 2022
3.50 Stars. Good but with some bumps. I love gender-bending and/or queer retellings (or remixes as this one is called), so a female Robin Hood book was a must read for me. I loved the Disney cartoon Robin Hood as a kid and it might be one of my most watched Disney cartoons of all-time. I also have seen the Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie more times that I can count since my mother was in love with it. I think she liked it since you got to see Costner’s butt, but my point is that Robin Hood was a part of me growing up so it was easy to be excited to read this. Overall, I enjoyed the read and thought it was fun, but it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.
Since I read so many sapphic books I do want to first say that while I will put the LGBTQ+ tag on this book, I would not read this book looking for queer rep. There are two barely there relationships in the book. The main female protag has a crush on a young man she has known since they were kids, and there are two female secondary characters that catch feels. Both relationships are so light that I wouldn’t even put the romance tag on this book. There is nothing more than a kiss and even the violence is light for a Robin Hood type book. While my opinion is coming from someone that doesn’t have kids, I think this book could easily be in a school library and maybe even a junior high one.
One thing I really liked about the book was some twists with the more familiar tale mixed into it. I liked that Rahma “Robin”, her sister, and some other characters were Muslim. I also liked that the book took place in the middle of the Third Crusade, instead of towards the end like in the origin tale. The mix of some real history, origin story, and new adventures really all meshed well and made the bones of a good story. At times I enjoyed picking out pieces that matched to the original, yet I enjoyed reading a story the still felt new. I think this is where Safi excelled in writing this book.
While I liked a lot of the story I did have some issues. The writing style takes a little while to get used to. While I’m one of the bigger first person fans you will meet, I don’t enjoy when a character talks to us readers. I don’t like when they say things like “oh I forgot to explain what this is to you”. Well then just explain it, don’t have your character tell me that you need to explain it. I just think it’s a gimmick that rarely works so I don’t believe it’s worth taking the risk. Overall, it took a little while to get used to the writing style. The first third especially was pretty bumpy to me but once I was past that point things seemed less gimmicky and my enjoyment and reading experience improved.
I also had some issues with how easily things happened. I don’t want to get into any spoilers but everything really comes together for the characters and I didn’t feel like they were in enough peril or that danger was around every corner like I wanted it to be. Part of me not feeling this might have been due to the fact that the characters were a little flat. While I liked them and thought they all worked in the story, they were pretty one dimensional. You had the charitable character, the angry character, the scientist, the spy, everyone was very one note and there just wasn’t a lot of meat there. This book is much more plot driven than character driven. I normally don’t like that and prefer the opposite or to have it even, but in this case because I liked the characters, I was able to go along for the ride and not really mind that there wasn’t much depth to them.
TLDR: A fun Robin Hood retelling. I enjoyed this read but it did have its issues. I would recommend it more to plot driven readers because while the characters are nice, they are very one note. This doesn’t really have a romance, or explicit violence (that I can remember), so it should be a book for a wide range of ages. The writing does take a bit to get used to but the book gets better after the first third or so. This wasn’t the retelling I was looking for, but I still had fun with it and I’m glad I read it.
A copy was given to me for a review.
Since I read so many sapphic books I do want to first say that while I will put the LGBTQ+ tag on this book, I would not read this book looking for queer rep. There are two barely there relationships in the book. The main female protag has a crush on a young man she has known since they were kids, and there are two female secondary characters that catch feels. Both relationships are so light that I wouldn’t even put the romance tag on this book. There is nothing more than a kiss and even the violence is light for a Robin Hood type book. While my opinion is coming from someone that doesn’t have kids, I think this book could easily be in a school library and maybe even a junior high one.
One thing I really liked about the book was some twists with the more familiar tale mixed into it. I liked that Rahma “Robin”, her sister, and some other characters were Muslim. I also liked that the book took place in the middle of the Third Crusade, instead of towards the end like in the origin tale. The mix of some real history, origin story, and new adventures really all meshed well and made the bones of a good story. At times I enjoyed picking out pieces that matched to the original, yet I enjoyed reading a story the still felt new. I think this is where Safi excelled in writing this book.
While I liked a lot of the story I did have some issues. The writing style takes a little while to get used to. While I’m one of the bigger first person fans you will meet, I don’t enjoy when a character talks to us readers. I don’t like when they say things like “oh I forgot to explain what this is to you”. Well then just explain it, don’t have your character tell me that you need to explain it. I just think it’s a gimmick that rarely works so I don’t believe it’s worth taking the risk. Overall, it took a little while to get used to the writing style. The first third especially was pretty bumpy to me but once I was past that point things seemed less gimmicky and my enjoyment and reading experience improved.
I also had some issues with how easily things happened. I don’t want to get into any spoilers but everything really comes together for the characters and I didn’t feel like they were in enough peril or that danger was around every corner like I wanted it to be. Part of me not feeling this might have been due to the fact that the characters were a little flat. While I liked them and thought they all worked in the story, they were pretty one dimensional. You had the charitable character, the angry character, the scientist, the spy, everyone was very one note and there just wasn’t a lot of meat there. This book is much more plot driven than character driven. I normally don’t like that and prefer the opposite or to have it even, but in this case because I liked the characters, I was able to go along for the ride and not really mind that there wasn’t much depth to them.
TLDR: A fun Robin Hood retelling. I enjoyed this read but it did have its issues. I would recommend it more to plot driven readers because while the characters are nice, they are very one note. This doesn’t really have a romance, or explicit violence (that I can remember), so it should be a book for a wide range of ages. The writing does take a bit to get used to but the book gets better after the first third or so. This wasn’t the retelling I was looking for, but I still had fun with it and I’m glad I read it.
A copy was given to me for a review.
August 27, 2020
Why does this have a one star when the book hasn't even come out?? Why is this happening for so many of the remixed classics??? If the original books are supposedly universal, then the story written in historically (and currently!) underpublished and underwritten perspectives will only add to possible understandings of the tales! After all, the historical circumstances of these "classics" have multiplicity and complexity. Bringing that to light would be rather nice.
Also giving this a 5-star rating because, frankly, I really don't like seeing a 1-star rating for a remixed classic with a Muslim MC. (But also - why 1-star a book that you haven't even read jeez! Just be kind!)
I am very excited!!!
Also giving this a 5-star rating because, frankly, I really don't like seeing a 1-star rating for a remixed classic with a Muslim MC. (But also - why 1-star a book that you haven't even read jeez! Just be kind!)
I am very excited!!!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 31, 2022
A super fun retelling of Robin Hood set during the Third Crusade!
This book has everything.
Capers! Shenanigans! Greek fire! Do-Goodery Thievery! Drunk Templars! Irate Whyte Women! Queer rep! Get Help! Seals on seals on seals!
Full RTC (lolololololololololol)
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
This book has everything.
Capers! Shenanigans! Greek fire! Do-Goodery Thievery! Drunk Templars! Irate Whyte Women! Queer rep! Get Help! Seals on seals on seals!
Full RTC (lolololololololololol)
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
May 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this one but for some reason I was under the impression the MC is sapphic when she's not??
Rep: Arab Muslim cishet female MC, sapphic Muslim cis female side character, Mongolian cis female side character, sapphic Jewish Andalusian cis female side character, white English cishet male side character, Arab Muslim cishet male side character, various Muslim, Christian, and Jewish side characters.
CWs: War, colonisation, genocide, hate crime, racism, islamophobia, religious bigotry, classism, violence. Moderate: Misogyny, sexism, death, xenophobia, antisemitism, medical content. Minor: confinement, torture, blood.
Rep: Arab Muslim cishet female MC, sapphic Muslim cis female side character, Mongolian cis female side character, sapphic Jewish Andalusian cis female side character, white English cishet male side character, Arab Muslim cishet male side character, various Muslim, Christian, and Jewish side characters.
CWs: War, colonisation, genocide, hate crime, racism, islamophobia, religious bigotry, classism, violence. Moderate: Misogyny, sexism, death, xenophobia, antisemitism, medical content. Minor: confinement, torture, blood.
July 17, 2022
I’ve been avoiding teen books lately because they just keep getting worse, but when I saw that this book takes place in the Holy Land during the Third Crusade, I just had to read it. While I generally prefer nonfiction books about some specific topics in history, I do like a well-written and well-researched book of historical fiction. Unfortunately, this book is neither, and I truly shouldn’t have expected it to be anything other than terrible.
The first major aggravation is the Mary Sue protagonist, Rahma Al-Hud, a teenage Muslim girl from Sawad (southern Iraq) who fights Crusader knights and steals from the rich to give to the poor. I assume the irony of taking a European Christian folk hero who (at least in the most well-known versions of the story) fought Muslims in the Crusades and turning him into a Middle Eastern Muslim who fights Christians in the Crusades was well noted by the author. Although I think most popular myths, fairytales, and legends have been mined to the near end of any original ideas for retellings, Robin Hood still has some potential. But seeing the character’s best traits cobbled together to create the most flawless and invincible hero makes this book such a dull read. The story opens with Rahma and her sister, Zeena, climbing over the wall of Akko (Acre) to escape the siege because their captain didn’t want the women to die. (This is illogical, because he had already accepted them into his company of soldiers, which is tantamount to accepting the risk that they might die.) Anyway, Rahma proceeds to sneak through two siege camps and is seen by only two guards, whom she and Zeena easily overpower or outsmart. Rahma continues to overpower and outsmart every antagonist she comes across. I hope nobody reading this book thinks she’s smart because she isn’t, really. Safi dumbed down all the antagonists so it doesn’t matter how stupid the protagonist is—her enemies will always be more stupid.
Rahma and Zeena (who are Sunni) are joined one by one by a cast of characters from diverse backgrounds and faiths—Majid, a Persian Shia Muslim man who acts as a spy; Teni, a Mongolian Tengrist warrior woman; Viva, an Andalusian Jewish alchemist woman; and John, an English Christian chaplain for the Knights Templar. This is an extremely unlikely occurrence in a time and place where religion was heavily tied with ethnic identity and very much a dividing line in the wars of the Crusades. I really couldn’t suspend my disbelief toward the idea that any of these characters would trust each other with their lives, and in such a short amount of time. Nor could I suspend my disbelief toward the idea that countless people this group encounters see the bare faces and hear the voices of four women and somehow mistake all of them for men.
The second major aggravation is that all the characters are boring, one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. However, each one does have a convenient skill or talent that Rahma will need whenever she makes a plan to do something stupid or dangerous. Majid has the ability to appear whenever the plot needs him to so that he can relay information or help Rahma out. Teni is a good fighter and scout, Viva can blow things up, and John has skill with healing. Zeena is apparently a good soldier but you never actually see her fighting anyone; she’s just there and despite being the older sister and disagreeing with almost everything Rahma does, she defers to Rahma about everything. Rahma has all the talents; she is awesome at everything.
The third major aggravation is the blatant anti-Christian slant of the book. This bias is evident from the very first page, before the story actually begins, with these two quotes.
There is some truth to the second quote, but none to the first. It’s like Safi forgot why the Crusades even happened. Yusuf ibn Ayyub (better known as Saladin to Westerners) started the wars on the Crusader states that inspired the Third Crusade.
Almost every Christian character is evil, stupid, gullible, incompetent, or some combination thereof. The Muslim characters are depicted as clever, magnanimous, and weary of war, only taking part in it because the zealous warmongering Christians want it. I don’t have an objection to Christian characters being portrayed in a negative way; my problem is that only Christian characters are portrayed in a negative way. Muslims did enthusiastically wage war and impose their culture and religion on others. Islam was spread through war and conquest. John is the only honourable European Christian character in the book, but he is noteworthy for being an exception; when he leaves the Templars he immediately denounces them as morally corrupt. If you were wondering why he has no moral problem with helping Rahma rob people while he does have a moral problem with the vices of the Templars, then you have already put a lot more thought into these characters than the author has.
Faranji is an old Arabic term for Franks, but it came to be used more generally for Christians of European descent, not just for those who were from France. Nasrani is an Arabic word for Christian. Rahma’s narration of history goes thus:
The Knights Templar are portrayed as stupid, cruel, greedy oafs. Outside of the city of Haifa where refugees are lining up seeking safety, they kick a woman to the ground after she and her family are turned away from entering. In an inn, Rahma and her companions stumble into a room with these same Templars and Rahma determines to get them all so drunk they pass out so that she can rob them. The Templars take vows of temperance, but this plan works, for some reason, and all the knights are too stupid to notice what’s going on. Rahma and her friends then tie the men together, attach them to barrels, and lower them upside down to the ground from the balcony. Why they didn’t just rob the Templars in the room and leave, I have no idea. They should not have even had the physical strength to do this. Multiple people witness Rahma and her friends moving the unconscious Templars out the window and around the city, and no one is angry or concerned and no one reports them to authorities, because the Templars are so evil and stupid that everyone hates them. In another scene, Rahma is escaping from a cell and has to get past five guards. She skillfully evades all their attempts to hack her up with their swords and she’s so good at teleporting around the men that they end up injuring each other instead. This is a recurring pattern in the book: Rahma decides to do something stupid or dangerous or both and she succeeds because her enemies are such bumbling idiots that their failures turn into cheap slapstick comedy. This book is so cartoonish in its stupidity that it made me revile it even more.
I have nothing against comedy but I want realism and rationality in fight scenes and escape scenes. I want to see warrior women who are strong and capable but imperfect. Women easily overpowering men left and right in media gives women the false impression that there is no strength and speed difference between the sexes, or if there is it’s insignificant in a fight, and this does not do women any favours. Rahma herself remarks several times that the male soldiers around her are much bigger and stronger than she is! Unfortunately, the painful truth is that it is very hard for women to obtain the muscle strength and the fight training to even have a chance of defeating a man in a fight, and not very many women can do it.
The Queen of Jerusalem, Isabella, offers gold in exchange for Rahma’s capture after Rahma steals her horse. The problem is that Isabella has no idea who Rahma is, and the only detail she has to go by is that the thief who stole her horse wears a green hood. Either Isabella thinks she will get super lucky or Rahma is the only person in the Middle East who wears a green cloak. Even assuming the latter to be true, Rahma wears her green cloak all the time, knowing full well the queen is looking for her. But there’s never any danger for Rahma because in the end everyone likes her anyway. Isabella was a real person, the daughter of Amalric and Maria Komnene and the heir to the throne of Jerusalem. Not much is known about her life but what is known is that she was forcibly separated from her mother at the age of eight and repeatedly used as a political pawn by the nobles around her. Her first marriage was to the teenage Humphrey IV of Toron when she was eleven. While the wedding festivities were taking place in the city of Kerak, Saladin laid siege to the city, though he ultimately failed to take it. Isabella was married four times and widowed three times. It is not known how she felt about ruling, or if she wanted to rule at all. In the book Isabella is shown to push against the constraints put upon her after her second marriage to Conrad of Montferrat. The choice to make her a rash, selfish, sadistic villain who likes to torture people was an odd one.
The fourth major aggravation is the gaping plot holes. When the crew is trying to figure out how to escape from Haifa without alerting the guards, who are now on the lookout for the green-hooded thief and the stolen horses (which include the queen’s very recognisable Asil horse), it is decided that Teni will simply take all their stolen horses and go out the main gate. And that works for some reason, because of course it does. One guard near one exit in the city immediately recognised not only Rahma and her crew but also the queen’s horse in Rahma’s possession, but when Teni goes to the front gate with all the horses, which the city guards and the Templars—now awake and enraged over having their silver and their horses stolen—are actively looking for, suddenly nobody can recognise her or the horses. I hate this book so much.
There’s a continuity error in Chapter 38.
The first major aggravation is the Mary Sue protagonist, Rahma Al-Hud, a teenage Muslim girl from Sawad (southern Iraq) who fights Crusader knights and steals from the rich to give to the poor. I assume the irony of taking a European Christian folk hero who (at least in the most well-known versions of the story) fought Muslims in the Crusades and turning him into a Middle Eastern Muslim who fights Christians in the Crusades was well noted by the author. Although I think most popular myths, fairytales, and legends have been mined to the near end of any original ideas for retellings, Robin Hood still has some potential. But seeing the character’s best traits cobbled together to create the most flawless and invincible hero makes this book such a dull read. The story opens with Rahma and her sister, Zeena, climbing over the wall of Akko (Acre) to escape the siege because their captain didn’t want the women to die. (This is illogical, because he had already accepted them into his company of soldiers, which is tantamount to accepting the risk that they might die.) Anyway, Rahma proceeds to sneak through two siege camps and is seen by only two guards, whom she and Zeena easily overpower or outsmart. Rahma continues to overpower and outsmart every antagonist she comes across. I hope nobody reading this book thinks she’s smart because she isn’t, really. Safi dumbed down all the antagonists so it doesn’t matter how stupid the protagonist is—her enemies will always be more stupid.
Rahma and Zeena (who are Sunni) are joined one by one by a cast of characters from diverse backgrounds and faiths—Majid, a Persian Shia Muslim man who acts as a spy; Teni, a Mongolian Tengrist warrior woman; Viva, an Andalusian Jewish alchemist woman; and John, an English Christian chaplain for the Knights Templar. This is an extremely unlikely occurrence in a time and place where religion was heavily tied with ethnic identity and very much a dividing line in the wars of the Crusades. I really couldn’t suspend my disbelief toward the idea that any of these characters would trust each other with their lives, and in such a short amount of time. Nor could I suspend my disbelief toward the idea that countless people this group encounters see the bare faces and hear the voices of four women and somehow mistake all of them for men.
The second major aggravation is that all the characters are boring, one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. However, each one does have a convenient skill or talent that Rahma will need whenever she makes a plan to do something stupid or dangerous. Majid has the ability to appear whenever the plot needs him to so that he can relay information or help Rahma out. Teni is a good fighter and scout, Viva can blow things up, and John has skill with healing. Zeena is apparently a good soldier but you never actually see her fighting anyone; she’s just there and despite being the older sister and disagreeing with almost everything Rahma does, she defers to Rahma about everything. Rahma has all the talents; she is awesome at everything.
The third major aggravation is the blatant anti-Christian slant of the book. This bias is evident from the very first page, before the story actually begins, with these two quotes.
There is some truth to the second quote, but none to the first. It’s like Safi forgot why the Crusades even happened. Yusuf ibn Ayyub (better known as Saladin to Westerners) started the wars on the Crusader states that inspired the Third Crusade.
Almost every Christian character is evil, stupid, gullible, incompetent, or some combination thereof. The Muslim characters are depicted as clever, magnanimous, and weary of war, only taking part in it because the zealous warmongering Christians want it. I don’t have an objection to Christian characters being portrayed in a negative way; my problem is that only Christian characters are portrayed in a negative way. Muslims did enthusiastically wage war and impose their culture and religion on others. Islam was spread through war and conquest. John is the only honourable European Christian character in the book, but he is noteworthy for being an exception; when he leaves the Templars he immediately denounces them as morally corrupt. If you were wondering why he has no moral problem with helping Rahma rob people while he does have a moral problem with the vices of the Templars, then you have already put a lot more thought into these characters than the author has.
It’s a Faranji campsite, set up directly in the middle of the clearing ahead. I could identify one by scent alone at this point. And it’s a large one, too. It’s not the first time I've prayed for the Faranji to take up the custom of hammams. The smell of their stale flesh on the other side of the wall of Akko is not one I will forget for a long while.How is the myth that medieval Europeans didn’t bathe making it into a published book in 2022? The basis for Rahma’s impression is a totally stupid one besides. A siege camp is not going to smell like roses and honey. Rahma is a hypocrite too, because she spends most of the book traveling and expressly mentions that she hasn’t bathed in days!
Faranji is an old Arabic term for Franks, but it came to be used more generally for Christians of European descent, not just for those who were from France. Nasrani is an Arabic word for Christian. Rahma’s narration of history goes thus:
But then again, the Faranji are barbarians and brutes. They conquered a land and discarded its customs. They killed their fellow believers, the local Nasrani, and called it a mercy when they arrived on these shores a hundred years ago. Said they were sending the dead to heaven to let God decide who was a heretic and who was saved through their belief in the Lord Almighty.I'm not sure what this is referring to. It may be referring to the siege of Antioch (1097-98), where the Crusaders allied with Christians inside the city who let them inside. The Christians and Muslims were intermingled so when the Crusaders attacked the Muslims, they killed some Christians by accident. If that’s what this paragraph is about then it makes it sound like the Crusaders killed Eastern Christians on purpose for some idiotic self-righteous reason that makes no sense.
Every time a city changes hands, who they will admit and won’t admit shifts. Sometimes all the Christians must leave. Other times, all the Jewish people will flee for fear of the invaders. Given that the Faranji swept through the countryside eating people, no matter their faith, the first time they passed through, it’s not an illogical reaction. Then the Muslims are kicked out, or sometimes they’re killed. Sometimes they’re enslaved and sold—depending on the mood of the ruler, truth be told.Slavery existed in medieval Europe and the Crusader states, but it was not all that commonplace and with the emergence of the feudal system, serfs had largely replaced slaves. On the other hand, slavery was a major part of life in Muslim lands and Muslim economies depended on it. A Muslim from Iraq in the 12th century would view slavery as a completely normal part of life.
The Knights Templar are portrayed as stupid, cruel, greedy oafs. Outside of the city of Haifa where refugees are lining up seeking safety, they kick a woman to the ground after she and her family are turned away from entering. In an inn, Rahma and her companions stumble into a room with these same Templars and Rahma determines to get them all so drunk they pass out so that she can rob them. The Templars take vows of temperance, but this plan works, for some reason, and all the knights are too stupid to notice what’s going on. Rahma and her friends then tie the men together, attach them to barrels, and lower them upside down to the ground from the balcony. Why they didn’t just rob the Templars in the room and leave, I have no idea. They should not have even had the physical strength to do this. Multiple people witness Rahma and her friends moving the unconscious Templars out the window and around the city, and no one is angry or concerned and no one reports them to authorities, because the Templars are so evil and stupid that everyone hates them. In another scene, Rahma is escaping from a cell and has to get past five guards. She skillfully evades all their attempts to hack her up with their swords and she’s so good at teleporting around the men that they end up injuring each other instead. This is a recurring pattern in the book: Rahma decides to do something stupid or dangerous or both and she succeeds because her enemies are such bumbling idiots that their failures turn into cheap slapstick comedy. This book is so cartoonish in its stupidity that it made me revile it even more.
I have nothing against comedy but I want realism and rationality in fight scenes and escape scenes. I want to see warrior women who are strong and capable but imperfect. Women easily overpowering men left and right in media gives women the false impression that there is no strength and speed difference between the sexes, or if there is it’s insignificant in a fight, and this does not do women any favours. Rahma herself remarks several times that the male soldiers around her are much bigger and stronger than she is! Unfortunately, the painful truth is that it is very hard for women to obtain the muscle strength and the fight training to even have a chance of defeating a man in a fight, and not very many women can do it.
The Queen of Jerusalem, Isabella, offers gold in exchange for Rahma’s capture after Rahma steals her horse. The problem is that Isabella has no idea who Rahma is, and the only detail she has to go by is that the thief who stole her horse wears a green hood. Either Isabella thinks she will get super lucky or Rahma is the only person in the Middle East who wears a green cloak. Even assuming the latter to be true, Rahma wears her green cloak all the time, knowing full well the queen is looking for her. But there’s never any danger for Rahma because in the end everyone likes her anyway. Isabella was a real person, the daughter of Amalric and Maria Komnene and the heir to the throne of Jerusalem. Not much is known about her life but what is known is that she was forcibly separated from her mother at the age of eight and repeatedly used as a political pawn by the nobles around her. Her first marriage was to the teenage Humphrey IV of Toron when she was eleven. While the wedding festivities were taking place in the city of Kerak, Saladin laid siege to the city, though he ultimately failed to take it. Isabella was married four times and widowed three times. It is not known how she felt about ruling, or if she wanted to rule at all. In the book Isabella is shown to push against the constraints put upon her after her second marriage to Conrad of Montferrat. The choice to make her a rash, selfish, sadistic villain who likes to torture people was an odd one.
The fourth major aggravation is the gaping plot holes. When the crew is trying to figure out how to escape from Haifa without alerting the guards, who are now on the lookout for the green-hooded thief and the stolen horses (which include the queen’s very recognisable Asil horse), it is decided that Teni will simply take all their stolen horses and go out the main gate. And that works for some reason, because of course it does. One guard near one exit in the city immediately recognised not only Rahma and her crew but also the queen’s horse in Rahma’s possession, but when Teni goes to the front gate with all the horses, which the city guards and the Templars—now awake and enraged over having their silver and their horses stolen—are actively looking for, suddenly nobody can recognise her or the horses. I hate this book so much.
There’s a continuity error in Chapter 38.
October 9, 2023
This Robin Hood remix does exactly what it says it's going to do: tell a Robin Hood story from the perspective of the POV of the Muslims and other locals of Jerusalem. Rahma is our Robin Hood, and her sista Zeena is the Will Scarlet. As they try to return home to Jerusalem, they run into and pick up a motley crew of outcasts, all of whom decide seemingly on a whim to follow Rahma to the ends of the Earth if need be. They have adventures, run from the law, thwart the queen and win the day. Well, except not really because as we know, the Third Crusade was hardly the last one and these lands will be invaded again and again over the coming centuries. Hell, man, it's still happening.
This is a fun book and well narrated, and I liked that it focused on the people who made up the other side of the Crusades. This take place a bit before the classic Robin Hood tales begin. There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it romance between a couple of the female side characters, and that's about as spicy as this one gets. I found it a little hard to believe that Rahma managed to get a Templar on her crew. That was stretching things a bit too much for me.
This is a fun book and well narrated, and I liked that it focused on the people who made up the other side of the Crusades. This take place a bit before the classic Robin Hood tales begin. There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it romance between a couple of the female side characters, and that's about as spicy as this one gets. I found it a little hard to believe that Rahma managed to get a Templar on her crew. That was stretching things a bit too much for me.
September 16, 2021
Travelers Along the Way is the Robin Hood retelling I did not know I wanted. Deeply researched and masterfully written, here is a story that’s not only thrilling, but also delightfully clever! Rahma al-Hud and her band of merry misfits will appeal to history buffs and adventure seekers alike. A must read!
January 27, 2022
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a fun YA fantasy! I had been a fan of Aminah Mae Safi after reading and really enjoying her YA contemporary romance, Tell Me How You Really Feel, so I was really intrigued to read Travelers Along The Way after she announced that it would be a remix of Robin Hood following a rag-tag team of individuals on a heist. The representation was excellent and even as someone who finds world history to be boring at times, I really loved how rich the history was in this novel (the story takes place in Jerusalem during the Crusades)! It’s evident that a ton of research was done for the story’s worldbuilding and politics. The premise of the story itself was also pretty interesting and one of the first things that drew me into the novel as I read it. The worldbuilding isn’t delved into too deeply so it, alongside the politics, was pretty straightforward and easy to understand. I really loved how Aminah Mae Safi blended elements from real life cultures and religions seamlessly and accurately into the fantasy elements of her story.
The other aspect of this story that really stood out to me are the characters. First, I loved following Rahma al-Hud as the “Green Hood” and the leader of her crew. She’s honestly so cool and cunning and I want to be her friend so bad. There needs to be more heist novels out there with female characters as the leader. Similarly, I loved how the villain of this story was also a woman, Queen Isabella, and how this story explored the dynamic between these two female leaders, each with their own political motives. I also adored the relationship between Rahma and Zeena. I don’t have a sister, but their dynamic was so much fun and reminded me so much of why I love grumpy x sunshine sibling and best friend dynamics. Aside from their comedic moments, I love how they both healed separately and eventually together from their past history as soldiers, and how it was evident that they would do anything to protect and support one another even with their differences.
The other characters were such standouts too! I loved how funny Viva (especially Viva and Zeena’s adorable dynamic) and John were and how badass Teni is. I only wish that Majid and Rahma’s relationship was developed further. Throughout the book, they exchanged flirty banter and Rahma kept speaking of how she felt like she couldn’t breathe around him, but there was barely any concrete conclusion between them at the end of the novel, so I’m confused if I was reading into things between them. Overall, I recommend this book for fans of We Hunt the Flame, The City of Brass, and of course Robin Hood!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
This was a fun YA fantasy! I had been a fan of Aminah Mae Safi after reading and really enjoying her YA contemporary romance, Tell Me How You Really Feel, so I was really intrigued to read Travelers Along The Way after she announced that it would be a remix of Robin Hood following a rag-tag team of individuals on a heist. The representation was excellent and even as someone who finds world history to be boring at times, I really loved how rich the history was in this novel (the story takes place in Jerusalem during the Crusades)! It’s evident that a ton of research was done for the story’s worldbuilding and politics. The premise of the story itself was also pretty interesting and one of the first things that drew me into the novel as I read it. The worldbuilding isn’t delved into too deeply so it, alongside the politics, was pretty straightforward and easy to understand. I really loved how Aminah Mae Safi blended elements from real life cultures and religions seamlessly and accurately into the fantasy elements of her story.
The other aspect of this story that really stood out to me are the characters. First, I loved following Rahma al-Hud as the “Green Hood” and the leader of her crew. She’s honestly so cool and cunning and I want to be her friend so bad. There needs to be more heist novels out there with female characters as the leader. Similarly, I loved how the villain of this story was also a woman, Queen Isabella, and how this story explored the dynamic between these two female leaders, each with their own political motives. I also adored the relationship between Rahma and Zeena. I don’t have a sister, but their dynamic was so much fun and reminded me so much of why I love grumpy x sunshine sibling and best friend dynamics. Aside from their comedic moments, I love how they both healed separately and eventually together from their past history as soldiers, and how it was evident that they would do anything to protect and support one another even with their differences.
The other characters were such standouts too! I loved how funny Viva (especially Viva and Zeena’s adorable dynamic) and John were and how badass Teni is. I only wish that Majid and Rahma’s relationship was developed further. Throughout the book, they exchanged flirty banter and Rahma kept speaking of how she felt like she couldn’t breathe around him, but there was barely any concrete conclusion between them at the end of the novel, so I’m confused if I was reading into things between them. Overall, I recommend this book for fans of We Hunt the Flame, The City of Brass, and of course Robin Hood!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
March 31, 2023
A solid Robin Hood re-imaging.
My biggest complaint is that I felt like once I got a sense of Rahma's voice and started get the Robin Hood vibes the story was about to end. It's interesting but once I look back at the read it was very Robin Hood, but while you're reading it you dont get the sense right away.
There are sapphic side characters which I adored. It felt like each of the characters had an interesting personality and I could have read another 100 pages of antics.
It was a lot lighter than I expected it to be. Historical fiction centered around war is not usually a light read, but any good Robin Hood story comes with some levity, so that was nice to see.
As a sucker for Robin Hood reimagining/retellings I am glad I took the time to read this and get a new perspective. It was written well and did have that rascally charm that draws me to the tales.
My biggest complaint is that I felt like once I got a sense of Rahma's voice and started get the Robin Hood vibes the story was about to end. It's interesting but once I look back at the read it was very Robin Hood, but while you're reading it you dont get the sense right away.
There are sapphic side characters which I adored. It felt like each of the characters had an interesting personality and I could have read another 100 pages of antics.
It was a lot lighter than I expected it to be. Historical fiction centered around war is not usually a light read, but any good Robin Hood story comes with some levity, so that was nice to see.
As a sucker for Robin Hood reimagining/retellings I am glad I took the time to read this and get a new perspective. It was written well and did have that rascally charm that draws me to the tales.
June 7, 2023
I'm a sucker for Robin Hood stories, and I'm especially a sucker for this retelling series. Setting Robin Hood during the Third Crusade? Such a fantastic idea. The main group of characters are all wonderful. I could've done without the tossing of POVs, although I did appreciate the juxtaposition of Rahma and Isabella. Another editing pass would have done well, but regardless, this was a lot of fun.
June 2023: Not sure why my Read dates were wiped. #ThanksGR.
June 2023: Not sure why my Read dates were wiped. #ThanksGR.
March 24, 2022
So boring! Nothing extra interesting really happened. There also many spelling mistakes. In was spelled inn but that may have been a play on words. Still it seemed kind of silly to me. Guest was spelled gest. Really, I expected more from this book.
Want to read
November 12, 2021OH MY
April 7, 2022
As I keep reiterating all the time on the blog, I didn’t grow up on classics so while I know the basic premise of Robin Hood, I’ve never actually read the book nor watched any adaptations. In a similar vein, I bought a book about the Crusades years ago but like many others, I never managed to read much of it. So when I saw this classic and history colliding in this remix version, I knew I would enjoy this book and I’m glad that I did.
I preordered this audiobook because I had a feeling it would be cool and it really was such an easy one to get through. The narrator Shiromi Arserio kept me engaged with her beautiful voice right from the get go and I didn’t take much breaks while listening. It also helps that this is a quick read, throughly entertaining, and with a motley group of characters who are easy to like. Even though the storyline is set during the Crusades, in the middle of the war between multiple countries, factions and religions, and Jerusalem stands as a prize to be snatched, we mostly only get a sense of adventure here and other than a couple dark and emotional scenes, we don’t see the gruesome effects of this war first hand.
Similarly, our characters are traversing through multiple sieges and armies and while the stakes seem too high and dangerous, after the first couple of times, I was sure that nothing would happen to any of them. Then it was time to just enjoy their adventure. We only get one POV, that is Rahma and she is a fun one to be in the head of. She landed up so far away from home because she couldn’t let her elder sister go alone to war. Her heart may not be in fighting for a cause like religion and the Holy Land but she is a scrappy survivor and resourceful enough to get herself out of tricky situations and protect her sister by coming up with one harebrained scheme after another. But she also has this kind and compassionate side to her and even though she doesn’t have a cause like all the others fighting in the war, she makes it her choice to fight for all the normal people who are suffering due to the warmongering of their rulers. Her path to becoming an accidental Robin Hood-esque figure is both endearing and fun and I loved her maneuvering everyone into doing what she wanted.
And there’s the accidental crew or found family she gathers around her who are very different from each other but also fit together so perfectly. First there’s Rahma’s sister Zeena who has deep conviction that she needs to fight for the Holy Land and is full of anger. Both of them are bickering almost every single moment and while it took me a while to get to used to, their love for each other is immense.
They are first joined by Teni, a warrior from beyond the steppes, who isn’t ready to go back home yet and joins them to maybe find her own adventure. Then comes Viva who is young Jewish alchemist who doesn’t really have a home because of how all the invaders have destroyed her people. And then the group is rounded off by John, who is a disillusioned chaplain with the Knights Templar and also a healer, who probably just wants a new purpose in life without the violence. They are also joined sometimes by Majid, a mysterious spy and Rahma’s childhood friend who might be more than that. Teni’s bravery, Viva’s honesty, John’s quick thinking and Majid’s convincing skills all combine with Rahma’s scheming to give us a whole lot of adventures along their journey. I also loved how the author managed to get together a crew belonging to all the faiths who have stake in the Holy Land and despite what the wars the rulers representing these faiths are fighting, the author managed to convey beautifully that the common people could get along well if they wanted to because ultimately they were suffering equally. It was also interesting to see the other side of this, getting small glimpses into what Richard the Lionheart, Sultan Saladin and Queen Isabella of Jerusalem.
In conclusion, this one felt like a classic adventure tale that captured the spirit of Robin Hood while giving us a very interesting setting like the cities around Jerusalem during the Crusades in the late 12th century. While I can’t say how close or different it is from the original, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. And even though things felt like they came too easy for our heroine, it was still a fun journey to be on with a cool group of characters. This remixed classics series is turning out to be such a unique experience and I can’t wait to next get my hands on the new versions of Wuthering Heights and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
I preordered this audiobook because I had a feeling it would be cool and it really was such an easy one to get through. The narrator Shiromi Arserio kept me engaged with her beautiful voice right from the get go and I didn’t take much breaks while listening. It also helps that this is a quick read, throughly entertaining, and with a motley group of characters who are easy to like. Even though the storyline is set during the Crusades, in the middle of the war between multiple countries, factions and religions, and Jerusalem stands as a prize to be snatched, we mostly only get a sense of adventure here and other than a couple dark and emotional scenes, we don’t see the gruesome effects of this war first hand.
Similarly, our characters are traversing through multiple sieges and armies and while the stakes seem too high and dangerous, after the first couple of times, I was sure that nothing would happen to any of them. Then it was time to just enjoy their adventure. We only get one POV, that is Rahma and she is a fun one to be in the head of. She landed up so far away from home because she couldn’t let her elder sister go alone to war. Her heart may not be in fighting for a cause like religion and the Holy Land but she is a scrappy survivor and resourceful enough to get herself out of tricky situations and protect her sister by coming up with one harebrained scheme after another. But she also has this kind and compassionate side to her and even though she doesn’t have a cause like all the others fighting in the war, she makes it her choice to fight for all the normal people who are suffering due to the warmongering of their rulers. Her path to becoming an accidental Robin Hood-esque figure is both endearing and fun and I loved her maneuvering everyone into doing what she wanted.
And there’s the accidental crew or found family she gathers around her who are very different from each other but also fit together so perfectly. First there’s Rahma’s sister Zeena who has deep conviction that she needs to fight for the Holy Land and is full of anger. Both of them are bickering almost every single moment and while it took me a while to get to used to, their love for each other is immense.
They are first joined by Teni, a warrior from beyond the steppes, who isn’t ready to go back home yet and joins them to maybe find her own adventure. Then comes Viva who is young Jewish alchemist who doesn’t really have a home because of how all the invaders have destroyed her people. And then the group is rounded off by John, who is a disillusioned chaplain with the Knights Templar and also a healer, who probably just wants a new purpose in life without the violence. They are also joined sometimes by Majid, a mysterious spy and Rahma’s childhood friend who might be more than that. Teni’s bravery, Viva’s honesty, John’s quick thinking and Majid’s convincing skills all combine with Rahma’s scheming to give us a whole lot of adventures along their journey. I also loved how the author managed to get together a crew belonging to all the faiths who have stake in the Holy Land and despite what the wars the rulers representing these faiths are fighting, the author managed to convey beautifully that the common people could get along well if they wanted to because ultimately they were suffering equally. It was also interesting to see the other side of this, getting small glimpses into what Richard the Lionheart, Sultan Saladin and Queen Isabella of Jerusalem.
In conclusion, this one felt like a classic adventure tale that captured the spirit of Robin Hood while giving us a very interesting setting like the cities around Jerusalem during the Crusades in the late 12th century. While I can’t say how close or different it is from the original, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. And even though things felt like they came too easy for our heroine, it was still a fun journey to be on with a cool group of characters. This remixed classics series is turning out to be such a unique experience and I can’t wait to next get my hands on the new versions of Wuthering Heights and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
March 28, 2022
Just a fast fun read. Lots of adventure, chaste (longing glances, one kiss) romances with a few of the crew. Predominantly female-led cast. Tricks and schemes galore.
April 10, 2022
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited as soon as I heard about this book. A genderbent retelling of Robin Hood, set in Palestine, during the crusades, with Muslim main characters? Yes to all of that. And then it got a gorgeous cover to boot.
This is a fun and fast read overall, but I did have some issues with the execution. The writing feels very modern for historical fiction. It didn't bother me personally, but I do think it's something to know going in. The author frequently breaks the 4th wall and has her main character address the reader directly; for example, the main character is narrating what happened, followed by something like "you may be wondering why I'm telling you this but don't worry, it will all make sense later on".
The plot meanders and lacks any clear direction until well into the second half. The way the merry band got together also felt clunky at times, with the characters just appearing on our protagonist's path one after the other, without anything else happening in between.
Despite all of this, I loved following Rahma as a main character. She's fierce, protective, and compassionate, but also impulsive and has a snarky sense of humor. Her strong moral compass was evident throughout the story, and she didn't deviate from it even when many in her group tried to argue against her plans. In short, she was just a really fun heroine. However, the rest of the characters felt flat in comparison, and I didn't feel like any of them got to develop into well-rounded characters. Zeena is the angry one, Viva is the scientist, John is the healer, etc.
As always with any book featuring Muslim characters, I was most worried about the representation, but the author took a lot of care to make sure that Rahma is clearly, unabashedly Muslim. From using the casual phrases most Muslims will use on a daily basis (elhamdulillah, mashallah, etc), references to stories from the life of the Prophet Mohammed, to even tackling the thorny issue of discrimination amongst Muslims when it comes to different sects (Sunni vs Shia). I was never once left wondering if Rahma was actually Muslim, because she constantly showed me she was.
I was excited as soon as I heard about this book. A genderbent retelling of Robin Hood, set in Palestine, during the crusades, with Muslim main characters? Yes to all of that. And then it got a gorgeous cover to boot.
This is a fun and fast read overall, but I did have some issues with the execution. The writing feels very modern for historical fiction. It didn't bother me personally, but I do think it's something to know going in. The author frequently breaks the 4th wall and has her main character address the reader directly; for example, the main character is narrating what happened, followed by something like "you may be wondering why I'm telling you this but don't worry, it will all make sense later on".
The plot meanders and lacks any clear direction until well into the second half. The way the merry band got together also felt clunky at times, with the characters just appearing on our protagonist's path one after the other, without anything else happening in between.
Despite all of this, I loved following Rahma as a main character. She's fierce, protective, and compassionate, but also impulsive and has a snarky sense of humor. Her strong moral compass was evident throughout the story, and she didn't deviate from it even when many in her group tried to argue against her plans. In short, she was just a really fun heroine. However, the rest of the characters felt flat in comparison, and I didn't feel like any of them got to develop into well-rounded characters. Zeena is the angry one, Viva is the scientist, John is the healer, etc.
As always with any book featuring Muslim characters, I was most worried about the representation, but the author took a lot of care to make sure that Rahma is clearly, unabashedly Muslim. From using the casual phrases most Muslims will use on a daily basis (elhamdulillah, mashallah, etc), references to stories from the life of the Prophet Mohammed, to even tackling the thorny issue of discrimination amongst Muslims when it comes to different sects (Sunni vs Shia). I was never once left wondering if Rahma was actually Muslim, because she constantly showed me she was.
April 15, 2022
A fun, fast paced story that you will speed right through!
While I thought it was a YA fantasy, there is only a slight use of alchemy - things get blown up, which was great but I would have loved more. But that definitely did not detract me from enjoying such a witty story, this is the Muslim gender switching Robin Hood retelling that I didn't know I needed.
IG: @musingsonliving
While I thought it was a YA fantasy, there is only a slight use of alchemy - things get blown up, which was great but I would have loved more. But that definitely did not detract me from enjoying such a witty story, this is the Muslim gender switching Robin Hood retelling that I didn't know I needed.
IG: @musingsonliving
March 9, 2022
4.5 stars. I saw this author in a couple of panels at the North Texas Teen Book Festival and got excited about this book so had to read it right away. The author said that what she most wanted to write was just a really fun book, and she definitely accomplished that.
I really enjoyed the characters and I love the found family trope so this book was right up my alley. The book doesn't waste time in the beginning and jumps straight into the action, with the merry band getting together quite quickly. Although in some ways the plot felt a little weak (what exactly were they trying to accomplish, especially at first?), there was never a dull moment. And the characters, especially the main one (Rahma) developed along the way, discovering who she was independent of her sister.
Technically this book is historical fiction, but if you're hardcore into historical fiction and need your fiction to be completely historically accurate, this book may not be for you. There are some anachronisms in speech and it has a fairly modern sensibility. But honestly, you shouldn't go into this book looking for super accurate historical fiction (although the author clearly did her research) because that's not the intention behind this book.
So if you want just a fun read, a bit of a heist found family type of book, give this one a try.
I really enjoyed the characters and I love the found family trope so this book was right up my alley. The book doesn't waste time in the beginning and jumps straight into the action, with the merry band getting together quite quickly. Although in some ways the plot felt a little weak (what exactly were they trying to accomplish, especially at first?), there was never a dull moment. And the characters, especially the main one (Rahma) developed along the way, discovering who she was independent of her sister.
Technically this book is historical fiction, but if you're hardcore into historical fiction and need your fiction to be completely historically accurate, this book may not be for you. There are some anachronisms in speech and it has a fairly modern sensibility. But honestly, you shouldn't go into this book looking for super accurate historical fiction (although the author clearly did her research) because that's not the intention behind this book.
So if you want just a fun read, a bit of a heist found family type of book, give this one a try.
February 28, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Travelers Along the Way reimagines the classic story of Robin Hood. We follow, instead, Rahma al-Hud, who followed her sister Zeena to war during the Third Crusade in Jerusalem.
I absolutely adored this installment in the Remixed Classics series from MacMillan. As with prior installments, Travelers Along the Way breathes new life into a story we all know and love. The world is rich and well-researched, the characters are beautifully diverse, and the story itself holds true to the spirit of the original.
Rahma was such a fun character to follow; she is clever and confident and kind, and has a hilarious flair for just the right amount of drama. She is a hero girls can look up to, and as an added bonus, even within her own story, she actively subverts the preconceived idea of who and what a hero really is.
I am beyond excited for this book to make it into the hands of readers who may not have liked classics before, as this novel has the perfect blend of a culturally conscious and diverse lens and the spirit and adventure of the original classic.
Travelers Along the Way reimagines the classic story of Robin Hood. We follow, instead, Rahma al-Hud, who followed her sister Zeena to war during the Third Crusade in Jerusalem.
I absolutely adored this installment in the Remixed Classics series from MacMillan. As with prior installments, Travelers Along the Way breathes new life into a story we all know and love. The world is rich and well-researched, the characters are beautifully diverse, and the story itself holds true to the spirit of the original.
Rahma was such a fun character to follow; she is clever and confident and kind, and has a hilarious flair for just the right amount of drama. She is a hero girls can look up to, and as an added bonus, even within her own story, she actively subverts the preconceived idea of who and what a hero really is.
I am beyond excited for this book to make it into the hands of readers who may not have liked classics before, as this novel has the perfect blend of a culturally conscious and diverse lens and the spirit and adventure of the original classic.
April 15, 2022
To be honest, I didn't have any expectations when it came to this book.
And I was pleasantly surprised!
I had so much fun reading about Rahma al-Hud and her band of merry misfits. These random people from different backgrounds were just out and about stealing from the queen of Jerusalem and saving people in the Holy Land.
This isn't a book to take very seriously–the writing is way too modern for historical fiction and it's quite unlikely that 3 Muslim Middle Eastern teens, a Mongolian, a Christian English boy and a Jewish Andalusian would just hang out with each other, become a found family and trick the invading rulers during a crusade. So I see this more as a historically inspired fantasy.
The characters were great and each special in their own way! I was rooting so much for the sapphic romance between the MCs sister and another traveller ♥♥♥ I always love it when novels include sibling dynamics, even though these sisters really didn't have the best relationship. Rahma's 'romance' romance could've been better–feelings were mentioned and the characters flirted but it never led to anything which was a little unsatisfying.
And I was pleasantly surprised!
I had so much fun reading about Rahma al-Hud and her band of merry misfits. These random people from different backgrounds were just out and about stealing from the queen of Jerusalem and saving people in the Holy Land.
This isn't a book to take very seriously–the writing is way too modern for historical fiction and it's quite unlikely that 3 Muslim Middle Eastern teens, a Mongolian, a Christian English boy and a Jewish Andalusian would just hang out with each other, become a found family and trick the invading rulers during a crusade. So I see this more as a historically inspired fantasy.
The characters were great and each special in their own way! I was rooting so much for the sapphic romance between the MCs sister and another traveller ♥♥♥ I always love it when novels include sibling dynamics, even though these sisters really didn't have the best relationship. Rahma's 'romance' romance could've been better–feelings were mentioned and the characters flirted but it never led to anything which was a little unsatisfying.
March 5, 2022
On the one hand, I had a lot of fun reading this, but on the other hand, I came away from it feeling conflicted. I do want more historical YA though, especially set during medieval times!
I unfortunately found it pretty hard to follow along with the plot and determining what the plot even was. There was a lot of moving around, a lot of action, but not a clear goal or a thread that seemed to be followed. I did enjoy seeing the cast of characters grow as they moved around!
What saved this book for me though, was the writing style. I expect some people will dislike this, as the writing style, which is modern, lighthearted and humorous, sort of clashes with the content matter of a historical adventure novel. But this really worked for me, and it made for a really fun reading experience. The chapter headers were especially funny!
I unfortunately found it pretty hard to follow along with the plot and determining what the plot even was. There was a lot of moving around, a lot of action, but not a clear goal or a thread that seemed to be followed. I did enjoy seeing the cast of characters grow as they moved around!
What saved this book for me though, was the writing style. I expect some people will dislike this, as the writing style, which is modern, lighthearted and humorous, sort of clashes with the content matter of a historical adventure novel. But this really worked for me, and it made for a really fun reading experience. The chapter headers were especially funny!
Want to read
August 11, 2021hi hello this sounds SO GOOD
I love the idea of these authors taking fairytales/folktales everyone knows and loves and turning them into something to represent the author's culture. Just such a wonderful idea. I can't wait to pick this one up!!
I love the idea of these authors taking fairytales/folktales everyone knows and loves and turning them into something to represent the author's culture. Just such a wonderful idea. I can't wait to pick this one up!!
November 23, 2022
I madly loved the historic location.
I loved the idea of putting a twist on the Robin Hood story.
However, beyond the characters, the representation of diversity, religions and ideology, the plot was somewhat lost in the facts of the Crusade.
I would have liked to see a story that had a little more strength, with which I would get a little more involved.
I loved the idea of putting a twist on the Robin Hood story.
However, beyond the characters, the representation of diversity, religions and ideology, the plot was somewhat lost in the facts of the Crusade.
I would have liked to see a story that had a little more strength, with which I would get a little more involved.
June 7, 2023
This was such a fun retelling of Robin Hood, but with a twist. Our heroine is a Muslim woman trying to survive during the 3rd Crusade. This was a notoriously brutal period during world history.
This book was so fun, I really enjoyed it!
This book was so fun, I really enjoyed it!
January 17, 2024
I enjoy a good retelling, and this fit the bill. Robin Hood with a feminist, Muslim perspective. How interesting to see the Crusades from a different perspective. It was fun to match the characters to the Robin Hood ones, and find similarities while also noting the obvious differences.
June 27, 2025
This was a fun retelling of a favorite story. Safi handles the characters well. I need to catch up on more of the remixes from this series.
did-not-finish
April 28, 2023DNF at around the 50% mark (which I read on audio while assembling furniture, otherwise I'm sure I would have quit sooner). While this genderbent Muslim Robin Hood retelling SOUNDED like a fun book, I realized it was time to quit when I caught myself saying to myself, "This is....kind of dumb."
Weird writing that tried to sound historical but also modern at the same time? Sounded like contemporary teenagers, which didn't really fit with the time period.
Flat characters are introduced in rapid succession with a plot that meanders around with no clear purpose. I think they're trying to leave a city under siege...I think? For some reason that I didn't quite catch? (I literally just went and looked up the description of the book again....Oh, I guess they're trying to go save Jerusalem?)
Anyway, the book totally lives up to it's title: the first half is literally just sisters Zeema and Rahma al-Hud traveling (not very far) and picking up other travelers along the way. That's it. The reasons that those other travelers joined this group were usually completely unclear. Like, they'd meet someone new, introductions would be made, and then the new person would decide to join this group and go with them.....just because? What reason do they have to all trust each other in the middle of a war? Maybe time was passing way sooner than I thought, but it felt like they JUST met each other, and then Rahma was debating how she was going to feed all of these people that she was suddenly responsible for. WHY is she responsible for them just because they decided to accompany her? Unless I missed a sleeping scene, it felt like this all happened over the course of one day.
So many things just felt illogical. Rahma decides to steal a horse that she felt was being mistreated...and then when it turns out to be the queen's horse, she's just like, "Oh well." Surely, if they were worried about being caught as deserters, they also be worried about being caught with the queen's horse? Sure, I get that this is a Robin Hood retelling, and the whole gist of the legend is that Robin Hood steals from the rich to give to the poor, and then laughs merrily the whole time because it's all a big game......but we're not there yet. Rahma is just stealing for the sake of stealing, but also hasn't gained any experiences yet to justify the self-assured cockiness that would give some sense to her actions.
Another scene that baffled me was when Rahma and co. accidentally stumbled into a bar full of Templar knights....and decided to rob everyone. So she got them all drunk (fine) and then drugged them (fine) and then tied them up (also fine). But then for some reason she and her friends decided to dangle the unconscious knights from a rope out of the window, because......? I obviously missed something here, because I didn't get the point of hoisting the knights into the air when they could have just as easily robbed them two steps prior. Comedic reasons, maybe?
Also, they befriend a younger Templar knight who decides he doesn't want to be a Templar knight anymore because they have no morals.....so instead he joins a band of not-very-subtle thieves? Because stealing is moral? I don't get it.
Anyway, halfway through the book, and it still seems like there's no plot aside from wandering around and picking up more people for their band of misfit toys. Have they even left the original city? I couldn't tell.
So, like I said, I'm halfway through this...and to me it just feels silly and dumb. No motivation to find out if the plot ever...plots.
Weird writing that tried to sound historical but also modern at the same time? Sounded like contemporary teenagers, which didn't really fit with the time period.
Flat characters are introduced in rapid succession with a plot that meanders around with no clear purpose. I think they're trying to leave a city under siege...I think? For some reason that I didn't quite catch? (I literally just went and looked up the description of the book again....Oh, I guess they're trying to go save Jerusalem?)
Anyway, the book totally lives up to it's title: the first half is literally just sisters Zeema and Rahma al-Hud traveling (not very far) and picking up other travelers along the way. That's it. The reasons that those other travelers joined this group were usually completely unclear. Like, they'd meet someone new, introductions would be made, and then the new person would decide to join this group and go with them.....just because? What reason do they have to all trust each other in the middle of a war? Maybe time was passing way sooner than I thought, but it felt like they JUST met each other, and then Rahma was debating how she was going to feed all of these people that she was suddenly responsible for. WHY is she responsible for them just because they decided to accompany her? Unless I missed a sleeping scene, it felt like this all happened over the course of one day.
So many things just felt illogical. Rahma decides to steal a horse that she felt was being mistreated...and then when it turns out to be the queen's horse, she's just like, "Oh well." Surely, if they were worried about being caught as deserters, they also be worried about being caught with the queen's horse? Sure, I get that this is a Robin Hood retelling, and the whole gist of the legend is that Robin Hood steals from the rich to give to the poor, and then laughs merrily the whole time because it's all a big game......but we're not there yet. Rahma is just stealing for the sake of stealing, but also hasn't gained any experiences yet to justify the self-assured cockiness that would give some sense to her actions.
Another scene that baffled me was when Rahma and co. accidentally stumbled into a bar full of Templar knights....and decided to rob everyone. So she got them all drunk (fine) and then drugged them (fine) and then tied them up (also fine). But then for some reason she and her friends decided to dangle the unconscious knights from a rope out of the window, because......? I obviously missed something here, because I didn't get the point of hoisting the knights into the air when they could have just as easily robbed them two steps prior. Comedic reasons, maybe?
Also, they befriend a younger Templar knight who decides he doesn't want to be a Templar knight anymore because they have no morals.....so instead he joins a band of not-very-subtle thieves? Because stealing is moral? I don't get it.
Anyway, halfway through the book, and it still seems like there's no plot aside from wandering around and picking up more people for their band of misfit toys. Have they even left the original city? I couldn't tell.
So, like I said, I'm halfway through this...and to me it just feels silly and dumb. No motivation to find out if the plot ever...plots.
December 17, 2021
Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi is exactly the kind of retelling I adore. It reworks the well-known story of Robin Hood, that legendary outlaw active in Sherwood Forest outside of Nottingham during the last decade of the twelfth century, stealing from the rich to support the poor while Richard Lionheart, the King of England at the time, was off on Crusade in the Holy Land. In the traditional story, the main antagonists are John, Richard’s younger brother, who rules England in his stead, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, who is Robin’s immediate nemesis. The story centres around the unfair treatment of peasants by the gentry, the cost of war – not just in terms of men, but also taxes – and the futility of trying to stand up against the powers that be in a society that thrives off status. It is also the original heist story, featuring a motley crew of outcasts banding together to fight against the status quo, trying to pull off the impossible. And as such, it has been one of the most popular tales to survive through the ages.
Travelers Along The Way is probably the best take on the source material I have read. It takes all of the important themes of the original story and reworks them into a unique and modern novel, set in the same period, but transported to the Holy Land. Safi has her Green Hood–the Robin Hood equivalent–be a young girl, visually perceived as a man due to her height when disguised by the green hooded cloak, a muslim caught up in the events of the Third Crusade. Similar to the original story of Robin Hood, the protagonists of this story did not set out to be heroes–or thieves for that matter–but ended up sliding into it trying to survive, trying to make the best of the situation that they found themselves in, trying to help the people they encounter on their way. And thus, their band of misfits grows, and with it their reputation (or infamy, depending on who you ask).
While the original story focuses on society being unhappy with John’s overlordship of England in his brother’s stead, Travelers Along the Way has Isabella–a foreign queen desperate to hang on to power in the Holy Land through any manner necessary. We do see part of the story told through her eyes, but while the reader becomes sympathetic to her plight, she never becomes a likeable character. The reader also encounters more well-known historical characters such as Richard Lionheart or Saladin, though it is not exactly a historical novel.
It is wonderful to see this traditional story transported to this more diverse setting. As part of the band of the Green Hood, we see members of the major religions working together and crossing those boundaries that were ostensibly at the centre of the conflicts. There is a sweet sapphic relationship and the story is full of fantastic characters in general, none of which fall flat. I should mention that this is part of Feiwel and Friends’ Remixed Classics series, where different authors of colour each take a classic story and rework it–all of the ones I’ve had the chance to read so far have been great!
Travelers Along The Way is probably the best take on the source material I have read. It takes all of the important themes of the original story and reworks them into a unique and modern novel, set in the same period, but transported to the Holy Land. Safi has her Green Hood–the Robin Hood equivalent–be a young girl, visually perceived as a man due to her height when disguised by the green hooded cloak, a muslim caught up in the events of the Third Crusade. Similar to the original story of Robin Hood, the protagonists of this story did not set out to be heroes–or thieves for that matter–but ended up sliding into it trying to survive, trying to make the best of the situation that they found themselves in, trying to help the people they encounter on their way. And thus, their band of misfits grows, and with it their reputation (or infamy, depending on who you ask).
While the original story focuses on society being unhappy with John’s overlordship of England in his brother’s stead, Travelers Along the Way has Isabella–a foreign queen desperate to hang on to power in the Holy Land through any manner necessary. We do see part of the story told through her eyes, but while the reader becomes sympathetic to her plight, she never becomes a likeable character. The reader also encounters more well-known historical characters such as Richard Lionheart or Saladin, though it is not exactly a historical novel.
It is wonderful to see this traditional story transported to this more diverse setting. As part of the band of the Green Hood, we see members of the major religions working together and crossing those boundaries that were ostensibly at the centre of the conflicts. There is a sweet sapphic relationship and the story is full of fantastic characters in general, none of which fall flat. I should mention that this is part of Feiwel and Friends’ Remixed Classics series, where different authors of colour each take a classic story and rework it–all of the ones I’ve had the chance to read so far have been great!
November 28, 2021
Travelers Along the Way Review
First of all, I would love to thank Macmillan, FierceReads, and Amina Mae Safi for giving me an eARC of Travelers Along the Way in exchange for an honest review!
With world building so detailed you’ll feel like you were transported back into 1192. Perfect for fans of the political aspect of The Cruel Prince, this historical ya fantasy is a 2022 must read.
Overall Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The plot wasn’t very direct or clear, but I couldn’t stop reading the book
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
You can clearly see the thought and effort put into making each character unique, and I am obsessed with EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
Rhema: miss ma’am is an actual bada$$. Criminal mastermind genius
Zeena: I love her and her grumpiness
Viva: LOVE LOVE LOVE
Teni: multi-talented queen
Majid: sir is charming as heck
John: awww angel babycakes
World Building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The world building was amazing! While reading this book I felt like I went back into time. It also helped educate me on what happened in this area during this time period.
Romance:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Romance was definitely not the main focus of the story, which I was a bit disappointed by. I would’ve liked to see a little more of the relationships of the couples, but the glimpses I did see were beautiful!
Writing Style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I have no idea what it was, but the writing kept me sucked into the world the whole time.
This historical fantasy was beautifully and intricately written. It got me out of a giant reading slump, and is one of the best books I’ve read!
First of all, I would love to thank Macmillan, FierceReads, and Amina Mae Safi for giving me an eARC of Travelers Along the Way in exchange for an honest review!
With world building so detailed you’ll feel like you were transported back into 1192. Perfect for fans of the political aspect of The Cruel Prince, this historical ya fantasy is a 2022 must read.
Overall Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The plot wasn’t very direct or clear, but I couldn’t stop reading the book
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
You can clearly see the thought and effort put into making each character unique, and I am obsessed with EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
Rhema: miss ma’am is an actual bada$$. Criminal mastermind genius
Zeena: I love her and her grumpiness
Viva: LOVE LOVE LOVE
Teni: multi-talented queen
Majid: sir is charming as heck
John: awww angel babycakes
World Building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The world building was amazing! While reading this book I felt like I went back into time. It also helped educate me on what happened in this area during this time period.
Romance:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Romance was definitely not the main focus of the story, which I was a bit disappointed by. I would’ve liked to see a little more of the relationships of the couples, but the glimpses I did see were beautiful!
Writing Style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I have no idea what it was, but the writing kept me sucked into the world the whole time.
This historical fantasy was beautifully and intricately written. It got me out of a giant reading slump, and is one of the best books I’ve read!
December 23, 2021
(Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
5/5 stars
This book is absolutely stunning. Aminah Mae Safi did THAT and absolutely killed this book. Like it's one of the best books I've read in a year of incredible books!
The characters - Rahma al-Hud is the perfect Robin Hood remix protagonist. She's cheeky, confident, skilled, and has the biggest heart. Willing to give away anything to help those in need and do anything to protect the ones she loves. She's got it all. The rest of her merry band of travelers are also incredible - they all clearly serve a narrative purpose but are also well-crafted characters with sparkling personalities of their own.
I loved the story, like the plot arc? Utterly brilliant. The way it was set up so the final twist was bigger than all the other heists and cons, and also believable because of the setup -- excellent. I'm amazed, I want to write a book with as tightly-plotted & well-thought out an arc as this someday.
This is the genderbent retelling of Robin Hood that you *need*. With diversity of religion, background, sexuality, and personality, the cast of characters is vibrant and alive and the story sings along from page to page.
All in all I had a rollicking good time with this book. My one complaint is that I want a sequel but that's not a complaint, that's a compliment.
5/5 stars
This book is absolutely stunning. Aminah Mae Safi did THAT and absolutely killed this book. Like it's one of the best books I've read in a year of incredible books!
The characters - Rahma al-Hud is the perfect Robin Hood remix protagonist. She's cheeky, confident, skilled, and has the biggest heart. Willing to give away anything to help those in need and do anything to protect the ones she loves. She's got it all. The rest of her merry band of travelers are also incredible - they all clearly serve a narrative purpose but are also well-crafted characters with sparkling personalities of their own.
I loved the story, like the plot arc? Utterly brilliant. The way it was set up so the final twist was bigger than all the other heists and cons, and also believable because of the setup -- excellent. I'm amazed, I want to write a book with as tightly-plotted & well-thought out an arc as this someday.
This is the genderbent retelling of Robin Hood that you *need*. With diversity of religion, background, sexuality, and personality, the cast of characters is vibrant and alive and the story sings along from page to page.
All in all I had a rollicking good time with this book. My one complaint is that I want a sequel but that's not a complaint, that's a compliment.
February 2, 2022
Initial Thoughts
This book wasn’t on my radar until I received the NetGalley widget from the publisher - but, it sounded really good so I was eager to give it a read.
Some Things I Liked
Those glorious chapter titles. They were so perfect and my music loving self appreciated every single one.
Gender bent retelling in a fresh setting. This wasn’t a standard retelling. It was so much more than that and I loved it for that. We got the classic Robin Hood characters but we also got a lot more. I loved the found family vibes and I loved that the story was moved out of the traditional setting and into a time and place that I really don’t know much about.
The romance. I loved the romance plots, especially Zeena’s story.
Plot twists. As I’d expect with a story of outlaws and thieves, there were twists a plenty in this book and I loved them. This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Series Value
I’d absolutely adore more books about this crew but this story feels complete. However, I’d like to read more by this author and I’d like to read the rest of the Remixed Classics series!
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do. This was a really pleasant surprise and I hope to see more people talking about this one soon!
This book wasn’t on my radar until I received the NetGalley widget from the publisher - but, it sounded really good so I was eager to give it a read.
Some Things I Liked
Those glorious chapter titles. They were so perfect and my music loving self appreciated every single one.
Gender bent retelling in a fresh setting. This wasn’t a standard retelling. It was so much more than that and I loved it for that. We got the classic Robin Hood characters but we also got a lot more. I loved the found family vibes and I loved that the story was moved out of the traditional setting and into a time and place that I really don’t know much about.
The romance. I loved the romance plots, especially Zeena’s story.
Plot twists. As I’d expect with a story of outlaws and thieves, there were twists a plenty in this book and I loved them. This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Series Value
I’d absolutely adore more books about this crew but this story feels complete. However, I’d like to read more by this author and I’d like to read the rest of the Remixed Classics series!
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do. This was a really pleasant surprise and I hope to see more people talking about this one soon!
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