If you read my review of Thorn, you already know how much I enjoy a good fairytale retelling. Nottingham by Anna Burke did not disappoint, and I had high hopes after immensely enjoying Compass Rose last spring.
Here’s the plot-
After Robyn Fletcher’s brother is executed by the Sheriff of Nottingham for poaching, Robyn has few options as she’s left to care for his widow and child. Food is sparse and the Sheriff has banned the town from buying Robyn’s arrows. Forced to break the law to survive, Robyn becomes an outlaw set on seeking revenge on the Sheriff. However, when Robyn meets the sheriff’s daughter, Mariam, justice becomes harder to obtain. After a horse riding accident lands Mariam deep in the Sherwood Forest, Robyn comes to her rescue and a spark is ignited. Despite her own objections, Mariam is arranged to marry a nobleman per her father’s wishes, and chaos ensues when she disobeys him. In the background to all of this, taxes are risen and the townspeople of Nottingham are suffering. Robyn has a lot on her plate, but luckily she collects a few friends along the way who are willing to help.
This novel is a queer origin story, starting from the very beginning, of how Robyn Hood and her band came to be. The narration jumps between Robyn and Marian as the story unfolds. I enjoyed how Mariam’s side of the story wrestled with her coming to terms with accepting who she is as a gay woman. There was some good internal conflict and strife. Nottingham really addressed how horrible it was to be a woman born in the late Middle Ages. Socially acceptable options included: arranged marriage (with the likely possibility of dying in childbirth) or nunnery. It made perfect sense for a group of non-confirming women (and men) to band together in an outlaw group (though each character has a story deeper than their crimes), as living a life in the alternative would have been torture.
Each character was distinct and had their own personality. Though Robyn and Mariam were the two main characters, a lot of space is given to side characters which added more atmosphere to the novel. In terms of diversity– you can find just about every shade of the rainbow.
The pacing was good, though about three quarters of the way through it slowed down a lot. However, the action in the end was well worth the wait. Burke is really good at building bouts of tension and then giving small releases as more tension grows. I loved the last few chapters and how everything panned out. Nottingham was a fun read and I could definitely see the story continuing…
Follow Anna Burke on Twitter: @annaburkeauthor and Instagram: @annaburkeauthor
Buy Nottingham from Bywater Books here!