Scarlet [Hardcover]

This review contains some bad words and some spoilers. You have been warned.

There were things about this book I really loved, and things I really hated. Unfortunately, I think I hated more than I loved. All the same, I am giving the book 3 out of 5 stars because it did keep me coming back to it, even if only out of frustration for how things were going.

I would also like to say that I found the tone, language, and most of the characters of this book to be very, VERY Joss Whedon-esque. This thing had Firefly written all over it. Rob was Mal, John was Jayne, Much was Kaylee, and Tuck was Wash. Scarlet was sure as hell no River though.

Things I liked:

Robin. This was a really, really good depiction of a younger Robin Hood, and I really liked him.

Little John. It was nice to see John being a sweet, older-brother type character!

Scarlet's eating problem. This gave Scarlet so much depth and it really added to the story. Unfortunately, it disappeared half way through never to be mentioned again.

Much. I just wanted to hug him. All the time.

Things I didn't like:

The Language. Once I got used to it, the language was usually fine. It's told from Scarlet's POV, so the narration is mostly in slang and it was really distracting at first but I got the hang of it. However, there were times when it felt very contrived and some words felt really out of place. This sort of language felt much more at home in outer space in Firefly than in crusades-period England.

They called Scarlet "Scar" for short. This annoyed me. Why? Couldn't say. But I cringed every time.

Character Interaction. The dynamic of the band was weird at the beginning. I found it really hard to believe that they had been functioning like that for any length of time. There was so much sexual tension you could cut it with a knife, and with the exception of Much no one's relationship with anyone else really seemed sustainable. If we had come in just after they had met I could have believed it, but that wasn't the case.

What that little wench did to Little John. Rob was right, she was whore. It was obvious from the start who she was going to end up, so the whole "who do I like" thing was like watching a train wreck. A very painful, irritating train wreck. What a bitch.

Boy Drama. Overall there was WAY to much boy drama. It really overshadowed the rest of the plot, which was actually decent most of the time.I will say that the plot was really predictable. The good thing was that, while the author never said outright what was going on, it became clear that she assumed that reader had put the pieces together already. The action really only picks up at the end, and when it does it's really good, but before that it's mostly just boy drama.

The ending. It left me so very angry. Mostly just angry at Scarlet for being such a bitch to Little John. She had what she wanted, and he saved her life so she could have it, and he was left with nothing, and she just treats him like dirt. Honestly, I hated Scarlet. And yet spent the whole book wanting her and Rob to get together. But still feeling like she wasn't good enough for him. And mostly just hating that the whole book revolved around those feelings and not actual plot tension.

After writing this I wonder if I should rate the book lower. But I can't because for some frustrating reason I still liked the book. I will probably never read it again though.

An Edit: Her eyes!!! The writer never actually described her eyes, but just kept saying they were weird!!! This made me SO MAD! WHAT IS UP WITH HER FREAKING EYES?!

I was never a huge fan of the Robin Hood legend, but Gaughen's voice and storytelling had me from the first page. The dialect feels appropriate for the post-Crusades historical era, and yet everything else feels very fresh and almost contemporary without feeling anachronistic... not quite sure how she managed to pull that off. Scarlet is a lovable and sympathetic MC. On the surface she's tough as nails and holds her own with Robin's band, but underneath it all, she's wounded by her past and by the secrets she must keep, especially her feelings for Robin. And Robin... swoon! Enigmatic, protective, and wounded himself, he's my favorite kind of leading man. Their fellow mate, John, a cocky swaggering rogue adds some tension and simmer to the proceedings, but this isn't all about romance. Gaughen deftly balances the character-driven piece with some rousing action and adventure sequences and a scurrilously evil Guy Gisbourne. I smiled through most of this book and raced breathlessly through the last 50 action-soaked pages. Loved it!!!

There aren't a lot of books that I'll stay up until 1:30 in the morning to finish, but oh, how I love Scarlet!! A.C. Gaughen has managed to wrap up all my favorite story elements ... action, suspense, unforgettable characters, rich historical detail, and such deliciously tight romantic tension that I admit it, I cheated and peeked at the end before I finished. This is a brilliant twist on the familiar tale of Robin Hood, and in my opinion, so much more interesting than the original story. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to read Scarlet in its ARC form, and it's with a heavy heart that I forward it to the next person waiting to read it. Normally, I look forward to Valentine's Day because it's an excuse to eat chocolate, but this year, I'll look forward to finally buying my own copy of Scarlet!

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