Outlaw Princess of Sherwood; a Tale of Rowan Hood

Kliatt, July, 2004 by Bette Ammon

OUTLAW PRINCESS OF SHERWOOD; A TALE OF ROWAN HOOD. Nancy Springer. 2003. Read by Emily Gray. 3 tapes. 3.25 hrs. Recorded Books. #97545. 1-4025-6306-x. $29.00. Vinyl; plot, reader notes. J

From the KLIATT's September 2003 review of the hardcover: "Springer's sprightly feminist take on the Robin Hood legend, featuring his daughter Rowan as the leader of a band of her own, continues in this sequel to Rowan Hood and Lionclaw. Here the protagonist is Princess Ettarde, who ran away to the forest to avoid an unwanted arranged marriage. Her furious father, King Solon, has now come after her, demanding that she marry a rival king so that he will cease attacking Solon's kingdom. Solon cages her mother as bait, knowing that Ettarde will not be able to resist rescuing her, but his plan backfires when Ettarde frees her with the assistance of the outlaw band and instead captures Solon.... Lots of action and a swiftly moving plot... mare this a satisfying read, and Ettarde's solution to the quandary of how to prevent war in her father's kingdom is clever and admirable ..."

Narrator Gray once again offers her melodious voice to the audio version of the Rowan Hood series. Her British accent matches the setting well and she beautifully sings the warning songs that Etty's mother directs toward her daughter. The strong female protagonists are wonderful and this audio rendition is recommended. Bette Ammon, Director, Missoula P.L., Missoula, MT