Hood feels almost like the continuation of Robin Hood. Telling the story of what if Marien and Robin Hood had a child, Hood is an action packed book about Isabelle finding her father and also a place where she belongs. Largely sheltered, but with a good heart, Isabelle has to second guess some of her beliefs about the world. Just because authority figures are in power does not mean that they will be moved by their duty. At the same time, Isabelle must also question her own family and her parent's pasts.

Hood is a story that highlights choice. We all can witness the wrong doings and it becomes our choice to stand up and help. While there's plenty of mystery about her parent's past, and action as they try to escape the clutches of the wolf, I felt that the character detail was lacking. I found myself missing the little details about Isabelle and all the other side characters I felt lacked depth. While it also seems almost like a sequel to Robin Hood, I found that Hood doesn't really develop on the story we all know in a satisfying way. In that sense, I'd be much more likely to enjoy a sequel to Hood if there were one, because I think that would set up more of a departure. I appreciated the themes of found family, with the Merry Men, but ultimately wanted more depth to these side characters so I could fall in love with them.

This book was one I was so excited for but so nervous about. I truly did not know what I would end up feeling by the end of the book because so often these retellings are just 'okay' versions of what I make up in my head in excitement. I started this book and was immediately hooked. I've never read a retelling of Robin Hood (at least, from what I can remember) and I'm not sure why because I don't see a reason to not like it? I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced the Isabelle and the Merry Men and watching this journey unfold.

Each character had their own charming personality and Robin Hood was clearly the best of the best, he was charming and witty and kind... all the things I had hoped for but not expected because YA usually makes me expect the worst outcome in a highly anticipated meeting of two long lost characters.

Moke opens up the world of Merry Men in an exciting new way and one that I hope I get to revisit in another book or two (I'm sensing duology or trilogy vibes). The writing was excellent and the story was fun.... it was never a dull moment.

This loses a star because I feel like the cover could've been better. I expect a lot from Disney so it just feels lacklustre.

This story of Isabelle of Kirklees grabbed me from the start. Isabelle is Robin Hood and Marien's daughter! The atmosphere is picturesque. It's what you'd want it to be, and it's filled with intrigue and lines like Find Thomas at the Inn and tell him "The Wolf is coming."
Isabelle has grown up in a priory, so traveling, meeting The Merry Men, and fighting for her life could easily overwhelm a weaker character. This book is a Robin Hood retelling, and it did not disappoint me in any way. I found the storyline chock full of spaces for discussions about our family values and what humans sometimes have to do in tough times. If you have a reluctant reader or one who loves historical fiction, this story will suit them both. Hood is designated, YA, but although there is some violence, it isn't gory or unjustified, and I'd read it to Middle Graders on up. I read this pre-publication on Kind and am ordering it for our next go around through Middle Age Literature in our homeschool.

Book Talk 5/15/2020: Jenny Elder Moke’s Hood
Traci Kenworth

Hood by Jenny Elder Moke. Disney-Hyperion. June 9, 2020. Netgalley.

Amazon’s blurb: You have the blood of kings and rebels within you, love. Let it rise to meet the call.
Isabelle of Kirklees has only ever known a quiet life inside the sheltered walls of the convent, where she lives with her mother, Marien. But after she is arrested by royal soldiers for defending innocent villagers, Isabelle becomes the target of the Wolf, King John's ruthless right hand. Desperate to keep her daughter safe, Marien helps Isabelle escape and sends her on a mission to find the one person who can help: Isabelle's father, Robin Hood.
As Isabelle races to stay out of the Wolf's clutches and find the father she's never known, she is thrust into a world of thieves and mercenaries, handsome young outlaws, new enemies with old grudges, and a king who wants her entire family dead. As she joins forces with Robin and his Merry Men in a final battle against the Wolf, will Isabelle find the strength to defy the crown and save the lives of everyone she holds dear?

In Hood, author Jenny Elder Moke reimagines the world of Robin Hood in lush, historical detail and imbues her story with more breathless action than has ever come out of Sherwood Forest before. This novel is a must-read for historical-fiction fans, adventure lovers, and reluctant readers alike!

My Review: When Isabelle tries to help the citizens of Kirklees, she finds herself having to shoot a soldier from his horse with her bow and arrow. Locked in a cellar, her mother and another rescue her. Her mother sends her to the Wild Boar to look up Thomas and tell him, “The Wolf has returned.”
It turns out that Isabelle is the daughter of a certain outlaw wanted by Sir Roger of Durnsay, the Wolf. When he captures her, she is told she has a week to bring Robin to him or he’ll kill her mother. Joining a band of youths, she is taken to Sherwood Forest where she fights for a place among the Merry Men, hoping to meet her father. He is away on business in York they learn and she tells them she must get a message to him. When they at last meet him, will she turn him over to save her mother? Or will she let fear rule her life?
This is a wonderful, wonderful book! The heroic efforts on everyone’s parts are commendable! The cast is so down to earth, full of flaws and regrets. They make a find band for Isabelle to follow and perhaps even lead. I give the book and A+.

Hood is a story not of Robin Hood, but his daughter Isabelle. Isabelle was raised in a priory (abby) with her mother, Marien[sic}. She was told nothing about her parents and believed her unknown father to be dead. Isabelle was a rebellious child, sneaking out to climb trees, hunt, and become quite adept with the bow and arrow. . When she was sixteen, Isabelle shot an arrow at one of the Kingsmen harassing the sisters, hoping to scare his horse but hitting the annoying man instead. That resulted in her thrust into chains, then into the apple cellar to await punishment. Marien frees her daughter and sends Isabelle on a quest to find Thomas at an inn, who will then direct her to her father, Robin Hood, to give him the message, "The Wolf is coming." Marien's last advice to her daughter was "be braver than you feel." The advice holds her in good stead when convent-raised Isabelle is forced to absorb this new information, fight for her life, encounters a new group of young Merry Men in Sherwood Forest and helps to rescue her father, the illustrious Robin Hood.

Hood is a great story for middle-school readers on up. It has romance, action, some violence toward the end of the story, but nothing overt. Plus you get to be immersed in the legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men - and Women. Isabelle is an excellent role model, having to overcome her fear of the real world and learning to take care of herself and be braver then she feels. Jenny Elder Moke writes a vivid, exciting and believable story. I was delighted to read the ARC and will recommend it enthusiastically to my middle-school readers.

This was such a fun retelling! I loved the recognizable quirks and traits brought to the characters we all know already from the tale of Robin Hood. His daughter, Isabelle, is young and headstrong, but has much to learn about herself, her history, and how to trust others. A lovely return to Sherwood Forrest and the antics of the Merry Men, this book was full of self discovery and adventure. A solid debut.

Hood follows Isabelle of Kirkless who lives in a priory with her mother Marien but is forced to flee after defending innocent villagers. Her mother instructs her to find a father she’s never known- the legendary Robin Hood. Isabelle begins her journey away from her mother and the priory, the only home she’s ever known, to ask for help from a father she never knew existed. And she must tell him that the Wolf has returned and has again targeted Robin.

With the help of the Merry Men, Isabelle journeys to find her father and learns that there is so much more to the world than what she experienced under the confines of the priory. Even in the midst of frightening battles, frenzied escapes, death threats against her mother, and violent mercenaries, Isabelle feels a belonging that she’s never felt before, especially with her new band of friends which is led by the handsome Adam.

The next generation of Merry Men (and women) are as sharp, strong, and relentless in pursuit of justice and equality for all. They teach Isabelle what it means to be part of something bigger and how it feels to be accepted.

Though many of the characters, including the protagonist, are new, I love that the author integrated some of the beloved Robin Hood characters into the story. John Little, Robin, Marien, and others have pivotal roles in the story and add to the dynamic character development, which is one of the strengths of the novel.

From budding romances to long-time loves, and from loyal friendships to unique familial bonds, this book explores so many different relationships. I love the budding romance between Isabelle and Adam. It is sweet and charming and often parallels Robin and Marien’s love. The pseudo-family created in the Merry Men is strong and shows Isabelle the meaning of belonging, something she desperately craves.

One of my favorite scenes is a tender moment between Isabelle and Robin in which Robin tells his daughter about his early years with Marien. He regales this story to dispel her nerves when shooting in front of him for the first time. Not only does Isabelle learn more about her parents and their love story, but she also sees how much he loves her. It is a beautiful bonding moment between father and daughter.

I also love the abundance of strong women in this story, especially Isabelle and Marien. It feels like Moke took the original Robin Hood story and re-imagined it into an immersive feminist tale. Marien, for example, is described as “fashioned of the same material as her bow – flexible and smooth on the surface, but unbreakable at her core.” Marien is a complex woman who is calm, resolute, and fiercely protective of those she loves. Isabelle inherited this strength, and though naive, unsure and frightened at the start of the story, she proves her strength and abilities throughout her journey. Her repeated mantra, “Be braver than you feel,” fuels her courage.

Throughout the story, Isabelle is hunted and haunted by the Wolf, a man who holds her mother captive and wants her father dead. Isabelle must make some difficult decisions in the hopes of saving her mother. The Wolf’s threats as well as Isabelle’s journey to find her father and save her mother make for an action-packed adventure.

Hood is a wonderfully written and well-paced coming-of-age story with vivid imagery and dynamically developed characters. I loved that the book made me feel all the feels. I laughed out loud at some of Robin’s antics, and I wept copiously over a particularly tragic moment. That kind of emotional investment in a story is a tribute to the story-telling skill of the author! Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The myth. The man. The legend. Or is it woman? We all know the story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Ms. Moke brings us a fresh gender bent retelling of Robin Hood that will especially appeal to fans of young adult fiction.

“Hood” by Jenny Elder Moke explores the next generation after Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Our main character, Isabelle, becomes a new Robin Hood figure and explores her place in the Merry Men, her family and the world around her. She is a smart, brave, fierce and kind heroine. Throughout the book, Isabelle is trying to fit in and find her place in the world. Isabelle meets many old, familiar characters as well as a new generation of Merry Men (and women). She develops some strong friendships and I love the “squad” she becomes a part of. There is even a sweet romance.

“Hood” is written with lots of great lessons to take away as well. Isabelle learns to be braver than she feels and to not let the constraints of the past define her future. At some points, I felt the pacing rather lagged, whereas at other points the book is very action packed. There are some great fight scenes and archery contests (of course!). Overall, it is a fun retelling of Robin Hood that fans of retellings, Disney, Robin Hood and young adult literature will love!

Content: I give this book a PG rating. Some examples of the content are: people are at a pub, many are drunk and use ribald language, but it’s not actually written; the word “as*” is used in reference to a horse; the words “bloody,” “hell” and “d*mn” are used; there is mention of a girl being physically abused in her past; a man curses, but the words aren’t written; the word “bastard” is used; a girl dresses up as a prostitute as a disguise; there are a few sexual innuendos.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Jenny Moke, Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

This was an interesting story of the daughter of Robin Hood. I liked the premise, It did not fully keep my attention, but i think our younger teens will thoroughly enjoy reading this new chapter in the Robin Hood world.

I was really worried about the tone Hood would take because most Fairy Tale adaptations tend to be leaning into the dark and gritty and despite the fact that Robin Hood probably has a higher kill count than most other fairy tale heros, it’s always been more of a fun, campy adventure story and I was pleasantly surprised by Hood’s portrayal of Robin and the world of Sherwood.

I liked that instead of going the easy “male MC is now a woman or had a secret woman supporting him the whole time” YA fantasy route (I mean, robin’s a unisex name so it would have been incredibly easy) Hood tells the story through the characters daughter so she can write her own, unique character instead of trying to write a full character arc for one of the most beloved characters of all time.

It’s a fun, campy story and the only real issue I could think to point out is a bit of insta-romance, but what book doesn’t have that? I’d recommend if you’re looking for a good adventure.

Sadly this book just did not work for me. This is a retelling of Robin Hood except it features his daughter, Isabelle as our protagonists. I found myself irritated and just not connecting to Isabelle. The characters and story were bit lackluster. The only really interesting thing for me was the backstory of Robin and Marion. The pacing of the story is okay but the ending was not something I particularly cared for. Overall this was an okay book, but it just did not work for me.

This is the good continuation of the story of Robin Hood. I enjoyed it, but it fell a little flat for me. I was looking for the main character to be a bit more likeable.

Isabelle has only ever known the quiet life she lives with her mother at the convent in the small village of Kirklees. That is until she stands up for her village and strikes a soldier. After being arrested for this indiscretion, her mother helps her escape and sends her into the woods to find the father she's never met. Following her mother’s instructions, Isabelle meets the legendary Merry Men and discovers that her father is none other than the outlaw, Robin Hood. While the storyline is interesting, the pacing is uneven and disjointed. For example, Isabelle and her new friends travel far distances in a seemingly short amount of time. The deep bonds created between Isabelle, her father and the Merry Men in just a few days is unbelievable. Despite its shortcomings, those who know the story of Robin Hood might find this addition to the tale enjoyable.

I was super excited to hear about this book and learn that it was a continuation of the Robin Hood story...especially since the main character is a female "Robin Hood"! That's pretty much everything I hope for out of life 😁

So imagine my surprise when I discovered my favorite characters in this book are actually Robin and Patrick! Both were completely charming, and I think my favorite scenes out of the whole book are when Patrick is swimming "like a river otter" and when Robin states "Darling, of course it's a trap [...] these sorts of gatherings always are." These two characters really made the book for me.

There were also lots of lovely descriptions and some funny moments throughout, which helped make this an enjoyable read. And the story is, as expected, super fun!

However, I did have some pretty big issues with this book, and especially with Isabelle. She seemed to alternate between being the brave Robin Hood heroine of our hopes and dreams and (unfortunately) more frequently being helpless and needing everyone and anyone nearby to save her. She seemed quite unnecessarily naive at many times. And after finishing the book, I still wasn't convinced she was as much of a hero or as worthy of the Robin Hood name as her friends and Robin Hood made her out to be.

There were also lots of moments where it seemed things happened that weren't necessary to the story, just to have moments of suspense or romance happen. And I was particularly annoyed by how many times characters just "didn't have the time to explain" something crucial to Isabelle (they literally said pretty much that exact phrase a lot). Side note: I was also quite confused on why Marien and Isabelle never joined back up with her father once she was born? I know Marien went to the convent for Isabelle's birth, but why in all the sixteen years of Isabelle's life did they never move back to Sherwood Forest with Robin?

One last thing...the dialogue in many places seemed to be quite stilted, almost as if it was supposed to sound old-fashioned but didn't quite make it there. This was a bit of a detractor at the beginning of the book especially, but as you continue on it's not as noticeable. But while there are many aspects of this book that were disappointing, the plot itself was fun and an enjoyable read for any Robin Hood fan. If you're just looking for something lighthearted that follows in the Robin Hood tradition, then this could be a great book to pick up!

As a fan of the original Robin Hood (albeit the Disney version from when I was young), I was thrilled when I read the summary for this book and discovered it presented us with an "after" or an extension of our original story, continued from the point of view of Robin Hood's daughter.

While I feel the book did start out a bit slowly, it picked up pace almost immediately after we were introduced to Robin Hood. Let me just say, his character was brilliantly sketched out for readers. I loved how he was carefree, sometimes even silly, while still being mysterious and solemn; I feel like this not only helped shape his character and round out what is known about Robin Hood, but also gave me a man to adore and a father to be envious of. Marien was written in the same way, although she was the calm and cool to Robin's airy and goofy, balancing out her husband for a sweet, loving relationship. Overall, the family dynamic was fantastic, perhaps one of the best parts of the story, and extremely well done. However, I did not completely love Isabelle's character, but I did admire the character growth she experienced throughout the book and enjoyed reading of her love for her new-found family.

Now, first and foremost, the romantic relationship in the book left something to be desired. I knew almost immediately that Adam was intended to be the love interest for Isabelle, but as a reader I felt there was zero chemistry, so much so that I had a hard time believing authenticity of the relationship. I honestly feel like Patrick may have been better suited to Isabelle's temperament, and made for a more believable story. In addition, I was absolutely furious when Robin died. I had to stop reading for a second to deal with how upset I was, and while I knew someone was most likely going to perish by the end of the conflict, I honestly would have preferred it to be one of Isabelle's friends, or even Adam instead of one of her parents. Honestly, I'm still very angry about it, but be that as it may, I did find some peace reading that Isabelle would take her father's place as the Hood, continuing the legacy, which may be the only end to the story that I could have lived with. That detail redeemed the book a bit in my eyes and turned my 3.0 star rating into a 3.5 for a job well done.

**Spoilers are hidden on Goodreads.

This was a fun Robin Hood story. I enjoyed the element of having it be the second generation of Merry Men. It was a fun concept that I haven't seen in Robin Hoods stories before.

This re-telling focuses on Robin Hood's daughter Isabelle, and some elements of the original story have been changed to draw a more YA audience. Overall I enjoyed this book. I like fairytale retellings and I hadn't read one about Robinhood before, so I found this book to be unique and creative!

This was not what I was expecting. I would expect a more powerful and driven main character, but it seemed like she was either very underdeveloped or just needed everyone to save her. The description does say ages 12+, so it is definitely more of a middle grade book than a YA book. I don't know why, but I expected it to be written for an older audience before I started. But even so, it is a good adventure for young teens or even tweens.

This was an interesting take on the Robin Hood legends and stories. It had action, romance, mystery, and a little bit a mythical history thrown in there. I really did enjoy the story, but I felt that the main character, Isabel, was highly lacking. We are following her story and yet she really doesn’t DO anything. Everyone else is there to rescue her and, even when she does try to take the lead, she fails and has to be rescued again. I simply could not get behind her as the strong hero that the author was trying to make her out to be. I would have liked to follow almost any other character in the book. These secondary characters were not as flushed out as I wish they could have been, and were quite stereotypical, yet were intriguing and fun to be around. It’s hard to rate this because, as I said, I did enjoy reading it, I just wanted so much more from this retelling.

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I actually did. I found myself getting frustrated with the main character a lot and wising she was a more developed or competent hero and leader. I liked the world and would love to read more about Robin and Marians adventures from the past.