HOOD, by Jenny Elder Moke, Disney-Hyperion, June 9, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)
The legend of Robin Hood lives on in Jenny Elder Moke’s Hood, a new novel about Robin’s child who reluctantly takes up the family business.
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? —Synopsis provided by Disney-Hyperion
If you’re looking for a compelling adventure with a twist, then Hood is an excellent choice. While Jenny Elder Moke changes things up by making “Hood” a girl, the scene still feels familiar. The choices she makes as a writer make sense within the story and in the outside world. There’s also an added layer of historical detail that gives the overall tale a sense of permanence.
But the book wouldn’t work without Isabelle. While her father is mythical and her mother pious, Isabelle is neither. Her heart lies beyond the convent, but not so far as the forest. As her journey continues, Isabelle comes into her own. She may be Robin and Marien’s daughter, but she is her own person as well.
Hood is a fast-paced tale full of adventure and intrigue. It’s easy to get swept up in the story, you won’t want to put it down.
