Cabbages & Kings by Morgan Sheppard
Publisher: Elemental Publishing
Genre: Historical, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by ChamomileA Hero. Honourable Thief. Lovable Rogue. Scoundrel. Blackguard.
Everyone’s heard of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, with big, bad Sheriff of Nottingham and evil Prince John trying their best to thwart Robin at every turn. But what if things were different to what you’ve been told? What if Robin wasn’t as altruistic as history portrayed?
In the late spring of 1198, the hamlet of Girton is razed to the ground. Newly married eighteen-year-old Will Scathlock and sixteen-year-old Alana move to the larger village of Blidworth to start their lives anew. In his new job as a forester for the Royal Palace of Clipstone, known to the locals as King’s Houses, Will hears tales of a good thief, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. But in her role as seamstress for the Manor House, Alana hears a different story.
Find out what it was like for the peasant folk Robin was supposed to be helping, before his well-known adventures in Nottingham. Do you want to know the truth? Meet Alana Dale and read her story of what it was really like, and how it all began.
Cabbages & Kings takes the Robin Hood story to new horizons with this laugh-out-loud hilarious new reimagining!
I’ve always enjoyed a good retelling, especially about Robin Hood, a childhood favorite! Cabbages & Kings is just that, and so much more! A sweet coming-of-age story willed with humor and unexpected antics as Alana (a teen) leans to stand up for herself despite that not being done in her time!
Needless to say, not everyone is happy with this young lady learning to speak her mind, and she ends up in all kinds of delightful situations as she learns her limits and finds new allies along the way! I loved getting a more humorous take on the Robin Hood story while still getting a story with strong storytelling and enjoyable characters!
This one is truly unlike any other retelling I’ve found so far, and I loved Morgan Sheppard’s style and tone in this one! Enjoyable to YA readers and even perhaps for teens a little younger, this one’s sure to please!
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