The tricky thing with this book is that it is clearly the first book of the trilogy. I have to read the rest to know if this is truly the case, but most of this feels like set-up, the foretaste of the story to come. I felt like I finally understood the plot as I read the final few chapters, and that was the point when I realized I did, in fact, want to read the rest of the trilogy.
It is a quick read, shouldn't take too much time to read it, even though it is longer. It also definitely feels like a young adult/teen read, perhaps because of the Robin Hood connection.
This was a slow moving book. There are many moving pieces and many characters telling stories, so the plot takes its time getting along. This is what added to it feeling like an introductory book. The last 100 pages or less felt like actual adventure and action, so that was where I really enjoyed it.
It's advertised as a retelling of Robin Hood, so that was the lens through which I read it. I almost wish I had come upon that on my own, instead of trying to read the book as though I was reading Robin Hood: that made it complicated for me to get into the book on my own.
I also wish there was a table of contents. I quickly lost track of which baron was who and what "side" they were on. I couldn't keep up with all of the players, partly because the switches in narrative were quick and partly because the names were unpronounceable for me. That always makes it difficult for me to follow along with the cast. I have to be able to speak their names in my head for me to connect who they are.
I'm starting the second one now: hopefully that one is good!
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