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A review by corabookworm
Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The war between the Sherrif of Nottingham and the Merry Men didn’t end when Robin Hood retired. Clem, a cheerful and talented healer from a small village, is reminded of this rather abruptly when Robin Hood’s granddaughter kidnaps her. Mariel is grumpy, fierce, and determined to prove herself, especially when her father is captured by the Sheriff’s men. On their way to rescue him with the help of Mariel’s small band of misfits, the two girls find themselves growing closer… and beginning to question the line between right and wrong.
Once again, Lex Croucher has created a wonderful historical* fiction, packed with queer characters, cute romance, and nonstop banter. The lighthearted found family vibe was once again the centerpiece of the book, and I adored it. Every interaction between these characters was hilarious and heartwarming and absolutely precious. The only flaw with the romance is that it was very “trope-y”, by which I mean that some parts of it felt like they were written just to insert specifc tropes. Like the “one bed” scene. It kind of seemed to follow a trend that I find concerning in the modern publishing industry, which is writing more for tropes than for story/characters. I’m making it sound much more dramatic than it actually was, though! It didn’t pull from the story too much at all. And the romance was VERY cute. As much I don’t like focusing on tropes, I go weak in the knees for a good grumpy/sunshine couple. Especially a sapphic one. Their personalities contrasted nicely and the banter between them was top notch. I also really appreciated the slower development of their relationship. Even if it was a little fast, it felt way more natural and less insta-love-y than a lot of books!
Also, the whole plot of this book was really interesting! It a wonderful collection of silly little adventures through the woods with plenty of heists and battles. But it was also a good critique of systems of oppression, and discussed how the systems designed to fight them can be flawed themselves, especially when they operate to further the interests of their own hierarchies. It all felt very relevant to the world right now.
Overall, this book was absolutely delightful. Sure, its a YA book with a “trope-y” romance, but it was cute and lighthearted and meaningful and all the little characters own my heart. I will definitely pick up Lex Croucher’s next books, and I loved this one.
*Besides one mention to France, it's not really clear that this story is supposed to take place in a real historical place. I honestly thought of it more as a fantasy book, without the magic.
The war between the Sherrif of Nottingham and the Merry Men didn’t end when Robin Hood retired. Clem, a cheerful and talented healer from a small village, is reminded of this rather abruptly when Robin Hood’s granddaughter kidnaps her. Mariel is grumpy, fierce, and determined to prove herself, especially when her father is captured by the Sheriff’s men. On their way to rescue him with the help of Mariel’s small band of misfits, the two girls find themselves growing closer… and beginning to question the line between right and wrong.
Once again, Lex Croucher has created a wonderful historical* fiction, packed with queer characters, cute romance, and nonstop banter. The lighthearted found family vibe was once again the centerpiece of the book, and I adored it. Every interaction between these characters was hilarious and heartwarming and absolutely precious. The only flaw with the romance is that it was very “trope-y”, by which I mean that some parts of it felt like they were written just to insert specifc tropes. Like the “one bed” scene. It kind of seemed to follow a trend that I find concerning in the modern publishing industry, which is writing more for tropes than for story/characters. I’m making it sound much more dramatic than it actually was, though! It didn’t pull from the story too much at all. And the romance was VERY cute. As much I don’t like focusing on tropes, I go weak in the knees for a good grumpy/sunshine couple. Especially a sapphic one. Their personalities contrasted nicely and the banter between them was top notch. I also really appreciated the slower development of their relationship. Even if it was a little fast, it felt way more natural and less insta-love-y than a lot of books!
Also, the whole plot of this book was really interesting! It a wonderful collection of silly little adventures through the woods with plenty of heists and battles. But it was also a good critique of systems of oppression, and discussed how the systems designed to fight them can be flawed themselves, especially when they operate to further the interests of their own hierarchies. It all felt very relevant to the world right now.
Overall, this book was absolutely delightful. Sure, its a YA book with a “trope-y” romance, but it was cute and lighthearted and meaningful and all the little characters own my heart. I will definitely pick up Lex Croucher’s next books, and I loved this one.
*Besides one mention to France, it's not really clear that this story is supposed to take place in a real historical place. I honestly thought of it more as a fantasy book, without the magic.