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The Gallows in the Greenwood
Everyone knows the Robin Hood legend, but for this retelling, Phyllis Ann Karr has found a historical precident to create a female Sheriff of Nottingham and suddenly the whole myth explodes, taking on new meanings that resonate deep within contemporary culture.
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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73 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Ann Karr
129 books30 followersPhyllis Ann Karr is an author of fantasy, romances, mysteries, and non-fiction. She is best known for her "Frostflower and Thorn" series and Matter of Britain works.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 26, 2018
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
This novel does a surprisingly good job of weaving together a lot of disparate threads of Robin Hood folklore, while putting its own spin on the story, given that it’s so short. It’s a fascinating attempt at exploring what a female Sheriff does to the story, while also including a romantic plot that’s straight out of that kind of ballad without being directly like any of the ones I can think of. I really enjoyed noticing the references to the traditional ballads, but I also really appreciated the way the female Sheriff became part of the story and explained various aspects of it by her presence.
There’s quite a lot going on below a deceptively simple plot: an attempt to reconcile the Robin Hood folklore into a whole story that makes sense. Whatever Karr says in her notes on the text, I find the figure of Robin quite interesting — he’s not a straightforward villain, as the epilogue shows (and as the loyalty of Maid Marian suggests too).
There’s also Denis and Midge, and I just ended up loving Denis — the kind of honourable idiot of a character I can really get involved with. He has principles, but he’s not so honourable he won’t break them in order to do what is actually the right thing. His romance is a little sudden, but it makes a certain amount of sense, especially in the context of the Robin Hood ballads the story uses and echoes.
Nonetheless, it is all comparatively light and the most interesting/valuable thing to me was the inclusion of Karr’s notes on the text, including a letter to her agent in which she categorically (and correctly, in my view) refused to change a lot of key parts of the story. I loved her firm emphasis on things being believable: she’s not just doing lip-service to feminism by completely inventing a role for a woman that doesn’t exist: she found records that supported the position she put her character in.
All in all, enjoyable and interesting, and I’m a little disappointed I never read it in time to work it into an essay for the tutor of mine who really had me digging into the oldest ballads.
This novel does a surprisingly good job of weaving together a lot of disparate threads of Robin Hood folklore, while putting its own spin on the story, given that it’s so short. It’s a fascinating attempt at exploring what a female Sheriff does to the story, while also including a romantic plot that’s straight out of that kind of ballad without being directly like any of the ones I can think of. I really enjoyed noticing the references to the traditional ballads, but I also really appreciated the way the female Sheriff became part of the story and explained various aspects of it by her presence.
There’s quite a lot going on below a deceptively simple plot: an attempt to reconcile the Robin Hood folklore into a whole story that makes sense. Whatever Karr says in her notes on the text, I find the figure of Robin quite interesting — he’s not a straightforward villain, as the epilogue shows (and as the loyalty of Maid Marian suggests too).
There’s also Denis and Midge, and I just ended up loving Denis — the kind of honourable idiot of a character I can really get involved with. He has principles, but he’s not so honourable he won’t break them in order to do what is actually the right thing. His romance is a little sudden, but it makes a certain amount of sense, especially in the context of the Robin Hood ballads the story uses and echoes.
Nonetheless, it is all comparatively light and the most interesting/valuable thing to me was the inclusion of Karr’s notes on the text, including a letter to her agent in which she categorically (and correctly, in my view) refused to change a lot of key parts of the story. I loved her firm emphasis on things being believable: she’s not just doing lip-service to feminism by completely inventing a role for a woman that doesn’t exist: she found records that supported the position she put her character in.
All in all, enjoyable and interesting, and I’m a little disappointed I never read it in time to work it into an essay for the tutor of mine who really had me digging into the oldest ballads.
April 13, 2020
The wily Robin Hood may have met his match in the noble lady Sheriff of Nottingham, Alice of Fletchador. And when the outlaws kidnap the sheriff's squire and hold him for ransom, the Sheriff is determined to outwit the outlaws at their own game.
Karr does a magnificent job interweaving various stories from the ballads and early legend as she documents the Sheriff's long and often bloody history dealing with Robin Hood and his band. Both the Sheriff and Robin Hood are flawed characters, not entirely sympathetic but also far from evil (though she does hit hard the message of Robin's non-heroic status a bit more than this fangirl truly liked, but can respect.) and their interaction is full of tension and surprises.
Thoroughly enjoyable adventure story and admirable addition to Robin Hood lore, I highly recommend this for fans of Robin Hood and medieval tales.
Karr does a magnificent job interweaving various stories from the ballads and early legend as she documents the Sheriff's long and often bloody history dealing with Robin Hood and his band. Both the Sheriff and Robin Hood are flawed characters, not entirely sympathetic but also far from evil (though she does hit hard the message of Robin's non-heroic status a bit more than this fangirl truly liked, but can respect.) and their interaction is full of tension and surprises.
Thoroughly enjoyable adventure story and admirable addition to Robin Hood lore, I highly recommend this for fans of Robin Hood and medieval tales.
January 19, 2016
This little gem is well worth picking up on Kindle if you are a Robin Hood or medieval enthusiast.
If Ms. Karr set out to do something a little different with the legend of Robin Hood while remaining true to its original core, I judge this work a complete success. All of the familiar elements are there, with the outlaws in their usual place in Sherwood Forest (all the usual suspects are there: Robin, Little John, Will Scarlet, "Dame" Marian, Much, Tuck, etc.) opposed to the sheriff of Nottingham.
The story centres on a new character, a squire in the sheriff's service named Denis. He's likeable, intelligent and for the most part comes across as a genuine product of some of the chivalrous ideals of his time. Well done.
The sheriff in this version is a woman, which is unusual, but as the author points out has some precedents (I've come across at least one preference the author does not mention in her afterword). Dame Alice makes for an interesting variation on the sheriff character. First of all, no great matter is made of the fact that she is a woman within the story by the men in her service as she clearly performs her duties with efficiency and competence. Even the outlaws make no issue of this. However, the author's creation of the sheriff as a woman is not just fresh, but also has real added value for the story. After all, tradition has it that Robin Hood swore never to do harm to a woman. How then can he fight against a female sheriff? It complicates his life beautifully. The sheriff, for her part, has ample motivation to drive her own actions against Robin, justifying the methods she uses against him, at least in her own mind. She is no cardboard cut-out adversary.
The author's afterword indicates that a former agent may have wanted her to upgrade the level of romance in the story to add reader appeal. I agree with the author. The romance in the story is neither underplayed, nor overplayed, but well-played. Ms. Karr presents her interpretation of certain aspects of courtly love and chivalric ideals very effectively.
Clearly, Ms. Karr was familiar with the Robin Hood legend, and she has woven a tale that can be quite comfortably inserted into the largest tapestry.
I found some of the writing a little stodgy and stilted at times, with a bit of repetition in detail, but overall, Karr is an effective storyteller.
If Ms. Karr set out to do something a little different with the legend of Robin Hood while remaining true to its original core, I judge this work a complete success. All of the familiar elements are there, with the outlaws in their usual place in Sherwood Forest (all the usual suspects are there: Robin, Little John, Will Scarlet, "Dame" Marian, Much, Tuck, etc.) opposed to the sheriff of Nottingham.
The story centres on a new character, a squire in the sheriff's service named Denis. He's likeable, intelligent and for the most part comes across as a genuine product of some of the chivalrous ideals of his time. Well done.
The sheriff in this version is a woman, which is unusual, but as the author points out has some precedents (I've come across at least one preference the author does not mention in her afterword). Dame Alice makes for an interesting variation on the sheriff character. First of all, no great matter is made of the fact that she is a woman within the story by the men in her service as she clearly performs her duties with efficiency and competence. Even the outlaws make no issue of this. However, the author's creation of the sheriff as a woman is not just fresh, but also has real added value for the story. After all, tradition has it that Robin Hood swore never to do harm to a woman. How then can he fight against a female sheriff? It complicates his life beautifully. The sheriff, for her part, has ample motivation to drive her own actions against Robin, justifying the methods she uses against him, at least in her own mind. She is no cardboard cut-out adversary.
The author's afterword indicates that a former agent may have wanted her to upgrade the level of romance in the story to add reader appeal. I agree with the author. The romance in the story is neither underplayed, nor overplayed, but well-played. Ms. Karr presents her interpretation of certain aspects of courtly love and chivalric ideals very effectively.
Clearly, Ms. Karr was familiar with the Robin Hood legend, and she has woven a tale that can be quite comfortably inserted into the largest tapestry.
I found some of the writing a little stodgy and stilted at times, with a bit of repetition in detail, but overall, Karr is an effective storyteller.
August 11, 2011
This is a charming storyline with witty dialogue. It reminded me of the Shakespeare play As You Like It. I appreciated the woman Sheriff of Nottingham. Normally, I would give a novel like this three stars, but the author's afterwords in which she discusses the Robin Hood legend were so much more interesting than the novel itself and enhanced my experience of the book. I also found out about what sounds like an unusual biography of King John, The Maligned Monarch: A life of King John of England.
I had not been previously aware that the earliest Robin Hood material refers to the king at the time as Edward. I had read in another source about an actual individual named Robin Hood from the reign of Edward II who was a royal porter. There could easily be a gay Robin Hood novel dealing with this Robin as a lover of Edward II, but he was such an atrocious king that I can't summon any enthusiasm for the concept.
Karr is bothered by the way Robin Hood has morphed over the centuries, changing his class identification from yeoman to nobleman to peasant. I believe that legends need to change in order to reflect the needs of the day so that they remain relevant. If a legend becomes fossilized in its original form to preserve its purity and authenticity, then no one except scholars will care about it. I personally loved Richard Carpenter's vision of a Robin Hood chosen by Herne in every generation which aired on the BBC some time ago.
I had not been previously aware that the earliest Robin Hood material refers to the king at the time as Edward. I had read in another source about an actual individual named Robin Hood from the reign of Edward II who was a royal porter. There could easily be a gay Robin Hood novel dealing with this Robin as a lover of Edward II, but he was such an atrocious king that I can't summon any enthusiasm for the concept.
Karr is bothered by the way Robin Hood has morphed over the centuries, changing his class identification from yeoman to nobleman to peasant. I believe that legends need to change in order to reflect the needs of the day so that they remain relevant. If a legend becomes fossilized in its original form to preserve its purity and authenticity, then no one except scholars will care about it. I personally loved Richard Carpenter's vision of a Robin Hood chosen by Herne in every generation which aired on the BBC some time ago.
October 13, 2011
Another great author suggestion via Maureen at Aliens in this World. This novel is a very interesting take on the Robin Hood story. The switch is that the Sheriff is a woman who took over the hereditary position after her husband is murdered.
This was just totally enjoyable from beginning to end as a squire gets grabbed by Robin and his men as he is returning from a trip to the prioress. What proceed from then on introduces us to Robin's Merry Men who aren't exactly the do-gooders in so many versions of the story. The Lady Sheriff is also not the evil sheriff as in most versions, but all the characters seem much more real and in-place with the times. The personalities are complicated, but hey people are complicated.
I especially enjoyed the historic feel of the novel which tread the line between using archaic phrasing of language and being accessible. What I appreciated mostly was the pious underpinnings of the novel of a time when England was Catholic. These elements are almost totally dismissed in modern retellings where you get no feeling of the piety of the time. Most are like the BBC version of Robin Hood where the only religious person was a bad guy that had to be killed by Robin Hood - even though in the series he avoids killing anyone.
I just found all points excellent, the plotting, characters, and storytelling.
This was just totally enjoyable from beginning to end as a squire gets grabbed by Robin and his men as he is returning from a trip to the prioress. What proceed from then on introduces us to Robin's Merry Men who aren't exactly the do-gooders in so many versions of the story. The Lady Sheriff is also not the evil sheriff as in most versions, but all the characters seem much more real and in-place with the times. The personalities are complicated, but hey people are complicated.
I especially enjoyed the historic feel of the novel which tread the line between using archaic phrasing of language and being accessible. What I appreciated mostly was the pious underpinnings of the novel of a time when England was Catholic. These elements are almost totally dismissed in modern retellings where you get no feeling of the piety of the time. Most are like the BBC version of Robin Hood where the only religious person was a bad guy that had to be killed by Robin Hood - even though in the series he avoids killing anyone.
I just found all points excellent, the plotting, characters, and storytelling.
July 3, 2021
[3.5 stars really]
This Robin Hood adaptation features a long afterword in which Karr alternatively denounces the desire for realism in Robin Hood stories and does her best to show that her approach is firmly grounded in the original corpus of such stories and their greater realism compared to the 19th-century myth of the hero who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. All of which is intended to be a defense of her choice to make Robin, if not the villain, at least not the hero, which role goes instead to the Sheriff. It's a measure of how ossified the Robin Hood stories have become that Karr can only manage to do this by making the Sheriff a woman: I doubt that even she found her claim that a single example of this proves that it's historically kosher to be persuasive. Regardless of its basis in fact, it works quite well, and the depiction of Robin as largely amoral, a perfectly nice guy in many ways but an outlaw who feels no compunction about shedding blood as necessary, is fairly successful. Also well-done is the inclusion of a young woman dressed as (but not really pretending to be) a young man in Robin Hood's band: based on this book and Robin McKinley's "The Outlaws of Sherwood", gender-swapping is apparently the key to adding interest to Robin Hood retellings. However, despite these variations, the story itself is fairly predictable, including many of the usual incidents and mostly following Robin's typical arc. In particular, Karr shrinks from taking the idea that Robin might be a villain too far: most of his less than noble impulses are ascribed to a need to keep the less savory members of his band happy, and conveniently enough, none of the characters the reader will be familiar with are counted in that number. Compare this to her King Arthur retelling, "The Idylls of the Queen", which starts from a minor incident in the "Le Morte D'Arthur" and proceeds to largely or completely reinvent several characters via a mystery story, and it becomes pretty clear that Robin Hood is, for whatever reason, quite hostile to imaginative reinventions. (Too many movie adaptations, maybe.) This is certainly one of the better ones I've read, but it's still fairly limited. It gets an extra half star for the interesting discussion of the history of Robin Hood, and interesting (in a different way) defense of writing the book the way it was written, in the afterword.
This Robin Hood adaptation features a long afterword in which Karr alternatively denounces the desire for realism in Robin Hood stories and does her best to show that her approach is firmly grounded in the original corpus of such stories and their greater realism compared to the 19th-century myth of the hero who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. All of which is intended to be a defense of her choice to make Robin, if not the villain, at least not the hero, which role goes instead to the Sheriff. It's a measure of how ossified the Robin Hood stories have become that Karr can only manage to do this by making the Sheriff a woman: I doubt that even she found her claim that a single example of this proves that it's historically kosher to be persuasive. Regardless of its basis in fact, it works quite well, and the depiction of Robin as largely amoral, a perfectly nice guy in many ways but an outlaw who feels no compunction about shedding blood as necessary, is fairly successful. Also well-done is the inclusion of a young woman dressed as (but not really pretending to be) a young man in Robin Hood's band: based on this book and Robin McKinley's "The Outlaws of Sherwood", gender-swapping is apparently the key to adding interest to Robin Hood retellings. However, despite these variations, the story itself is fairly predictable, including many of the usual incidents and mostly following Robin's typical arc. In particular, Karr shrinks from taking the idea that Robin might be a villain too far: most of his less than noble impulses are ascribed to a need to keep the less savory members of his band happy, and conveniently enough, none of the characters the reader will be familiar with are counted in that number. Compare this to her King Arthur retelling, "The Idylls of the Queen", which starts from a minor incident in the "Le Morte D'Arthur" and proceeds to largely or completely reinvent several characters via a mystery story, and it becomes pretty clear that Robin Hood is, for whatever reason, quite hostile to imaginative reinventions. (Too many movie adaptations, maybe.) This is certainly one of the better ones I've read, but it's still fairly limited. It gets an extra half star for the interesting discussion of the history of Robin Hood, and interesting (in a different way) defense of writing the book the way it was written, in the afterword.
March 28, 2024
'The Gallows in the Greenwood', Robin Hood novel #33 (really more of a long novella) by Phyllis Ann Karr.
The "hook" for the story is a sort of a "what if" premise with the Sheriff of Nottingham being a hereditary title that is held by a woman, one Dame Alice. As such I expected her to be more of a character in the book or for there to be some exploration of what it would be like for a woman in medieval England to be holding a traditionally male role.
***SPOILERS HEREAFTER***
But mostly it seems like an excuse for Karr to double-dip in having Dame Alice function as both the sheriff AND the Prioress of Kirkly at the end.
Primarily though, it's not at all a story about her. It's about her squire, Dennis, and a romance that develops between him and one of the outlaws (a female "Midge the Miller's Daughter" invented by Karr).
Having star-crossed lovers with original characters set in the Robin Hood milieu is a perfectly delightful premise, but it gets undercut by making the Epilogue be about the conclusion of the rivalry between Robin and Dame Alice with the main characters of the book suddenly becoming afterthoughts.
What really undercut my enjoyment of the book, though, was the bizarre and arbitrary behavior of the outlaws. Especially at the end when they decide to execute Dennis for the infraction of... *checks notes*... HAVING SAVED ONE OF THEIR OWN FROM THE SHERIFF!!!
There's some interesting ideas present and Karr does generally succeed in her aim of presenting a world that feels medieval, but accessible to modern readers, but a lot of the tension gets drawn out needlessly, characters occasionally make unfathomable decisions, and the climax left a bitter and dissatisfied taste in my mouth.
The "hook" for the story is a sort of a "what if" premise with the Sheriff of Nottingham being a hereditary title that is held by a woman, one Dame Alice. As such I expected her to be more of a character in the book or for there to be some exploration of what it would be like for a woman in medieval England to be holding a traditionally male role.
***SPOILERS HEREAFTER***
But mostly it seems like an excuse for Karr to double-dip in having Dame Alice function as both the sheriff AND the Prioress of Kirkly at the end.
Primarily though, it's not at all a story about her. It's about her squire, Dennis, and a romance that develops between him and one of the outlaws (a female "Midge the Miller's Daughter" invented by Karr).
Having star-crossed lovers with original characters set in the Robin Hood milieu is a perfectly delightful premise, but it gets undercut by making the Epilogue be about the conclusion of the rivalry between Robin and Dame Alice with the main characters of the book suddenly becoming afterthoughts.
What really undercut my enjoyment of the book, though, was the bizarre and arbitrary behavior of the outlaws. Especially at the end when they decide to execute Dennis for the infraction of... *checks notes*... HAVING SAVED ONE OF THEIR OWN FROM THE SHERIFF!!!
There's some interesting ideas present and Karr does generally succeed in her aim of presenting a world that feels medieval, but accessible to modern readers, but a lot of the tension gets drawn out needlessly, characters occasionally make unfathomable decisions, and the climax left a bitter and dissatisfied taste in my mouth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2015
This was a very inventive re-envisioning of the Robin Hood legend that plausibly had the Sheriff of Nottingham as a woman. The main story revolves around the Sheriff's squire, who is captured by the outlaws. But I found the way Karr wove a lady sheriff into the back story fascinating. A very fun find for this Robin Hood fan.
July 28, 2014
I found this to be a quite interesting version of the RH story. There are takes on various ballads which Karr, I would argue, manages to weld into a cohesive and coherent tale. An added bonus for me is the author's afterword.
Definitely worth a read.
Definitely worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews