In this sequel to Walk the Wild With Me, Rachel
Atwood continues her delightful mash-up of the Robin Hood legends, Faerie, the
Wild Folk, and characters from British and Celtic pagan folklore. Like the
first book, this story begins slowly, which allows the reader to settle in to a
world that defies some but not all assumptions. Each of the many viewpoint
characters has his or her own backstory and goals. Yet even when the pace seems
slow, the intricate connections between the ordinary world, Faerie, and the
world of magic unfold like a tapestry. Characters grow and change, secrets are
revealed, and the wonderful way in which Atwood upends expectations all create
a personal and unique approach to the stories we thought we knew.
Now the focus is on Robin (Goodfellow/Hood) and his lost
love, Marian, and it’s great to see them take center stage. For the past 60
years, Robin
has lived under a curse. For half of each day, he is a hideous gnome
(Goodfellow) with a bit of magic and near immortality. The other half of the
day, he is human, the legendary Robin Hood. Marian is locked in a secret
chamber in perpetual sleep. The curse can be broken only if Robin awakens
Marian in his gnome form and she recognizes who he truly is. This is a reverse
of the old ballad, Tam Lin. Then it is the woman who, seeking to rescue
her lover from the faeries, must pull him from horse and hold onto him
as he is transformed into a variety of beasts and other dangers. Only when he
is in his true form can his enchantment be broken.
As in the previous volume, Atwood spins a new take on
traditional folk elements.
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