Review: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

The outlaw Robin Hood and his band of merry men dwell in Sherwood Forest, stealing from those who have too much and helping those who have little. Their lives are filled with rollicking adventures, fights, fairs and feasts, all the while dodging the danger of getting caught by King Henry or the vengeful Sheriff of Nottingham.

This book recounts some of those adventures, including how Robin met his right-hand man Little John, his minstrel Allan a Dale, and the jolly Friar Tuck, who all join his band; how he rescues some of his men from out of the clutches of the sheriff, and dodges all the agents sent to catch him; how he helps the sorrowful knight, Richard of the Lea; and, finally, how he is pardoned and enters the service of King Richard.

I highly enjoyed reading The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, especially as someone who loved hearing the tales of Robin Hood as a child. I had never read this particular version of the tales before, which combines and rewrites some of the old ballads into a coherent narrative, but it swiftly became my favourite.

I liked the old-fashioned writing style, written in an idiom akin to old English, but much easier to understand. In addition, the cover, artwork, and general presentation of my edition, complete with gilt edges and a ribbon bookmark, really enhanced the reading experience (I know that makes me shallow, but I’m a real sucker for a pretty book cover, so long as the contents are also of good quality — I had the Barnes and Noble edition of the book, if any of you are interested).

It was fun to read a book with such an idealistic outlook; it was a refreshing break after the more serious and dark works that I started the year off reading, and I loved the overall joyful tone of the stories. One loves to root for Robin and his men in their escapades, which always have satisfying and gleeful results. There were plenty of funny moments and humour that made me smile scattered throughout the pages, and the characters were loveable and charming. It also had pretty descriptions and rich scenery galore. The stories are all fun and entertaining, and I never felt bored with any of them.

Another thing that I liked about this book was that, to my mind, it portrays a much healthier version of masculinity than many other novels and tales out there. Robin and his men care for each other, and they are not afraid to laugh at themselves, or to cry openly, or to be courteous to those who best them.

Keep in mind if you are planning to read this book that the stories are very far-fetched and not that believable, so if that is something that irritates you, this book may not be for you — after all, it is kind of the point of the book, and the author states so clearly in the introduction. It does make for a lovely bit of escapism, though.

Also, the structure of some of the stories can start to get a little repetitive after a while; the search for adventure, a fight, and then a new member joining the band. Not every single story has this structure, but a good few of them did, and it got slightly too predictable as the book went on. I still enjoyed the stories, as they varied just enough to still be entertaining, but I would have liked if there was a different narrative for some of them.

Another thing that disappointed me a little was that Maid Marian was not included in the stories at all. It didn’t take away from the quality of the stories as a whole, but as someone who was a fan of the character as a child, I was a little disappointed to find her absent.

(Mild Spoiler)

In addition, the ending was kind of sad, and didn’t fit with the overall tone of the book; I, for one, could have done without it.

(End spoiler)

These aren’t really flaws in the book, however, more just my personal preference.

One other thing I thought I would mention is that, though the book was written for children, I think that the “old English” style of writing may be a bit difficult for some to understand. However, it was written a while ago (in 1883, I believe), and this might be why.

As far as content goes, the book contains some mild violence, bloodshed, and death of both humans and animals, as well as (obviously) descriptions of criminal activity and drinking, but I don’t think there is anything in it that makes it inappropriate for childrens’ consumption.

In short, I highly enjoyed this book as a bit of nostalgic, adventurous escapism, and wouldn’t have any trouble recommending it to readers of all ages. You can’t really go wrong with Robin Hood!