“Making Marion" by Beth Moran (2014)

Beth Moran's Making Marion is not so much an explicitly Robin Hood novel, but it is very much a work of Robin Hood-themed fiction. I have read this book twice now, and it is my favorite romance genre novel to date. 

Making Marion follows Marion Miller, who leaves Ireland and her abusive past behind her when she goes to Sherwood Forest to learn more about her father's past, following the only clue she has: a picture of her father at the Robin Hood Festival. Her search leads to the Peace and Pigs campground and a job, where she meets new friends, including Rueben Hatherstone, son of Lord and Lady Hatherstone whose land adjoins to the Peace and Pigs campground. 

When I describe this book to others, I like to say that it's a "modern AU" within the very meta setting of Robin Hood tourism. I grew up reading (and writing) fanfiction, including all varieties of Robin Hood fanfiction. Although independent and very loosely inspired, there some definite parallels between the contemporary characters and their literary counterparts. For the majority, it starts and stops with their names. Marion and Reuben as the romantic leads are fairly obvious, and compounded on the fact that Reuben is the son and heir of Lord and Lady Hatherstone. Scarlett manages the campground, but she doesn't have much in common with Will Scarlet other than a good sense of fashion. Little John gets a reference in two characters, one is a pig called Little Johnny, and the other a brief appearance of a man named Big Johnny for his stature. Meanwhile the Sheriff of Nottingham (or an amalgamation of Robin Hood villains) can be found in the man who owns the Peace Pigs' land, and attempts price out Scarlett by raising the rent to an unaffordable rate.

Particularly meta moments are found when characters are volunteer actors for the Robin Hood festival, playing their corresponding roles. It's marvelously fun, and Robin Hood festival scenes are some of my favorites in the book. 

While the characters are fun, what really makes my Robin Hood heart happy is the setting of this novel. There are ample descriptions of the Robin Hood festival, references to Robin Hood tourism, and a few easter eggs which may or may not have been accidental. As someone who has yet to have the chance to jump across the pond and visit Robin Hood country, in many ways this book feels like a year-long vacation to Sherwood Forest, helped by the fact that it's written by a Nottingham local. The descriptions of the Robin Hood Festival, Sherwood Forest, and surrounding areas were enchanting, and felt drawn from real life. It's a genuine pleasure to read!

What makes Making Marion extraordinary is how it presents trauma, grief, and mental health. This book has excellent, true-to-life representation of the effects of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, and grief. There is remarkable character growth and development for Marion throughout this work, as she fights to gain a better sense of herself and win her own independence. It's impossible not to root for her, and at the end of the book, both times I've read it, I have felt genuinely proud of her as a character for the effort and work that she puts in to gain what's important to her. This novel should not be dismissed on the basis of its genre. 

I heartily recommend this book to any Robin Hood fan, especially those who haven't had the opportunity to visit Nottingham or Sherwood Forest. Despite the darker undertones of the plot, this book is truly a "feel-good" read, and honestly one of the best reading experiences I've had with a Robin Hood novel. When I finally get my chance to visit Sherwood Forest, I know I'll be thinking of this book.