Unique post-apocalyptic world-building, interesting characters, and a plot filled with adventure and monsters! Scarlett is a skilled survivor and bank robber who, while traversing the dangerous Wilds, discovers a sole survivor of a bus accident. She helps the mysterious boy but they’re pursued because the boy named Albert has powers– and his prison warden and guards want him back for more experimentation. They hire an old man to get them to the safe isles and an unlikely friendship develops, even with the old man, as they escape from monsters and murderous humans. Note: There is one bad word at the beginning but that’s it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

In plot alone Stroud has presented us with a strong book. The world of this series is one devastated by climate change and some unnamed disaster. Cities are abandoned and lost to wilderness and floods. The remaining towns are insular and ruled by secretive cabals and strict standards of "purity". The spaces in between are the domain of monstrous man-eating animals and a sort of zombie. All elements that make for exciting reading and would be enough to make this a book easy to recommend. But Scarlett and Albert, the titular outlaws, are phenomenal. Both are keeping secrets and both add charm and quirks to the story. Scarlett is the bandit we love, who commits her crimes with cheek yet seeks to do good in the world when she sees the chance. Albert is a wide-eyed innocent who loves everything, bumbles endlessly, but is so effortlessly charming and guileless that we automatically cheer for him. A charming listen that will engage reluctant readers.

I absolutely adored Stroud's Lockwood and Co series, so when I saw this new series I knew I had to read it. This book was very fast-paced and full of action. There's also the expected humorous banter between the characters. However, I found that I was not quite as captivated by these characters and this journey as I was with Lockwood and Co. Perhaps it was just that I read the book at the wrong time. I'm not sure. But I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. I think that readers that enjoy Stroud's writing style, as well as readers that enjoy adventurous dystopians with a side of humor, will find a lot of this to like about this book.

Scarlett McCain has been a formidable criminal for years; her reputation as a notorious outlaw growing with every bank robbery.

Far beyond the safety of the city walls after a particularly daring escape, Scarlett finds an abandoned bus. Typically this could mean danger or access to supplies which are always scarce. Or it could mean both.

The bus holds more than Scarlett bargained for when she finds herself stuck with the hapless, lone survivor of the crash. Albert Browne projects harmless naivete with every word out of his annoying mouth. Scarlett is fairly certain she could break him in half without much effort. And she is sorely tempted.

When Scarlett reluctantly agrees to escort Albert across the wilds of England to a rumored safe haven it changes the trajectory of both their lives forever.

Not necessarily for the better.

Even Scarlett is surprised by the dogged pursuit once she and Albert begin traveling together evading the law, trackers, and worse. Scarlett is no stranger to being on the run. But she isn't sure what it means for herself or her strange new companion when it seems their pursuers aren't chasing her at all in The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne (2021) by Jonathan Stroud.

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is the first book in Stroud's latest YA series. Scarlett and Albert are white, there is some diversity (as indicated by names and described skintones) among the secondary cast. The story alternates close third person perspective following Scarlett and Albert with a gripping audiobook narrated by Sophie Aldred.

Fans of Stroud's previous novels, particularly his Lockwood & Co. series, will appreciate the same snark and reluctant bonding between these ragtag protagonists. The action-filled narrative contrasts well with both Scarlett and Albert keeping their pasts close as they learn to trust each other and slowly reveal their secrets.

With a focus on the main characters and their adventures some of the world building feels more like broad strokes than concrete details as Stroud paints a bleak future with England fragmented from societal instability and implied damage from climate change. New world orders and dangerous creatures roaming the wilds add further tension to this fast-paced story and leave plenty of room for expansion in later installments.

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is a compelling origin story for two outlaws with hearts of gold and hopefully many more stories to tell.

Possible Pairings: Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist, Dustborn by Erin Bowman, The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Flood City by Daniel Jose Older, The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah, Ice Breaker by Lian Tanner, Blood Red Road by Moira Young

*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*

Overall

Would you believe that I had never read a Jonathan Stroud book before? Even though I’ve heard ridiculously good things about his book. Even though he’s one of Annemieke @ A Dance With Book’s favorite authors and I see her talk about his work all the time. Despite owning several of his books? Yeah, I’m a little disappointed with myself, too. So as soon as I saw that he was coming out with a new series, let alone one about outlaws, I knew I had to jump on it!

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is a fast-paced adventure fantasy set in a dystopian world you won’t want to visit but filled with characters you’re sure to love, with plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing as to what’ll happen next.

Boy am I glad I decided to pick this up, and now I see what I’ve been missing. I’ll definitely need to go back and read some of Stroud’s work, because this book was so much fun! It’s got a wonderfully dark world juxtaposed against this very comic duo that end up together through no fault of their own: an awesomely badass female outlaw and the hopeless, naive boy she has the misfortune of saving. I absolutely cannot wait for more in this series!

My Thoughts

- Unlike a lot of dark worlds, I’m not sure I’d want to join this one. It’s dystopian, and filled with monsters, but the people here just might be worst than any of the wild beasts. The reader gets a look at the world in bits and pieces, as we travel along with Scarlett and, eventually, Albert. It takes some time for Stroud to build a better picture of the world . . . and when he does, I assure you, you may not like what you see. It’s a rough and tumble world, but not like the old west sort. More like The Handmaiden’s Tale meets the creatures from your worst nightmares. So maybe not the type of place to schedule as your next vacation retreat.

Lucky for those of us not living there, this creates a lot of tension and what I like to call fun for the characters. That’s obviously my word and not theirs. I don’t want to talk too much about the world, because I feel like half the pleasure is all the little surprises that come up as you delve deeper into the world and discover new things. I was definitely surprised by what I learned as Scarlett and Albert ventured into new areas and met new people.

- The female protagonist, Scarlett, is a badass outlaw who’s good at what she does and doesn’t apologize for that. In other words, she’s a delight. If nothing else, read this book for Scarlett, because she is an absolute treasure. She’s very much the outlaw stereotype: no nonsense, nothing holding her back, out for her own. She’s smart, though, and very shrewd and calculating. In fact, when you first meet Scarlett, she’s doing what she does best: casually robbing a bank. You know, like you do. For me, it was love at first theft, because how can you not fall for this girl?! Then enter Albert, of course, who seems to be her opposite (and nothing but a thorn in her side, really).

- The male protagonist, Albert, is a little less . . . well, everything. But he’s utterly adorable, slightly naive, and absolutely filled to the brim with secrets. I lied when I said you should read the book for Scarlett. Read it for Scarlett and Albert, because the juxtaposition between the two personalities is just *chef’s kiss*. They’re so different and yet so perfectly suited for each other. When you first meet Albert, he’s also doing what he does best: hiding from the scary world outside.

Albert is such a cinnamon roll that it’s impossible not to love him. He’s just adorable. Also definitely hiding things. Then again, who isn’t? Albert is one big mystery in this book, from his background to his goals to his personality in general.

- This book isn’t just dark, though. There’s a little bit of everything: adventure, humor, mystery. It’s a book that will sink its jaws into you and refuse to let go. I had high expectations going into this book just because of all the good things I’ve heard about the author. The minute I started the book, though, I knew I was going to love it. How could you not with an opening like this?!

That morning, with the dawn hanging wet and pale over the marshes, Scarlett McCain woke up beside four dead men. Four! She hadn’t realized it had been so many. No wonder she felt stiff.


If that doesn’t immediately make you fall in love with Scarlett . . . well, this book probably isn’t for you, and I don’t know that we can be friends anymore. Okay, okay, we can still be friends. Just know that I’m definitely going to judge you for this. Probably give you more than a little side-eye, too.

There is a lot of action in this book, and even when there isn’t, there’s never a dull moment. It’s dark but funny, with characters and a world shrouded in mystery, discovered through one plot twist after another. There’s a little something for everyone, and I can already tell that I’m going to love this series!

This is it is an EXCELLENT title for my middle school students. The mystery and intrigue combined with the completely unique waterlogged Wild West-steampunk-dystopic England make for an exciting story. Add in our main characters, Scarlett and Albert, and the reader is on an adventure from start to finish.

There were surprises and unexpected twists and turns, beginning with Scarlett, the notorious outlaw who carries a swear jar. And don't get me started on Albert. Every time I thought I had him figured out, something new would be revealed.

It's also, as to be expected with a Jonathan Stroud book, rather hilarious.

I will be adding this to my school library!

I received a NetGalley ARC of this book from the publisher, but this review is based on the final published book.

This was a fun read, if a bit different than Stroud’s previous books. There are some dark and gory parts, but it’s a dystopian at heart with the feel of a western. I was left with a lot of questions, especially about Scarlett’s history, but I suppose that makes one eager to read the sequel. Engaging characters, interesting premise, creepy villain.

As a big Jonathan Stroud fan, I was always going to read this book, but it isn't quite like the previous things he's written. In a fractured London, teen bank robber Scarlett happens upon a crashed and mangled bus that contains Albert Browne, a boy with powers who has recently escaped captivity that involved torturous tests of his abilities. The two team up and fight bad guys, take on crazy unnatural creatures, and rob another bank, among other adventures. It's an action-packed story that will keep readers turning pages and after finishing the book, I doubt we have seen the last of Scarlett and Browne. I just hope Stroud can find time to give us one more Bartimeaus book--I miss him so!

I've been a huge fan of Stroud's Lockwood and Co. series for years now so I was ridiculously excited when I saw that he had a new book and series releasing. I can still remember sitting down with my book and a cup of hot chocolate all prepared to lose myself in a good book for a chunk of the day. So it almost hurts me to say that I really struggled to get into The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne and at this point, I'm honestly unsure if I am going to read any of the other books in the series when they release.

Jonathan Stroud is a fantastic author and while I think his writing is as good as ever, I found the worldbuilding of The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne to be lacking in an important way. FOr me, the characters in a book definitely make or break the story and I just didn't like Scarlett or Albert all that much, and while we got to know Albert fairly well pretty much everything about Scarlett was left a mystery. Now while that may have been done on purpose, it kind of caused a domino effect in that it made it difficult for me to care about her character at all and since she's one of the two main characters, it made it difficult for me to get into the story at all. that much and since she's one of the two protagonists, it made it difficult for me to get into the story at all.

Normally I would be really disappointed that I didn't like a book by an author I'm a fan of but honestly it just means I'll go back and reread all the Lockwood books over again since it's been a while since I have. I'm sure most people who are fans of Strouds will love this book but I just don't think it was for me.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, oh my goodness this was fun.

Scarlett is irreverent and ballsy--all that we love about a spunky YA heroine but for a MG audience. There's a unique, fantastical world. A great introduction to dystopia for MG readers. A few surprises regarding initial judgements of characters, which I liked. The fun and wildness seemed to dim, a bit, about half-way. I'd compare OUTLAWS to a novel in the PERCY JACKSON empire but with a female protagonist.

A bit gorey, with many references to slavery, but otherwise pretty appropriate for the MG audience.

Overall, recommended.

As a huge fan of Lockwood & Co. I was excited for this new series by Stroud. While it doesn’t (yet) compare with my favorite Stroud series, I was pleasantly surprised by the creativity and new approach to the dystopian genre. The pacing was a bit slow at times and it was somewhat difficult to get into the world, but for the most part I liked the characters, loved the snarky humor, and am optimistic for the future of the series.

The wild dystopian west (in Britain) with monsters.

Scarlett is a bank robber. Notorious, infamous, and younger than expected, considering all her exploits. She may be a ruthless outlaw, but when she happens upon Albert, sole survivor of some transit accident, Scarlett offers him escort to the next town over. What should have been a simple trip suddenly becomes lethally more eventful.

This was a wacky sort of dystopian fantasy. Bizarre, but in a good way, once I got into it. I was hoping this would be more similar to the author's previous books. I loved the Lockwood & Co. series. This one felt more dystopian with less magic in comparison, although it wasn't a bad read, just very...different.

Scarlett was an excellent character. Young, resilient, practical, and amazingly good at her work. (Bank robbing and escaping tight situations.) Albert was so weird and naive and inept in comparison, but somehow, the two made a great team.

Even though this is dystopian, it wasn't the typical dark and hopeless type. There were lots of humorous moments, and excellent satirical writing. I usually avoid dystopian books because of their gloomy atmosphere, but this book had more of a wild West with some monsters and some magic kind of feel. It was much cheerier than I expected.

In a dystopian future, citizens can live proper and prim lives under the strict laws of the walled cities, or they can live in the wilds outside the safety of the cities. For Scarlett, teen thief extraordinaire, cities are there to be robbed. On the run after liberating a bank of its funds, Scarlett comes across a boy stranded in the wild. Albert is strange and has his own secrets, but Scarlett agrees to escort him to the next town. When her act of kindness gets her into more trouble than her heist deserves, Scarlett realizes that Albert's secrets may be more unusual and lucrative than she could've imagined. Or, they can just get then both killed.

I don't like how Jonathan Stroud creates his worlds. He doesn't commit one way or another to whether the world is ours in an alternative time or if it's all fantasy. the cover of this is also too cartoony to be teen adventure/fantasy; I thought this was middle grade initially. The climax should have been the fight that happened 80% in, but the story was dragged on too far. I found it difficult to sink into this one and didn't find the ending satisfying. It's just not my kind of book.

Jonathan Stroud has another hit on his hands. This new book did not disappoint and I am excited to get this in the hands of my readers who loved Lockwood and Bartimeus.

Wow! This was a fascinating book. You could totally tell Stroud put a ton of work into building this disturbing but interesting world. I honestly didn't expect the storyline to be quite that dark. However, I did really enjoy the book, and there were twists and turns that I definitely didn’t see coming!
Scarlett was an interesting main character for me. I was expecting more of a Robin Hood type of character, but she definitely falls more into the chaotic neutral category. She’s totally willing to kill someone if they get in her way, and half the time, she’s just trying to save her own skin. But she’s totally aware of her faults too, and even though she complains about it, she helps Albert, who doesn’t have anybody.
I felt bad for Albert! His life was a whole other level of horrible, but there were also times that I wanted to smack him along with Scarlett. He was sooo naive! And a weird mix of nice and selfish. While I’m still unsure if I like him, Stroud got me invested in both him and Scarlett.
The storyline in this one was fascinating too! A good bit darker than I was expecting though, especially for a kid’s book. Albert is tortured, locked up, and has to watch people like him be killed. Scarlett kills someone in the first chapter, and in the towns, there’s various executions.There’s a wonderful thread in the story about how people should not be punished or bullied for their differences, but it gets clouded by how morally depraved a lot of the characters are. Even though I know I said a lot of negative things, I really did enjoy this book! I would just recommend it to older kids, maybe even teens. Obviously it’s up to parent’s discretion. So while Outlaws Scarlett and Browne has a fantastic story and interesting characters, parents should probably read it before giving it to their kids.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Scarlett Josephine McCain, of unknown age (but probably somewhere between 15 and 18 years old) is wanted by the militias of twenty Surviving Towns. She has robbed banks across Wessex, Mercia, and Wales. She has prospected for gold in the Menai Hills; and she killed the outlaw Black Carl Nemaides. To say that she is able to take of herself is putting it mildly. She doesn't need anyone else looking out for her and certainly she doesn't need to be responsible for anyone else.
Enter Albert Browne. A young boy that Scarlett happened on in a bus crash and he was the only survivor. But surviving the crash was only the beginning. As dusk approaches the dangers increase - from wild animals to The Tainted - and Scarlett grudgingly allows Albert to tag along as she continues on her wayward journey.

But Albert isn't an ordinary teen/pre-teen boy and the bus accident maybe wasn't an accident. But could a quiet, unassuming boy have anything to do with it? Scarlett and Albert become unlikely partners, protecting one another as a very dominant threat is constantly at their heels.

I think that Jonathan Stroud is one of the greatest, dark fantasy YA writers currently working. One of my sons and I regularly walk through the children's section of bookstores specifically to see if there's a new Jonathan Stroud book. Admittedly, our fascination with Stroud's work is based solely on the Lockwood & Co. series. But based on this, we'll have a new series to follow now.

One of the really fun aspects here is that we are introduced to Scarlett in a very exciting opening, and we're given a lot of clues as to her character and we pretty much know everything we need to know about her within the first chapter or two. Some of her history comes out as we go, but her general character is clear right off the bat.

Albert, on the other hand, we know nothing about and this book, while a wild adventure, is a long character-building story, revealing a little more and then a little more about him. I honestly hadn't anticipated this, but it really enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

Scarlett becomes the protective big sister with some mad fighting skills and we readers are cheering for her all along the way. That seems a little odd, when you consider she's robbing banks sometimes, but Stroud does really well to makes sure we understand that it really is the jerks who are getting their come-uppance and not the average guy on the street.

This is an all-around fun read.

Looking for a good book? The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud is a nice blend of fantasy & supernatural along with heart-racing adventure. If you know any child (or even adult) who loves well-written fiction in this vein, they'll love this book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book with a unique premise, that I would recommend trying to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I will read anything Jonathan Stroud does. And I overall loved the Outlaws Scarlett and Browne. In his usual signature move, he threw us into the deep end of a strange and interesting world and slowly started to show the readers more as it went. His ability to make compelling characters and have you trust them enough to follow them to more about the world is really amazing. I am not super pleased with the addition of The Tainted. I know zombies and things like Firefly's Reavers are very popular right now but creatures like that make it very difficult for me to read things. I know it's personal preference but it adds a much deeper horror to it all and made it hard for me to get through as much as I loved Scarlett and Albert. I'm worried about their part in the sequels too.

This is such a fun book! It has the perfect mixture of action and humor with a little fantasy sprinkled on top.

Scarlett is an outlaw. She's on the run from her latest heist when she comes across an accident. That's how she meets Albert. He is the only survivor. Against her better judgement, she agrees to help him find the next town. Then they will part ways.
The people after them have different ideas. Scarlett is starting to wonder if they are after her or Albert.

These characters are great. Scarlett is sarcastic and funny, and Albert sees the good in everything, so people think he's an idiot. They make an interesting pair. Hopefully there will be more of these books because I have questions about Scarlett's past and just because this was so enjoyable.