These two characters are instantly likable. Great banter from the jump and the unreliable narration provides just enough intrigue to make you want to read "just one more chapter" before bed. Fun adventure.

The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne Book 1 by Jonathan Stroud; Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 432 pages ($17.99) Ages 10 and up.

Whip-smart dialogue, a sharpshooting heroine and nonstop, explosive action propel this thrilling Wild West-flavored dystopian fantasy set in the ruined landscape of post-apocalypse England.

Scarlett McCain, a red-haired, gum-chewing, wise-cracking, fierce slip of a girl, has just robbed a bank when she stumbles on the wreckage of a bus full of flies and the bloody remains of the passengers. She is searching through the gore for food and any valuables when a spindly youth named Albert Browne emerges from the bus toilet compartment. Scarlett reluctantly agrees to let Albert travel with her and the two set off, pursued by an unusually tenacious search party. In the course of a harrowing chase, Scarlett discovers Albert is hiding a deadly secret.

Jonathan Stroud, author of the Bartimaeus young adult novels and the Lockwood & Co. children's series, offers a vividly imagined ruined landscape populated by terrifying cannibalistic creatures known as "The Tainted," along with voracious bears, wolves, giant otters, mud rats and predatory birds. There are vast dead zones, radioactive after "the Cataclysm." The surviving towns are walled encampments with "Faith Houses" that tolerate no deviation or deformity in the human population, where children are sold as slaves in the markets and executions serve as public entertainment.

Stroud's often hilarious narrative pulls the reader in from the opening paragraph:

"That morning, with the dawn hanging wet and 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. She tipped her prayer mat from its tube and unrolled it on the ground. Sitting cross-legged upon it, she tried to meditate. No luck, not with four corpses staring at her and a knife wound throbbing in her arm. A girl couldn't concentrate in those conditions."

A girl with deadly aim who carries a prayer mat and shows a surprising empathy for helpless folk in trouble joins the pantheon of memorable redheads in children's books, a gallery that includes Anne Shirley and Pippi Longstocking. Stroud expertly builds the suspense and crafts thrilling action scenes in what is in essence one long chase. The villainous Mrs. Calloway is truly terrifying. Readers will eagerly await the next adventure of Scarlett and Browne.

I first didn’t think much of the cover but after reading this book, I think it is perfect for the audience. This a young YA book that takes places in a somewhat vague post-apocalypse, ableist England. None of the twists were very surprising, but I enjoyed the story and the character interactions. This is why I called it a young YA book. There is quite an adventure, but you have to be able to remove yourself from overthinking and have to be willing to suspend disbelief a few times. You get a few of the other character is nice looking but thankfully, no romance. The book focuses on ableism but not on racism or homophobia etc, which kinds of stands out.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

I am a huge fan of this author and love his work.  I was thrilled to hear about this new series.  The novel takes place in a dystopian England with a western flair.  Civilization is held in a loose collection of cities and the wilderness is a scary place of blighted landscapes and creatures.

At home in this wilderness is a gal named Scarlett who is wanted pretty much everywhere for robbery and assorted crimes.  She fierce and stubborn and awesome.  She happens to come across a boy named Albert Browne who is basically a walking accident waiting to happen.  He is sensitive and dreamy-eyed and never sees the danger even as it is about to eat him.  Against her better sense of self-preservation, Scarlett helps Browne.  Her world implodes and she just knows that boy is hiding something.

The best thing about this novel is the juxtaposition between Scarlet's sass and Browne's wishing to view the world at its best.  The banter and development of the relationship between the two is pure entertainment.  Then ye have the world itself with the dangers of both creatures and people alike.  I loved the world building and the characters even if there are more answers than questions.

I can't wait to find out more!  Arrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Random House!

I am so happy for a new series from the Lockwood and Co author! This is a dystopian with a western feel that takes place in what was once England. The setting alone is so cool and the main characters are well written and fun to follow. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next book.

Scarlett is a criminal who loves to rob banks and she's pretty good at it. She always seems to have a plan up her sleeve and her cool attitude in the face of danger makes her pretty awesome. What's even better is the way Albert gets under her skin and makes her blood boil. He's guileless and doesn't pick up on Scarlett's sarcasm and it's pretty hilarious. The two of them together cracked me up and they actually make a decent team when they work together.

I would have liked more world building in this. I don't know how the world changed so much and governments broke down. There's also a faction of people that seem to be evil, but we don't learn much about them. I'm hoping the next book will explain things more so I can get a better understanding.

There are so many funny parts to this, plus a lot of action and a nice friendship. This gets the stamp of approval, so check it out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Walker Books and NetGalley for the copy

I'm a huge fan of Lockwood & Co., so when I saw that Jonathan Stroud was releasing an adventurous story set in Britain, I had to read it. And I was not disappointed! The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is such a fun read with lots of action, sass, humor, and fantasy. I really couldn't put it down! The characters are brilliant, the plot is fantastic, and the writing is superb. If you enjoy action/adventure, definitely find yourself a copy of this book right away!

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I couldn’t put this book down. There was action, dark humor and vivid imagery. Jonathan Stroud created pretty awesome characters in Scarlett and Albert. I didn’t think I could imagine a dystopian Britain, but Stroud puts me right in the action. I liked that Scarlett was self-sufficient, even though she had some violent tendencies. Albert was endearing in all his awkwardness. The dynamic between the two was intriguing, with a fast-paced plot. I would love to read more from Stroud.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Book Series: The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: dystopian, young adult readers, apocalyptic

Publication Date: April 1, 2021

Genre: YA Dystopian

Recommended Age: 15+ (animal death, death, violence, gore, medical experiments/torture)

Explanation of CWs: There is an animal death shown in the book. There is violence and gore. There is also some medical experiments/torture shown.

Publisher: Walker Books

Pages: 400

Synopsis: Set in a fragmented future England, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne introduces us to a world where gunfights and monsters collide, and where the formidable outlaw Scarlett McCain fights daily against the odds. When she discovers a wrecked coach on a lonely road, there is only one survivor – the seemingly hapless youth, Albert Browne. Against her instincts, Scarlett agrees to escort him to safety. This is a mistake. Soon, new and implacable enemies are on her heels. As a relentless pursuit continues across the broken landscape of England, Scarlett must fight to uncover the secrets of Albert’s past – and come to terms with the implications of her own.

Review: Overall, this was a great book! I loved the dystopian world in this book. It’s probably one of my faves now! I loved the character development and the world building was also well done. The book had an interesting premise and it hooked me immediately. I also loved how well written the book was overall.

The only issue I had with the book is that sometimes it was a bit slow in the pacing, but overall it was very well done.

Verdict: I loved it!

I really liked this one. It was funny, fast-paced, had good world-building, and kept me wanting more. I laughed out loud more than once. The dangers that Scarlett and Albert face were scary. The description of the Tainted was SO creepy. They would fit in well in a horror movie. I loved the adventures and I would love to read another book (or two) with these characters.

What a fantastic ride! This was a great post apocalyptic adventure fantasy that gave me vibes of both Sanderson's latter trilogy set in the mistborn universe along with King's Gunslinger series. High octane, great world building - I couldn't put this one down! I was honestly surprised I was reading a middle grade book this engaging (as an adult reader). **Many thanks to both NetGalley and Alfred A. Knopf for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!**

The MC Scarlett is gritty, just like the world she finds herself living in, she's an outlaw, bank robber, and just a teenage girl. But when she saves the life of a very mysterious and VERY unworldly young man she gets more than she bargained for. Now it's not just the law, and various cut-throats after her but a powerful group who will do anything to get him back in their hands. This unlikely duo finds themselves on the run through a vastly changed UK landscape (from the one we know), desperate to find a veritable "promised land" where they hope he will be, finally safe. Of course nothing goes as planned, and more and more twists and turns show up.

This is the best kind of epic world building, in what promises to be an exciting series, and will hopefully get picked up by someone to either be an awesome limited series or movie - the visuals and stories here are crying for the screen!

Even though this is listed as upper middle grade it is an equally great read for both YA and Adult readers who love a good adventure fantasy - perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Philip Pullman, and Philip Reeve. Even though I have the eARC on my kindle I bought this one the day it came out and shortlisted it into my store. Highly recommend.

come find me on #bookstagram @museignitedreads

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours, Netgalley, and Alfred A. Knopf Books for this free copy.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I picked up The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne purely based on the author. I have heard that Jonathan Stroud is a pretty great writer and I have a few books of this Bartimaeus series (wallowing in my towering TBR pile!). Also, that cover is pretty stunning to look at, so I was drawn in immediately! I also had no idea that this book was published a few months back in April and this is a republish. How did we miss that?

THE STORY:

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is set in a dystopian England where what little humanity survived the Cataclysm are living in the safe havens known as Surviving Towns. These Surviving Towns are more-or-less governed by the Faith Houses and their operatives, who have a strict policy against people who are different, which means anything from missing limbs or birthmarks to possessing unexplained abilities.

Scarlett McCain is an outlaw who prefers to stick to the wilds outside these Towns, where she has grown quite competent at fending off the fierce mutant creatures as well as avoiding the cannibalistic Tainted. She carries out a successful bank heist in Cheltenham and flees to the wilds, planning on throwing her pursuers off her trail in the dangerous wilderness.

However, she comes across an overturned bus, which had been travelling between Towns, and Scarlett decides to stop by and scavenge what she could. Though the bus looks empty at first, she comes across Albert Browne, clumsy, loud and naïve, hiding in the bus lavatory.

Against her better judgement, Scarlett lets Albert tag along with her to the nearest Town but trouble starts brewing when mysterious pursuers start tracking them down along the way. Things get even more mysterious when Scarlett realises that these Faith House operatives are after Albert and not her.

THE CHARACTERS:

Scarlett and Albert are such amazing protagonists! They are total opposites and it is almost like the grumpy-sunshine trope without the romance. Scarlett is the irritable, survivalist badass and Albert is the naïve, optimistic cinnamon roll. I loved that the female protagonist was the grumpy MC and that Albert slowly grows on her throughout their chase across England.

There wasn’t a huge cast in this story but the few side characters that did star were hilariously memorable! Scarlett and Albert get acquainted with a boatman named Joe and his infant granddaughter Ettie during their travels. These two just made the story so much more fun and hilarious to me. I loved Joe’s dry sarcastic humour and his love for Ettie. The whole crew together grew on me too, which is so funny because they are honestly such a bad-tempered bunch!

The bad guys absolutely terrified me. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, so I can’t really discuss them much. But rest assured that the villains in this story are just dark and downright horrible!

THE WRITING:

Since this is my first Jonathan Stroud book, I had no idea what to expect, so I was pleasantly surprised by the Lemony Snicket vibes his writing gave me. The dialogue, the characters, everything had this sarcastic humour to it that I really enjoyed.

My favourite bits of writing were the conversations between Scarlett and Albert! They were hilarious! The author really knew how to weave an entertaining conversation between these two that achieved a balance between compliments and insults at every turn. Absolutely brilliant! Overall, the writing was top notch!

THE PLOT:

I loved the plot of this book. Since this is the first book in the series, I felt like it focused more on Scarlett and Albert’s origin story, as in how they meet and become a team. It also opened up the author’s harsh dystopian version of England, which I was equal parts fascinated and horrified by. It is a very solid series starter and I am very much invested in this series now.

But my only issue was with the slow pacing in the middle third of the book. The beginning was very fascinating because the reader got introduced to the characters and the world of the book. The middle slowed down significantly and I struggled a bit to make it through. But the last third of the book picked up quickly and the story ended phenomenally!

THE WORLD-BUILDING:

As I said, the author’s vision of dystopian England here is post-Cataclysm, an event that is mentioned but not really explained. Whatever it is has affected the geography as well as the wildlife of the country and maybe the world. It was so cool to read about man-eating otters the size of humans and the carnivorous birds that just swoops in to grab babies if left unattended. And the cannibals known as the Tainted were a terrifying feature too.

I loved the author’s vision here and I have so many questions. I was also a huge fan of how he paid attention to culture as well and talked about religion. All the religions seemed like a mixed entity in these Surviving Towns and I was surprised by how easily that was integrated into that society.

It was fascinating to read about the Faith Houses and their shunning of anyone who is different because, the way I see it, they live in a world that has practically mutated. It was also a chilling commentary on how bad things could get in a society that would not accept its people for the way they are.

FINAL VERDICT:

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud. Though the pacing in the middle had me struggling a bit, I fell in love with the quirky and surprisingly loveable characters and the terrifying but fascinating take on a dystopian version of England. This is definitely a very strong series starter and I am already in love with these protagonists! I can only hope that the sequel comes out sometime soon!

Before starting this book I seriously didn’t know what to expect. However, even not knowing what to expect I had so much fun reading this middle grade novel.

First of all, let me tell you guys that I loved (like love in capital letters) Scarlett so so much. She’s hilarious, strong and sassy. Exactly like I prefer the heroines in the books I read. If you follow me on Goodreads you’re probably going to see that I’ve hit that 5-stars button on the site without even having to think. I was as fast as Flash would have probably been. I’m not even kidding!

The things I liked most, next to Scarlett were obviously the world building and the writing style. These are usually the things that make me like the book. Like probably 95% of the other bookworms but still I prefer to state it on every review because both of these aspects are really important to me.

The first encounter of our main characters was unexpected and oh boy I wished that I’d had a warning at that time because I couldn’t stop laughing. (Spoiler Alert: I was just drinking something out of my water bottle and well the coughing fit I had afterwards was spectacular.) The chemistry between Scarlett and Albert was on point as well even though I wouldn’t like to be alone with both of them. Let’s be serious that would be scary as heck.

If you are a fan of sarcasm/dark humor and you love fast paced and action packed novels then “The Oultaws” just has to be your next pick. You won’t be disappointed by it and even though this is a book for the younger readers amongst us, I can promise you that this is also perfect for adults. “The Outlaws” can help you relax after a long day of work/school by taking you on an adventure, so buckle your seatbelts and grab your copy of the book. You won’t be able to put this book down anytime soon.

I like to think of myself as someone who is pretty up to date on books. I know the new releases in all genres, I take weekly trips to B&N, mostly just to walk around, see what's on the up and up and add to my neverending tbr. I participate in cover reveals, book tours, etc, and casually stalk new authors on social media.

I am not sure how this book snuck by me, but boy was it SNEAKY!

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

That, my friends, is the opening line to a book that is sure to be my favorite of the month and it's only October 6th. TOSAB opens with our spunky bubble-gum chewing outlaw as she kills her way out of a sticky situation and subsequently robs a bank because who wouldn't? She's confident in her skills and very okay about working alone, so when she happens upon a bus crash and a survivor named Albert stuck in a bathroom, she isn't too keen on a tag-along. But she agrees to help him and things go from bad to worse. She's not only running from debtors, but from a group of people who want Albert. He's hiding secrets, but so is she. What's the worse that could happen?

Stroud gives us a Wild West type dystopian England that was a bit of a character in itself. The world is wrought with Tainted humans, oversized animals, and people who make their own rules. He gives us elements of fantasy and dystopian without it feeling familiar. He is an effortless writer (I know he probably isn't and cries behind his laptop sometimes as we writers do) but I'd like to keep this illusion going.

His characters leap off the page. Scarlett is morally grey, fierce, stubborn, and brutal while Albert is the complete opposite in his politeness and calm. Scarlett is jaded about the world whereas Albert is curious and naive and despite their pasts, they are good people at heart who want nothing more than to find where they belong. They are two very different people on very different paths and it took me aback at how perfect they were with each other, despite their differences. Opposites attract, right?

The plot is action-packed and strings us along this journey through a waterlogged world. With each stop along their travels, we learn a bit more about Scarlett and Albert and establish their characters. By the time the book ended, I immediately wanted to jump into book two. Please let there be a book two. PLEEEEEASSSSSE.

My only qualm was that this felt like an epilogue. I didn't feel that sense of completion went the story ended; it felt like the beginning.

Overall, I absolutely loved every single second of this book. it had everything I love in a YA fantasy. This is my first Stroud novel and it will not be my last.

Set in a future dystopian England, Jonathan Stroud has written an adventure story suitable for upper elementary and middle/junior high students. Scarlett McCain is an outlaw with a price on her head for the money she owns to the Brothers in Hand. While making her escape from the local law enforcement, she comes across a bus wreck and discovers the sole survivor, Albert Browne, hiding in the lavatory. She and Albert, leave the bus, just as the scavenging animals arrive. They make their way to an abandoned house and settle in for the night, only to have the law catch up to them, and they again must make an escape. What is Albert’s story and why is the law so hot on the trail? Read: The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, to find out.
#TheOutlawsScarlettandBrowne #NetGalley

4/5 Stars. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC of the novel.

I'll admit it. I requested it because of the cover. Like...LOOK AT THAT. I also loved the description. And then I opened it up, and oh my god. It might have the best first line I've read in a MG/YA novel.

Like, "That morning, with the dawn hanging wet and pale over the marshes, Scarlett McCain woke up beside four dead men. Four!" I was immediately like, okay, I like this. The premise is a bit weird, like a dystopian setting where I assume it's like an alternate timeline of early Britain (since there are the seven kingdoms) but also like the cities don't exist, there are strange creatures, and the cannibals, and all of these other things that fit in a dystopian setting...but it's also like old-timey if the british had western vibes. But it's also steampunk and men have bowler hats and revolvers like Scarlett uses. I sincerely cannot describe the world any better than this. Scarlett also robs banks. I love Scarlett. The world is further discombobulated by the fact that the 'Faith House' runs everything, and there is just a conglomerate of ALL the religions that people can choose from. I don't know how else to describe the world building.

Scarlett is immensely likable. She's a criminal mastermind, but also is intelligent and handy in all situations. Albert is an interesting addition to the world, and also brings in the fact that these people apparently have genetic deformities that give them magical powers like telekinesis and exploding people and things with their minds. Look, if this review doesn't indicate how wacky and wild this book is, I don't know what else to put.

I deducted a star though since I am somewhat confused by the history they live in, and I would have appreciated more world building and background information; however, this appears to be a series, so I hope we learn more as the series continues.

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did...however, the length of this review should convince you that this book....is very good.

"The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne" is a well written adventure/Western set in a dystopian, alternate England. While the writing and dialogue is flawless, the plot has some pacing issues and the characters could use more back story.

Scarlett is on the run after robbing another bank. This teenage bandit is feisty and funny. While trying to evade the posse, she rescues Albert Browne from a wrecked bus. Now the unlikely duo are on the run together. Albert is definitely hiding something and Scarlett is determined to find out what. Although I liked the two main characters, I didn't especially love the story. While the background of Albert was revealed though out the story, there was no insight into Scarlett's background and how she came to be such a young but skilled thief and marksman. About halfway through the story I was able to predict the ending and had to drag though about 150 more pages of running, shooting, and gore to find out I was correct. It doesn't leave me anxious to invest my time into book 2 when it comes out.

Scarlett is an amazing outlaw and really just what her world needs to keep the world a more exciting and wonderful place. I enjoyed her spunk and am glad she found a way to make so new friends who could help her mess up the status quo.

What an exciting ride! I was pulled in and mesmerized by Stroud's amazing world-building. I felt that I was immersed into an advanced global-warming future, with it's combination of overbearing, over-controlling town life, contrasted with the crude lawlessness of the open frontier. The main characters -- Scarlett, fierce and fearless, seemingly merciless, but there's something to be discovered under that hard shell; Albert, with zero real world experience, good-natured, naive and seemingly helpless, but is there strength underneath it all?; Joe, a stoic man of few words, whose love and need to protect his granddaughter trump every other intention; and little Ettie, who displays depth without uttering a word -- all are unique, interesting, intriguing and relatable -- all learn from each other as the adventure unfolds, but still have plenty of room to grow. So bring on the sequel, baby! I'm in!

I'm a huge fan of Jonathan Stround and have been checking for new books for a long time. I couldn't WAIT to read this one. I was disappointed. There was so much left unexplained. We get very little information about who Scarlett is and why she is on her own. We get NO information about what happened to England... there really should have been more on this, the reader is left completely in the dark about it. Seems like pretty important information to include. Also almost no information about Albert's curse/abilities/family ... why is he like that? I resented not being clued in more about what the heck was going on. I'm sure that more will be revealed in the next book(s) but I'm not eager to read a second book because of being left with so little in the first.