This was such a delight. My knowledge of the Crusades is very basic, but enough to have been very excited when I saw the setting. Even more excited once I saw it was a Robin Hood retelling in this time period. The writing was wonderful and lush, and I very quickly got invested in all the characters. They did perhaps jump a little quickly into banding together, but that's literally my only critique, and I'm willing to overlook because the story needed it to happen.

There is so much here that is perfect: the sisters at the core of it. Zeena's romance arc, Rahma's romantic feelings, and then all of their friendships with each other. Every relationship=-romantic or not--had weight and I love seeing more and more of that in YA. There are countless adventures and tricks that were absolutely perfect for a Robin Hood retelling.

My favorite remixed classic so far.

While reading this "remixed" version of Robin Hood–starring Rahma al-Hud, a female Muslim soldier during the Third Crusade who, more than either side's victory, wants peace for the common people of the Holy Land—I kept opening tabs to go on Wikipedia spirals every time I read something and thought "whoa, did that actually happen?!". This exciting story was very firmly based in real historical events (somewhat unlike the original Robin Hood stories!) and with this novel as my gateway I learned a lot about them—really, my favorite way to learn.

I had a couple of issues with the character relationships (I found the sudden, ride-or-die camaraderie unrealistic to the point of goofiness at times, and thought our hero was made a little too obtuse—like, ubelievably so—obviously just for the purpose of narrative drama) but loved the team, the adventure, and of course, the heists.

Initial Thoughts
This book wasn’t on my radar until I received the NetGalley widget from the publisher - but, it sounded really good so I was eager to give it a read.

Some Things I Liked
Those glorious chapter titles. They were so perfect and my music loving self appreciated every single one.
Gender bent retelling in a fresh setting. This wasn’t a standard retelling. It was so much more than that and I loved it for that. We got the classic Robin Hood characters but we also got a lot more. I loved the found family vibes and I loved that the story was moved out of the traditional setting and into a time and place that I really don’t know much about.
The romance. I loved the romance plots, especially Zeena’s story.
Plot twists. As I’d expect with a story of outlaws and thieves, there were twists a plenty in this book and I loved them. This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Series Value
I’d absolutely adore more books about this crew but this story feels complete. However, I’d like to read more by this author and I’d like to read the rest of the Remixed Classics series!

Final Thoughts
I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do. This was a really pleasant surprise and I hope to see more people talking about this one soon!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit! I enjoy the many spins that I have seen on Robin Hood tales in the last few years, but had not seen a spin quite like this. The author has created their story around real events that took place during the Crusades, and highlighted just how well traveled the Middle East was at the time of the story. The story includes multiple perspectives, largely from Arabic characters which is not often focused on in many main stream media takes on events during the Crusades. The story focuses on not only found family, but the love between family members. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun YA fantasy! I had been a fan of Aminah Mae Safi after reading and really enjoying her YA contemporary romance, Tell Me How You Really Feel, so I was really intrigued to read Travelers Along The Way after she announced that it would be a remix of Robin Hood following a rag-tag team of individuals on a heist. The representation was excellent and even as someone who finds world history to be boring at times, I really loved how rich the history was in this novel (the story takes place in Jerusalem during the Crusades)! It’s evident that a ton of research was done for the story’s worldbuilding and politics. The premise of the story itself was also pretty interesting and one of the first things that drew me into the novel as I read it. The worldbuilding isn’t delved into too deeply so it, alongside the politics, was pretty straightforward and easy to understand. I really loved how Aminah Mae Safi blended elements from real life cultures and religions seamlessly and accurately into the fantasy elements of her story.

The other aspect of this story that really stood out to me are the characters. First, I loved following Rahma al-Hud as the “Green Hood” and the leader of her crew. She’s honestly so cool and cunning and I want to be her friend so bad. There needs to be more heist novels out there with female characters as the leader. Similarly, I loved how the villain of this story was also a woman, Queen Isabella, and how this story explored the dynamic between these two female leaders, each with their own political motives. I also adored the relationship between Rahma and Zeena. I don’t have a sister, but their dynamic was so much fun and reminded me so much of why I love grumpy x sunshine sibling and best friend dynamics. Aside from their comedic moments, I love how they both healed separately and eventually together from their past history as soldiers, and how it was evident that they would do anything to protect and support one another even with their differences.

The other characters were such standouts too! I loved how funny Viva (especially Viva and Zeena’s adorable dynamic) and John were and how badass Teni is. I only wish that Majid and Rahma’s relationship was developed further. Throughout the book, they exchanged flirty banter and Rahma kept speaking of how she felt like she couldn’t breathe around him, but there was barely any concrete conclusion between them at the end of the novel, so I’m confused if I was reading into things between them. Overall, I recommend this book for fans of We Hunt the Flame, The City of Brass, and of course Robin Hood!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a YA historical fictional retelling of Robin Hood. The author did a fantastic job a nodding to bits of Robin Hood lore into this novel that is told from a Muslim perspective of the crusades. The characters were fantastic! I wished there was more interaction/scenes/romance between "Robin"and "Marian". Well written novel filled with adventure!!!

I know there are a lot of people who don't really enjoy the retellings of the popular fairy tales but I absolutely love it! To see these characters that all of us grew up loving and hearing about as children be brought back to life and with each author adding their own little twists and turns is amazing! It says Robin Hood Remix but Aminah Mae Safi has given us much more than that! Richard the Lionheart and Saladin and many more! The characters are fantastic but my favorite would have to be Rahma al-Hud! She's witty and strong but she is also willing to do whatever it takes to keep her loved ones safe! The final twist was great! And the way the author lad the story out everything comes together beautifully! Absolutely a wonderful story! I will definitely be watching out for more of Aminah Mae Safi books!

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sharing this wonderful story with me!

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.

I would follow Rahma al-Hud wherever she wants to go, because I know it'll be an awfully big adventure. Rahma and her band of merry friends are dynamic and interesting. Each is flawed and their dynamic is what makes found families so amazing. Safi takes the heart of what makes Robin Hood so timeless and reimagines it through the eyes of a teen muslim girl.

While the crusade plot line is a little hard to follow unless you know the historical context, the overall plot was such a fun read! TRAVELERS ALONG THE WAY is a hard novel to put down and I'd love more novels with Rahma and her band of misfits.

Travelers Along the Way eARC Review

First of all, I would love to thank Macmillan, Fiercereads, and Amina’s Mae Safi for giving me an eARC of Travelers Along the Way in exchange for an honest review!

With world building so detailed you’ll feel like you were transported back into 1192. Perfect for fans of the political aspect of The Cruel Prince, this historical ya fantasy is a 2022 must read.

Overall Review: 5/5

Plot: 5/5
I couldn’t put the book down! There were so many twists and turns, the story kept you sucked in.

Characters: 5/5
You can clearly see the thought and effort put into making each character unique, and I am obsessed with EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

Rhema: miss ma’am is an actual bada$$. She is also a criminal mastermind genius.

Zeena: I love her and her grumpiness.

Viva: LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Teni: multi-talented queen!!

Majid: sir is charming as heck.

John: awww he’s an angel.

World Building: 5/5
The world building was amazing! While reading this book I felt like I went back into time. It also helped educate me on what happened in this area during this time period.

Romance: 4/5
Romance was definitely not the main focus of the story, which I was a bit disappointed by. I would’ve liked to see a little more of the relationships of the couples, but the glimpses I did see were beautiful!

Writing Style: 5/5
I have no idea what it was, but the writing kept me sucked into the world the whole time.

This historical fantasy was beautifully and intricately written. It got me out of a giant reading slump, and is one of the best books I’ve read!

I’m trying to read outside my comfort zone/preferred genres as much as possible, and this book was definitely not one I’d normally read. For a remix of Robin Hood, I found this story pretty dull. I generally enjoy “remix” versions of classics, but I just could not get into this one. I’ll definitely continue to give remixed versions a try, but this one just did nothing for me.

This is an incredible take on the source material of Robin Hood. The setting, the characters, the atmosphere, were all excellent. I loved the research that went into it because it's clear how much richer the story is for it. Love Aminah Mae Safi's work!!

5/5 stars

This book is absolutely stunning. Aminah Mae Safi did THAT and absolutely killed this book. Like it's one of the best books I've read in a year of incredible books!

The characters - Rahma al-Hud is the perfect Robin Hood remix protagonist. She's cheeky, confident, skilled, and has the biggest heart. Willing to give away anything to help those in need and do anything to protect the ones she loves. She's got it all. The rest of her merry band of travelers are also incredible - they all clearly serve a narrative purpose but are also well-crafted characters with sparkling personalities of their own.

I loved the story, like the plot arc? Utterly brilliant. The way it was set up so the final twist was bigger than all the other heists and cons, and also believable because of the setup -- excellent. I'm amazed, I want to write a book with as tightly-plotted & well-thought out an arc as this someday.

This is the genderbent retelling of Robin Hood that you *need*. With diversity of religion, background, sexuality, and personality, the cast of characters is vibrant and alive and the story sings along from page to page.

All in all I had a rollicking good time with this book. My one complaint is that I want a sequel but that's not a complaint, that's a compliment.

Thank you Netgalley and Fierce Reads for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I haven’t read many retelling a of classic stories but I’m super glad I read this because it was so so good!!! I absolutely loved the main brigade of characters.

Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi is exactly the kind of retelling I adore. It reworks the well-known story of Robin Hood, that legendary outlaw active in Sherwood Forest outside of Nottingham during the last decade of the twelfth century, stealing from the rich to support the poor while Richard Lionheart, the King of England at the time, was off on Crusade in the Holy Land. In the traditional story, the main antagonists are John, Richard’s younger brother, who rules England in his stead, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, who is Robin’s immediate nemesis. The story centres around the unfair treatment of peasants by the gentry, the cost of war – not just in terms of men, but also taxes – and the futility of trying to stand up against the powers that be in a society that thrives off status. It is also the original heist story, featuring a motley crew of outcasts banding together to fight against the status quo, trying to pull off the impossible. And as such, it has been one of the most popular tales to survive through the ages.

Travelers Along The Way is probably the best take on the source material I have read. It takes all of the important themes of the original story and reworks them into a unique and modern novel, set in the same period, but transported to the Holy Land. Safi has her Green Hood–the Robin Hood equivalent–be a young girl, visually perceived as a man due to her height when disguised by the green hooded cloak, a muslim caught up in the events of the Third Crusade. Similar to the original story of Robin Hood, the protagonists of this story did not set out to be heroes–or thieves for that matter–but ended up sliding into it trying to survive, trying to make the best of the situation that they found themselves in, trying to help the people they encounter on their way. And thus, their band of misfits grows, and with it their reputation (or infamy, depending on who you ask).

While the original story focuses on society being unhappy with John’s overlordship of England in his brother’s stead, Travelers Along the Way has Isabella–a foreign queen desperate to hang on to power in the Holy Land through any manner necessary. We do see part of the story told through her eyes, but while the reader becomes sympathetic to her plight, she never becomes a likeable character. The reader also encounters more well-known historical characters such as Richard Lionheart or Saladin, though it is not exactly a historical novel.

It is wonderful to see this traditional story transported to this more diverse setting. As part of the band of the Green Hood, we see members of the major religions working together and crossing those boundaries that were ostensibly at the centre of the conflicts. There is a sweet sapphic relationship and the story is full of fantastic characters in general, none of which fall flat. I should mention that this is part of Feiwel and Friends’ Remixed Classics series, where different authors of colour each take a classic story and rework it–all of the ones I’ve had the chance to read so far have been great!

A Muslim Robin Hood retelling set during the third Crusade. I can't even describe how much I loved this book. It's an adventure from start to finish but even more than that its a story of found family in the unlikeliest of places with the unlikeliest of people. Put it this way: I would die for Rahma al-Hud.

Trust me when I say it should be on your TBR right now.

I read this book amid moving across the country via plane. I’m still living out of a suitcase under my bed as I write this review, because ikea has been sold out of dressers for the past month. So. I’m not in the right headspace to write a full review. Bear with me here.

This book was fun. It was very ridiculous and unbelievable, but it was fun and I enjoyed it. I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I liked the plot. It was vibey.

The one thing I didn’t like was Rahma mainly succeeded by luck, not by any cunning. She was no Kaz Brekker, carefully planning every aspect of a brilliant scheme and executing it to perfection. She was simply a reckless fool with exceptional luck, sprinting headfirst into her enemy’s camp and screaming loud enough to confuse them into not giving chase. She wasn’t the mastermind leader of a band of misfits, she just had friends who weren’t smart enough to think of their own plans.

All of that being said, I liked this book. If you want a fun, light adventure novel without much strategy, this is the one for you.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. This book is entirely different from Mae’s previous r-rated filth. I didn’t have high expectations at firs to, but I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that this book is clean! The themes of strong women, morals, and humanity are strong. The book seems well researched, and I appreciated the timeline at the end. I think a map would have been a good touch. Telling the story of the crusades using a Muslim Robin Hood approach is definitely something new, and I will recommend this title for our school library.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Robin Hood remix story. I loved Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood from way back, and this reminded me of that Robin Hood story in a way. I love that it had all the recognizable elements of Robin Hood (the green hood, the merry band of misfits, stealing from the rich, etc.), but was uniquely its own story. When I wasn't thinking about how it tied to Robin Hood, I wasn't thinking about it at all. The Robin Hood myth was there, but it didn't overshadow the story being told.

Full review will be up on pop-culturalist closer to pub date!! I adore Amina’s writing style. It is so good and I don’t think I’ve ever read a robin hood retelling. This follows Rahma and Zeena. Their journey was mind-blowing.

I really enjoyed that this was a remix of Robin Hood that was set in Jerusalem during the Crusades. Many retellings of Robin Hood make him as a veteran of the Crusades that has returned to England, so it is interesting to have the story set in Jerusalem and have nods to history and the Robin Hood legend. I will be recommending this book to our library.