Jane Crowe has grown up as a common peasant girl, in a home where she didn’t receive much love. At 19, she now has the chance to leave her abysmal home life behind and work for Robin Hood as a spy in the King’s Houses. Jane is immediately drawn to Robin’s charismatic personality and she is willing to pass on the information he’s looking for. As Jane spends more time with Robin and his men, she realizes there is more danger involved and she starts to question her work for Robin and the feelings she’s had for him since their first meeting. Now Jane must decide what’s right and what’s wrong, and what her ultimate role will be in the game between Robin and the nobles.

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest is an interesting take on the Robin Hood legend. I enjoyed having the story told from a female perspective and seeing how Jane wants to prove herself, but is also naive to the situation she gets caught up in. I found myself feeling sorry for Jane throughout much of the book, because her bad decisions and lack of experience brought a lot of chaos to her life.

There is no definitive line between “good” and “bad” characters in the book. Robin is not your typical whimsical, good-natured character from other Robin Hood stories. He is very much morally grey, and I really loved the idea of his character’s initial purpose being a proponent for the undervalued in society, while losing sight in taking things too far with his fight against the nobles. The book did have one likable character that I connected with (Ibota), and I found her to be a strong female character, who was the voice of reason to Jane’s poor decision making.

There is a great historical feel to the story, and Kaufman includes an Author’s Note, that explains some of the decisions she made in her writing, that I really appreciated. I did find the Baron’s War to be a bit confusing, which caused me to not feel as strongly connected to some of Robin’s motivations. I think this was probably due to some pacing issues, that muddled the story, for me.

If you are looking for an intriguing historical fiction read, with a fresh perspective on the Robin Hood legend that explores the lines between heroes and villains, then I would definitely recommend The Traitor of Sherwood Forest.

5-Star Review for The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S. Kaufman

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S. Kaufman is an absolutely thrilling and heart-pounding adventure that will captivate readers from start to finish! As a huge fan of the Robin Hood legend, I was excited to see a fresh take on this classic tale, and Kaufman does not disappoint. The writing is rich and immersive, drawing you straight into the heart of Sherwood Forest, where betrayal, loyalty, and fierce battles await.

The characters are expertly crafted, each one with their own complex motives and personalities. I found myself fully invested in the fates of both familiar faces and new ones, especially as they navigated the moral gray areas of their loyalty to the outlaw band. The tension between friendship and betrayal adds an emotional layer that keeps you turning the pages. Kaufman’s exploration of trust, duty, and sacrifice makes the stakes feel incredibly high.

The pacing is spot-on, with just the right balance of action-packed scenes and quieter moments of reflection. The world-building is lush, and you can practically feel the cool air of the forest and the danger lurking around every corner. The plot twists are clever, and there are plenty of surprises that will leave readers gasping.

Overall, The Traitor of Sherwood Forest is a brilliant reimagining of a legendary story, with compelling characters and a gripping narrative that never slows down. Amy S. Kaufman has crafted a tale full of heart, suspense, and unforgettable moments. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, adventure, or the Robin Hood legend, this book is an absolute must-read!

Thanks to Viking Penguin Books for the eARC copy! #TheTraitorofSherwoodForest #NetGalley

I love a good retelling and this one was really well done! This story is told from the POV of our FMC Jane, a young woman sent to work in the kitchens as one of Robin Hoods spies. She's young and naive of the world she is now part of, but I really appreciate that author maintained that she is a normal young woman trying to navigate her way through. Jane has heard the rumors of the legendary outlaw hero Robin Hood and gets drawn in by his charms and charisma. I was expecting she would learn to fight or train as an archer, but instead she has to use her mind and make her own choices. But with no experience outside of her small world, she overthinks, questions herself, and makes mistakes that leads to a disastrous situation that could cost her own life. She has to form her own connections with the people she's serving and takes matters into her own hands in order to save herself.

With this story set in the Medieval times, this version of the Robin Hood is so much darker and grittier than the stories I think we're all so used to. (The author has an amazing historical note at the end of the book which highlights where she got her inspiration.) This Robin Hood is less vigilante hero and more vicious sociopath with his band of Not-So-Merry men.

The pacing in the first half was a little dicey for me, but it evened out and was very enjoyable about 45% of the way through and that's when all the dominoes started falling into place and the story took off. Super impressed for a debut novel!

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

Meh...it's was OK. Not great, not something you need to read. The premise is strong...but of course has been told before soooo many times. Pacing was off.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is at times complex and nuanced, and then the next minute it is shallow and superficial. The main character is naive and straight up dumb. However, the history and research conducted is amazing and so impressive. I just think this book could have done with another few edits and a rewrite to make the MC more complex and nuanced. I liked the slow paced beginning, then it seemed like the author ran out of time and put all of her action in the middle and towards the end, then left us with an unsatisfactory ending. It was abrupt and anticlimactic. I would have liked to have more of the slow burn feeling throughout. This felt like a second or third draft, not a finished novel. It felt like it was rushed to be released. I am so impressed with the historical research the author conducted that she discusses at the end of the novel. I just wish that that translated more into the story and the characters. Even Robin Hood felt very one-dimensional. I understand that this is based on the Medieval ballads and that this version of Robin was psychotic and violent, however if a character is being inspired by that, I just wish there was more humanity and complexity imbued into his character instead of a one-dimensional villian who happens to be charismatic. There really was no character arc except for Little John whose complexity is revealed as we go along. Although this Robin wasn’t my favorite iteration of the legend, he was still extremely charismatic and the romantic scenes were nice. Overall it was a fast and mostly enjoyable read, I just was left disappointed and angry at moments.

A unique and interesting twist of classic tales that kept me engaged. I would class this book as a comfort novel, easy to read with enough interest to keep me from wanting to do something else. I enjoyed the little side characters and their stories, and particularly enjoyed the ending.

Admittedly, I read the reviews before choosing this book. I broke my own rule to out biases. However, I share similar sentiments to others who have read this novel.

The Good: Exploring the fragile masculinity of Robin Hood. I was really drawn to the premise of a woman protagonist reworking the Robin Hood story. The author makes a strong case against Robin Hood and exploring the morality of the principle he’s known for. Can you really redistribute wealth for good? Historical fiction at its finest.

The Mid: Largely, the rest of the story / plot pacing.

The Bad: Not bad per se, but not great either. I grew weary of the MC. I love strong feminist characters, but there were some points that made me roll my eyes. I didn’t find the character overly likable nor did I love her. Largely impartial which isn’t the emotions I hope a new novel to arouse.

Thank you — I appreciate NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by the author, publisher, or any third party. My reviews are voluntary and not sponsored in any

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This story is a retelling of Robin Hood, but with a twist on the character. The story started out very strong and hooked me right away. It had everything I could have wanted being full of wit and whimsy as well as some espionage. However I found that the pacing was a bit off throughout the story that made it fall flat a few times. I also struggled with the character of Robin Hood being a villain ih the story, as I wanted to root for him. However that is what makes the twist in the novel so I think it does that well. As the reader along with the main character Jane you also rationalize the actions of Robin at first, though eventually it was hard to emphasize with Jane as she kept making the same choices. Overall a great story and would recommend for anyone interested in reading a different retelling of the famous story.

Thank you to Penguin Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S Kaufman is a lush, descriptive retelling of the Robin Hood myth using the point of view of a servant girl swept into Robin Hood’s web. The story relies heavily on the early versions of the myth, taking cues from medieval ballads and songs. The description and stories are much more similar to the roguish somewhat unpredictable outlaw of the forest rather than the post-Renaissance man of courtly honor.

The lens through which the story is told blends both a modern understanding of morality and the medieval story arc. It seems to posit “what if Robin Hood was actually sort of a narcissistic sociopath who was buying his own myth?” The author actually does a great job of crafting this accurate yet differently viewed portrait of Robin Hood. I also did particularly enjoy that while the story gave him a pretty unfavorable characterization, the author was pretty clear until the end that Robin Hood was still pretty sexy. I really appreciate the candor of an author willing to admit that a man can be both a reprehensible weirdo and still sort of alluring.

The problem with this book is that the character of Jane, our main character, feels like a means to an end. She is not particularly interesting nor skilled. It’s mentioned she’s a fair cook and can remember some common herbs, but that’s about it. Her big special trait is seemingly her ability to placate men. She mentions this is due to a father who was a drunk, but it’s very much a “tell, don’t show” situation. A lot of times it’s mentioned that she wants to run free, or that’s all she desires, but that sort of seems to be stated rather than shown as well. It’s very lofty aspirations for a character who’s a bit of a dud. I appreciate that in order to frame the story there needed to be an outsider to Robin Hood’s group—but I don’t think Jane was the best choice.

Kaufman clearly did a lot of research into the early iterations of the Robin Hood story. She did a very good job of crafting a medieval England and the toil and injustice at the time. It’s clear she spent a lot of time crafting the men of Robin Hood’s band with care and detail to bring them alive. For fans of medieval lore and the myth, this can be a wonderful read. It is, however, somewhat diminished by a main character that doesn’t sparkle as bright as the rest of her world.

3/5.

Jane Crowe never imagined she would end up working for the infamous Lord of the Greenwood. But when she is forced from her home, she has no choice but to seek Robin Hood’s aid—and he offers her an irresistible deal. At first, her role seems simple: observe the nobles, uncover their secrets, and report back to Robin. But as Jane is drawn deeper into Robin’s world, she begins to wonder if Robin truly fights for the people. Jane must decide: is she merely a prize to be won, a pawn to be sacrificed, or a player in her own right in the deadly game between nobles and outlaws?

Robin Hood not completely the good guy? Yes please!! I loved that he is not the hero we normally see him as. This story was well-paced. At first, I felt it started a little slow, but as the story progressed, it got better. I thought Jane was well-written. She was naive but never too foolish or irritating. Her character had a good balance that I like in a character. Now for Robin! He was admirable and frustrating. I loved seeing this different perspective of Robin Hood. I truly enjoyed seeing this world that the author created. I felt that the ending was a little anticlimactic, but for the most part, it was a good conclusion.

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest is a retelling of the story of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is a tale that I have loved since I was a kid and because of that I have read many reimaginings. But no matter what turn the plot took or how certain roles may be changed in each retelling, I felt the character that Robin displayed in the original was what mattered. He wasn't an anti-hero in this book, which I tend to love, or even a morally gray character. I did not find redeeming qualities that would make him either of those. So it just left him unlikable and unfortunately what came across as simply mean.
At the end I realized that me not enjoying this probably has less to do with the writing and more to do with my expectations of a beloved character.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Kaufman creates a wonderful medieval world true to Robin Hood tales that readers will know and love. It is obvious that a lot of thought and research were done. I was intrigued by the characters and the story's premise, but unfortunately, it fell flat by the end. I was not a fan of the portrayal of this particular Robin Hood, I found myself not connecting all that much with the characters, and the ending felt abrupt and didn’t match the pacing for the rest of the story. I would still recommend that any fans of Robin Hood should still check this out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for this ARC!

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest
by Amy S. Kaufman
Pub Date: Apr 29 2025

Jane Crowe is an ordinary peasant girl who never dreamed she would work for the infamous Lord of the Greenwood. But when she’s forced out of her home, she has no choice but to turn to Robin Hood for help—and he makes her an irresistible offer. He needs a pair of eyes in the King’s Houses, and quiet, unassuming Jane—who has spent her whole life going unnoticed—will be the perfect spy.

At first, Jane’s work for Robin seems straightforward. She whispers to him about the nobles at King’s Houses and all their secrets, including the new Sheriff of Nottingham, who would like nothing more than to see Robin Hood’s head on a spike. But the more Jane is drawn into Robin’s world, the more she’s drawn to Robin himself—a man as charismatic as he is cunning, capable of plucking at her heart as easily as he notches an arrow. As Robin’s tricks grow increasingly dangerous, and shockingly violent, Jane starts to suspect that her hero cares more about his own legacy than helping the common people—and that despite his declarations of affection, he sees her as just another object to be stolen.

When Robin’s schemes implicate Jane in a brutal murder, she must decide: is she prize to be won, a pawn to be used and discarded—or is she an equal player in the game between nobles and thieves?

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. I have to say I was delighted to receive this retelling of Robin Hood, with a twist on perspective. The book follows a spy for Robin Hood - Jane, who was forced out of her home, and is as unassuming as they come - which makes her an ideal candidate to become a spy against the King. However, the more she becomes a part of Robin Hood's world, the more she is drawn into his web of charisma. It is when she becomes closer to him that she begins to wonder if he really cares for the poor, or is more interested in his persona. Jane then gets swept up in a murder, and she must assess if her relationship with Robin is what it outwardly seems.

I thought Jane was written well - she is naive, but not stupid or annoying, and it is hard to write a naive character that is at least likeable. I also appreciated this author's take on Robin - he was written as two sides to the coin, so I alternately liked and disliked him; I appreciated the different perspective on this often lauded character. There is a lot of richness within the pages, and I enjoyed being immersed in the setting the author created. This is a book with many layers, but nothing becomes confused or twisted, leaving a nice feeling of satisfaction when the book ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I struggle with this rating because I don’t think this book was for me. From the afterward it’s clear there was a lot of research done in this Robin Hood retelling which is impressive and the medieval setting was fun and unusual.

On the other hand, I did not connect with these characters at all. The FMC feels very 21st century to me and there’s far too much telling instead of showing- general narrative, connections between characters, social commentary, and characters’ emotions. North Woods for me was a 5-star read that did a wonderful job of putting a modern reader into a historical setting that felt real, this book very much did not do that and I often felt the feminist social commentary was being shoved down my throat. (When I could have read between the lines myself and come to the same conclusion!)

If you love romantasy protagonists (Phantasma comes to mind) this may be a very fun read for you that gives you a glimpse into the medieval world. I’m just not that reader.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest (clearly!) review.

This is a much different kind of Robin Hood adaptation than modern audiences are used to, for sure. It is clearly very well researched and historically accurate, drawing from the earlier legends and ballads.

That being said, fans of the Disney movie or other modern retellings are in for a bit of a shock at some of the characterizations in this book. I found it very hard to root for anyone at all. It was interesting to see the story through the eyes of a wholly original character, but I found Jane to be incredibly frustrating.

This book is quite well written and thoroughly researched (the historical note at the end was a very welcome inclusion), but for me as a reader, the lack of likeable characters made it just not my cup of tea.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC!

This is a 2 star read for me.
It was just so depressing and everyone was just awful. All the main characters were just awful terrible people.
The worst villian got away with everything and we never see if they get the ending they deserve. The ending is by far the worst part. It’s abrupt and cruel. I didn’t love this book. It was slow, the FMC totally naive. Robin Hood awful. The sheriff not terrible but not good either. I just didn’t like this at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

A Robin Hood retelling like I've never seen before. From the point view of Jane we actually get a more truthful view of Robin. But I loved that this focused more more on Jane and who she was growing to be.