Maid Marian: A Novel [Hardcover]

Elsa Watson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 2004

An irresistible reimagining of the Robin Hood legend, Maid Marian brings to life the rollicking--and romantic--world of the Middle Ages.

An orphan and heiress to a large country estate, Marian Fitzwater is wed at the age of five to an equally young nobleman, Lord Hugh of Sencaster, a union that joins her inheritance to his and vastly enriches his family. But when she is seventeen, Lord Hugh, whom she hasn't seen in years, dies under mysterious circumstances. Marian is left alone again--a widow who has never been a bride. Like all unmarried young ladies of fortune, she is made a ward of Richard the Lionheart, England's warrior king.

But King Richard is away on Crusade and can’t be bothered with business at home. Marian's fate lies in the hands of his mother, the formidable Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who will arrange her second marriage. The lucky bridegroom will get Marian's lands and, in return, pledge his loyalty--and silver--to King Richard. Marian herself is irrelevant and she knows it. Determined not to be sold into another sham marriage, she seeks out the one man whose spies can help uncover the queen's plans: Robin Hood, the notorious Saxon outlaw of Sherwood Forest.

Marian is surprised to discover that the famed "prince of thieves" is not only helpful but handsome, likable, and sympathetic to her plight. Following her plan, Robin’s men intercept a letter from Queen Eleanor, from which Marian learns, to her horror, that she is to marry her late husband’s brother. His family has a history of mysterious deaths, and Marian knows she is in danger. Once married, her land becomes theirs and she can be easily disposed of--a fate she may have escaped once already. On the eve of her wedding, Robin Hood spirits Marian back to the forest, still in her wedding gown. Queen Eleanor believes her to be dead, and Marian begins a new life with Robin Hood's outlaws, who pledge to help her regain her fortune and expose the treachery of her enemies.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Light and entertaining, if occasionally cloying, this debut novel presents an account of Maid Marian, the legendary romantic interest of Robin Hood. An orphaned heiress, Lady Marian Fitzwater struggles against scheming, duplicitous relatives for the right to her own lands. At age five she is married to Hugh of Sencaster, who dies suddenly and under dubious circumstances, when she is 17 and before the marriage is consummated. As an orphan, Marian is a ward of the king, England's beloved Richard the Lionheart. But both Richard's powerful mother, Queen Eleanor, and the mother of Marian's dead husband, Lady Pernelle, want her hastily remarried so that her lands and fortune may be seized. Marian decides to enlist the help of Robin Hood and his band of populist outlaws to intercept correspondence and see what plans are being made for her. With Robin's help, she discovers that she is now promised to Hugh's brother, Sir Stephen, and realizes that her life will be in jeopardy once she is married to Stephen and her lands secured. Robin, now enamored, helps Marian escape days before the menacing second marriage. Their relationship deepens, developing into rather treacly love ("I strode off with Robin the following day with a song in my heart"). The book comes alive in its last act, when Marian returns, disguised as a servant, to Lady Pernelle, in a plan to regain control of her lands and her future. While readers are asked to suspend disbelief (can we really believe that because Marian hennas her hair her former mother-in-law won't recognize her?), the tight plotting, intrigue and battles with the devious royals give page-turning momentum to the story's conclusion.
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From Booklist

Watson provides an intriguing new twist on an old legend in this reworking of the classic Robin Hood tale. Narrated by a refreshingly bold and independent Maid Marian, the familiar story is retold from a woman's point of view. Virtually sold into marriage by a scheming Eleanor of Aquitaine, Marian Fitzwater enjoys a brief moment of liberty when her teenage husband dies under mysterious circumstances. Her sense of personal fulfillment is short-lived, however, as Marian realizes that another loveless mercenary marriage is being arranged for her. Traveling to Sherwood Forest to seek assistance from the notorious outlaw known as Robin Hood, she hatches a scheme to win her freedom. Meeting as intellectual and spiritual equals, Marian and Robin forge an instant bond that deepens from friendship into love. As the two lovers join forces to thwart the queen, who wields tremendous influence during Richard's absence, a romantic new chapter in the Robin Hood mythology is written. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st. edition (April 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400050413
• ISBN-13: 978-1400050413
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,073,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, Romantic Escape, May 4, 2004

By 

"literary-piglet" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Maid Marian: A Novel (Hardcover)

I loved this book, not only for the story but also for the warm, rich voice in which it is told.

I hate books with perfect protagonists who adventure along being better than everyone else. In Marian, Watson has created a lovely and very human spirit--not a bionic uber-heroine. With a cinematic eye, Watson draws the reader into a bright and romantic landscape populated by authentic and interesting characters. Watson's judicious use of historical detail goes a long way toward building the world of the novel without being overbearing or dry. The overall effect is an extremely readable book, appropriate for a broad range of readers, that leaves you with a sense of having vacationed in a green and wonderful spot out of time and having befriended a handful of warm and remarkable individuals there.

"Maid Marian" reminded me a bit of "The Mists of Avalon," which is a good thing. The book itself is beautiful, too, in keeping with the story.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Elsa Watson Constructs Her Tale with Charm and Easy Grace, May 16, 2004

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Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Maid Marian: A Novel (Hardcover)

A few years ago, it seemed like everyone was telling the legend of King Arthur from Guinevere's point of view. Now another famous maiden from history and legend tells her own story in MAID MARIAN, a lightly entertaining and romantic tale.

Marian Fitzwater, the orphaned child of noble parents, lives under the watchful, and ruthless, eye of Queen Eleanor. Married at age five to her childhood companion Hugh, Marian grows up in the royal household, quietly learning not only how to be a noblewoman but also how to exploit her noble position for her own gain.

When her teenaged husband is killed before their marriage is ever consummated, Marian slyly negotiates a bargain that grants her some freedom --- at least for a little while. The young woman, who has grown up hearing tales of the dashing Robin Hood, travels with her childhood nurse to find the mysterious outlaw in the hopes that he can help her escape yet another arranged marriage, this time potentially fatal.

Marian expects that Robin Hood and his Merry Men can help her gain information that can secure her liberty. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with the leader of that merry band. Despite their political differences, which sometimes result in fierce arguments between the sharp-tongued duo, the lovers hatch a plan that will outsmart the conniving nobility once and for all.

First-time novelist Elsa Watson constructs her tale with charm and easy grace, cleverly inserting well-known tales of the Merry Men into her own narrative. Maid Marian's voice is appropriately formal, as befits her noble upbringing. This elevated diction, though, means that Marian's growing feelings of love for Robin are expressed in language that sometimes feels stilted rather than genuine.

It's a pleasure to observe Marian's gradual maturation from a sheltered, innocent girl into a clever, brave young woman who fights with a cudgel and bravely disguises herself. Although the plot sometimes strains credibility, it keeps up the pace right to the very end. MAID MARIAN proves that this unsung companion to the Merry Men rightfully deserves to come out from behind Robin Hood's shadow and have her own story told.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, June 21, 2004

By 

"4starjenny" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Maid Marian: A Novel (Hardcover)

I loved this book! This story is, in a way, Marian's journey through her discovery of her strengths and weaknesses. She is a strong heroine who is not unreal because of her perfection. She is a real person living in a unique time in history with something to share with all of us! The story was enjoyable and historically based. Watson did a great job describing what life was like during this time period while telling a great story using interesting characters. I loved it and can't wait for Watson's next book!