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Disney continues its Twisted stories Series with its latest entry Princess of Thieves from Mari MancusiThis time it is the classic story of Robin Hood that is being rewritten. This time, Robin is a bit of a coward. He hides in Sherwood Forest, more concerned with himself than with the poor villagers terrorized by the Sheriff and Prince John. Thankfully, Maid Marian is there. She has returned from overseas and is furious at the state of Nottingham under Prince John’s rule. She tries to get Robin to help, but when he refuses, she decides to take care of the matter anyway! Now she is determined to save England, even if she has to do it all alone.
( Warning: My review of Princess of Thieves contains some Spoiler! You can find my other reviews of the Disney Twisted Tales series here!)
Princess of Thieves is a new twist to a legendary story
The story of old Robin Hood and his merry men has been around for centuries. There are millions of versions of it, including some in which Robin is a woman and not a man. But Mancusis This story is the first version I have read where the focus is not on Robin, but on Maid Marian!
In Princess of Thieves, Maid Marian has been in France for the past three years while her uncle, King Richard, was at war. But now he’s coming home and has invited Maid Marian to be part of his council! This is her dream come true. She also can’t wait to see her childhood friend, Robin, again and see how he’s grown over the past few years.
But when she arrives in England, she is shocked: her uncle is dead, Robin has fallen from grace and is hiding in Sherwood Forest, and the people of England are being treated terribly by Prince John, her uncle’s childish younger brother.
To find out exactly what is going on, Marian tracks Robin down in the forest. She tries to convince him to help her fight for the people of Nottingham, but he refuses. Frustrated and disappointed, Marian decides to take matters into her own hands. In a chance encounter in the forest, Marian steals gold from Prince John and gives it away to all the animals of Nottingham. She is seen, but as luck would have it, the witness thinks it is Robin of Locksley, also known as Robin Hood. Soon everyone is singing Robin Hood’s praises and Marian has the perfect cover.
But there’s more to Nottingham than just a greedy king. And if Marian really wants to help the animals of England, she’ll need more than stolen gold and leftover food. When she uncovers a larger conspiracy, she realizes she needs help. Her ever-loyal lady-in-waiting, Lady Kluck, is happy to help her, but will the two of them be enough to save an entire kingdom?
This Disney Twisted Tale actually felt like something new
Robin Hood and his Merry Men has been around for a long time, and I have lost track of all the different versions of his story that I have read. Making the protagonist female is not a new idea, but making Maid Marian is. I liked this twist from Mancusi.
Still, having the real Robin of Locksley in the story was a genius idea. It really highlighted that this wasn’t just the Robin Hood we know, but a completely different story. I’m so used to Robin Hood being a brave hero standing up for the little guy that it was a little jarring to see him as a coward. Sure, he has his reasons, and Marian accepts them even if she’s disappointed, but his “reasons” seemed more like “excuses” to me. He had a good life in the forest. Basically, it’s a nonstop camping trip with all his buddies. Sherwood Forest is so big that it’s not feasible to really look for him, so as long as he stays out of it all, the law leaves him alone. And that’s fine with him. If others suffer, that’s sad, but not really his problem.
Thankfully, Maid Marian isn’t that selfish. She sees people suffering and she has to do something. She could have chosen to just ignore them and continue with her comfortable life in the castle, but she doesn’t, and I love her for that. She’s brave and courageous and doesn’t need Robin to get things done. Of course she wants him to help her, but she doesn’t let his lack of support stop her either.
The fact that he gets credit for what she does is both hilarious and annoying at the same time. Hilarious because he didn’t want the negative attention his vigilance would bring him, and annoying because he doesn’t deserve the praise. Still, it serves the purpose of protecting Marian from Prince John’s suspicions, so it’s a good thing. I also had to chuckle at how angry it made Robin, because I was angry that he wouldn’t help Marian.
Great supporting cast for Princess of Thieves
Disney is known for its great supporting characters and Princess of Thieves is no exception. Mancusi based her story on the 1973 cartoon Robin Hood that we all love, and she decided to keep the animals in her adaptation. It’s great because we get a scene where a fat old chicken single-handedly takes out a whole group of rhino guards.
In fact, as much as I liked Marian, I think the sidekicks are my favorite characters in Princess of Thieves. Lady Kluck is a strong, no-nonsense, witty and badass superhero. Little John is funny, helpful and caring. Tag-along is as sweet as can be and Skippy is the bravest little rabbit I’ve ever seen. Marian may be the leader, but she never could have saved the day without her menagerie of helpers. Long live the sidekicks!
Summer action and romance in one story
For those who like to have a summer romance to relax at this time of year, fear not. Maid Marian may take care of business in Princess of Thieves, but she has a heart too. Marian isn’t entirely sure of her relationship with Robin at first. After all, they’ve been childhood friends all their lives, and the step from friendship to romance is scary. They both have deeper feelings for each other, but the circumstances are far from ideal for love. And when Robin disappoints Marian, it seems like they don’t stand a chance. But love can be a great motivator. If Robin can find the courage to fight for more than herself, their love might have a chance after all.
Marian and Robin’s romantic dance is interwoven with very exciting action and a tantalizing secret. Lady Kluck’s name may make you smile, but her fighting skills are no laughing matter. When Marian makes it clear that she will help the local animals no matter what, Kluck realizes that she needs some training. We don’t really get a montage, but Marian is put to the test by Kluck. It’s tough, but she never gives up. And that’s a good thing, because by the end of the book, Marian needs to be able to fight if she wants to save her kingdom!
If you’re thinking that the fact that all the characters are animals makes this a children’s book, you’re wrong. Younger readers will no doubt enjoy it. Princess of Thievesbut that doesn’t automatically make it a children’s book. The story is captivating and exciting. To be honest, most of the time I somehow forgot that they were animals, then Mancusi would mention an animal by species and I would say “Oh yeah, they’re animals.” The fact that the characters are animals doesn’t really affect the story other than adding another layer of humor to certain scenes. Thinking about a chicken killing a rhino or trying to figure out how a lion and a fox form a family just made the reading a little more fun.
Princess of Thieves is an entertaining read with a nostalgic flair
Anyone who grew up with television Robin Hood will love Princess of ThievesBut even if you haven’t seen the film, Mancusis This new twist on the classic story is sure to keep you entertained. Princess of Thieves is not currently available in US stores for some reason. This is the third time Disney has released a Twisted Tale in Europe and before America. I’m not sure what their reasoning is for this, but they didn’t ask me either.
Luckily, thanks to the magic of the Internet, this is not too much of a problem. You can find Princess of Thieves for sale online and have it delivered to an American address with no hassle. So if you are looking for a fun book this summer or want to try to entice your kids to read during the summer, check out Princess of Thievesyou will surely like it.
Rating: 8/10
Princess of Thieves was released in Australia earlier this year with a UK release scheduled for September 5, 2024and no US release date yet. Are you reading this book series? What do you think? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
Book review: Carved in Stone: A Twisted History by Mari Mancusi
Review: Fate is changed by Farrah Rochon A twisted Disney story
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