The Sherwood Ring

Rating:
Summary: Very Nice
Review: I was browsing the library one day, and I just happened to stumble upon The Perilous Gard, her other book (the author's). read it, loved it, and bought it (at Borders, hehe). While I was at Borders, I also saw this book, the Sherwood Ring there, and I heard that The Perilous Gard and The Sherwood Ring were the only two books that she ever wrote. Well, I thought, "What the heck, let's buy them both." So, I bought them. And I read the Sherwood Ring. The first time that I read this, being that I was young, I thought that those history parts were boring, so I skipped them, and I missed some very good parts and I didn't understand some of the book, so I just thought that it was okay. But then, I reread the book two years later, just for fun, and I read the whole thing, and I LOVED IT! It was wonderful! I mean, it is about this girl named Peggy Grahame who is orphaned at the beginning of the book, has to move to Rest and Be Thankful, which was an inn of the family's. There she'd meet her historian Uncle Enos, handsome Pat Thorne ( I think it's Thorne), and many mysterious ghosts, perhaps her kin? Well, it's a great book, and all those who like historical fiction mixed with little romance, you'll love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Very Nice
Review: I was browsing the library one day, and I just happened to stumble upon The Perilous Gard, her other book (the author's). read it, loved it, and bought it (at Borders, hehe). While I was at Borders, I also saw this book, the Sherwood Ring there, and I heard that The Perilous Gard and The Sherwood Ring were the only two books that she ever wrote. Well, I thought, "What the heck, let's buy them both." So, I bought them. And I read the Sherwood Ring. The first time that I read this, being that I was young, I thought that those history parts were boring, so I skipped them, and I missed some very good parts and I didn't understand some of the book, so I just thought that it was okay. But then, I reread the book two years later, just for fun, and I read the whole thing, and I LOVED IT! It was wonderful! I mean, it is about this girl named Peggy Grahame who is orphaned at the beginning of the book, has to move to Rest and Be Thankful, which was an inn of the family's. There she'd meet her historian Uncle Enos, handsome Pat Thorne ( I think it's Thorne), and many mysterious ghosts, perhaps her kin? Well, it's a great book, and all those who like historical fiction mixed with little romance, you'll love this book.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a definate keeper!
Review: If your one of those moms looking for a book to give your 10-12 year old, this is the book. I'm 10 and this is definately one of my favorite books of all time. It's basically a story of a young girl who goes off to live with her uncle who is "totally obsessed" with history. Throughout her stay with her uncle, she "encounters" many characters from history, including: Peaceable Sherwood. This book describes a lot of events during the revolutionary war and makes them come to life. Elizabeth Marie Pope is a great author and I can't wait to read her other book.

Rating:
Summary: Great read, but slow in parts
Review: In The Sherwood Ring, Peggy Graham is sent to live with her Uncle. Totally ignored by him, Peggy makes friends with the ghosts of her long dead relatives. The ghosts, alive during the Revolutionary War, tell Peggy their fascinating stories. This book has its strong points, especially when the ghosts narrate. Peggy, though, is a bit one-dimensional--more like a supporting character than the protagonist. When the story centers on her, it begins to lag. Still, it is worth reading, especially by those who have read her other book.

Rating:
Summary: A well-wrought tale
Review: Let me first dispel any misconceptions you might have. Upon first hearing the title, I assumed that this was a Robin Hood retelling. It isn't. This is a children's historical fiction, but in this case the history imparts a vivid backdrop for the story to take place. You never feel pressured to know overmuch about the events of the American Revolution (although your enjoyment will be enhanced if you do). History isn't a dry, weighty affair in this book--it's what gives _The Sherwood Ring_ its breath.

I've also heard this called a ghost story. Technically true, but each of the characters is vividly, blazingly drawn, undimmed by any ghostliness. Their purpose is not to haunt the present as echoes of the past. In fact, it is *their* story which forms the heart of the book, and I argue that you spend more time in the time of the American Revolution than in the present day. The appearance of those characters as ghosts only provides you with a chance to observe a delightful parallelism between *then* and *now.*

Throw in some romance. Not the soppy kind that you want to wring out, but the thoughtful kind between two well-suited characters that makes you want to cheer it on. There's a good share of humor, as well. Despite the presence of a war in one storyline and ghosts in the other, this really is not a grim book at all.

So: one American corporal, his normal arrogance dampened by desperation as he searches for a British conspirator who slips through his hands. The butterfly-deft woman who taunts him for his failure. His sister, quite sensible, but even the most clearheaded can get a bit muddled when caught in a snowstorm, and so she rides straight into her own share of problems. And a hunted man, showing off his cleverness to supposedly win his uncle's approval, but when he runs into the object of his true desire, he decides to go after what he really wants.

And as Peggy meets each of them and becomes entranced by listening to their lives, so will you. Caught in Pope's clear, strong prose, this tale is a definite read for both children and older readers.

Rating:
Summary: A well written, enjoyable read.
Review: Like many of the other reviewers, I read this book for the first time many, many years ago and have read it many times since. I am thrilled that it is back in print, because for intriguing plot and lively characters I think it's hard to beat. In fact, the only book that might be superior is Pope's "The Perilous Gard," probably my favorite book in the world. Too bad she only wrote two books - but what great books they are!

Rating:
Summary: Neat book!
Review: Peggy Grahame is an orphan who is sent to live with her cranky uncle in his old family estate, Rest-and-be-Thankful. She makes one friend on the trip,a British scholar studying in America. But when she gets to Rest-and-be-Thankful, her Uncle Enos says that her friend, Pat, can never enter the house again. Peggy can't figure out why Pat isn't allowed, and she is lonely without any friends. The plot thickens when ghosts from the Revolutionary War start visiting Peggy. She is visited by four ghosts in all, and each time she is visited she learns a new piece of a complicated history of the house.

It is an awesome book, with a happy ending. It is very well written, and you get really close to the characters. It is a little slow at the beginning, and sometimes the plot lags when you get to Peggy. Peggy's story isn't quite that interesting, but the ghosts's stories are great. Also, when you are reading it, keep in mind that this was written in 1958, so some of the ideas are a little outdated. But overall, this was a very interesting read. The Sherwood Ring is written for kids 9-13, but anyone will enjoy this book and want to add it to their collection.

Rating:
Summary: The Sherwood Ring is an enduring YA favorite
Review: Published in 1958, this engaging novel about a lonely young woman's encounters with four Revolutionary War-era ghosts is well worth the effort it may take to find a copy. (I read the book as a pre-teen many years ago, then tracked down my own copy through Peter Smith of Boston about four years ago). Some readers may find the assumption that the abruptly orphaned heroine has no future aside from marriage or life with her cranky history-loving uncle a bit dated, but the bulk of the story features such strong, appealing characters that this defect can be overlooked.

Peggy Graham comes to her family's historic upstate New York home, "Rest-and-be-thankful", after the death of her father. From the first, she is privileged by visits from the family ghosts, who regale her with tales of their exploits during the American Revolution. The narration skillfully switches among the points of view so that the reader really feels he or she knows each character intimately. As each ghost reveals his or her part in the romances and intrigues of the past, clues to the heroine's present-day dilemma are revealed, enabling Peggy to resolve the conflicts among the people she loves and make the choices that will shape her own future.

Rating:
Summary: Get this book while you can!
Review: Really enjoyable book that deserves to stay in print forever, but probably won't, so don't miss your chance now, even if you have to buy it in hardback! This book has ghosts in it, but they're the friendly kind that tell stories from the Revolutionary War period that end up helping our heroine in her current life. The characters are intelligent and funny - I loved them all. I first ran into this book in a college library and seriously considered copying it all on a copy machine because it was then out of print (lucky for me they came out with a reprint again). This is a wonderful book, especially for girls and young women. I'm older than that now and I still reread it occasionally just because it's so much fun.

Rating:
Summary: Not Pope's best, but worth your time
Review: The Sherwood Ring was written earlier than Pope's only other book, The Perilous Gard, and it shows. Her style is not quite as developed or consistent, but is still very good. The narrative dances from one character to another, which is both interesting and distracting. The modern narrator adds nothing to the plot, and serves only as a device for the unfolding of the real story, set back in the days of the American Revolution. (Pope fans: anyone see any similarity here between Thorn and Christopher from The Perilous Gard?) However, the book still shows that Pope magic and charm, with poetic phrases and witty dialogue. Most of the book ranges from very good to mediocre, but there are about two pages smack dab in the middle that are INCREDIBLE, and make the whole book worth reading.