My Rating ~ Five Stars

RELEASE DATE: 1 April 2021

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Walker Books

Pages: 400

Blurb

Set in a fragmented future England, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne introduces us to a world where gunfights and monsters collide, and where the formidable outlaw Scarlett McCain fights daily against the odds. When she discovers a wrecked coach on a lonely road, there is only one survivor – the seemingly hapless youth, Albert Browne. Against her instincts, Scarlett agrees to escort him to safety. This is a mistake. Soon, new and implacable enemies are on her heels. As a relentless pursuit continues across the broken landscape of England, Scarlett must fight to uncover the secrets of Albert’s past – and come to terms with the implications of her own.

Review

Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!

Scarlett is a bank robber and an outlaw, she’s doing fine on her own, thank you very much, until she stumbles upon a crashed bus, while on the run from her last job. Animals have killed everyone on board, except for a boy hiding in the toilet. His name is Albert and he seems a most useless type. As Albert tags along, Scarlett wants nothing more than to be rid of him. But something about Albert doesn’t add up.

This was the incredibly witty, fun outlaw book I never knew I needed! I’ve loved other Jonathan Stroud books in the past and was so excited to find out he’d written another one. It was everything I hoped for and more. Scarlett is the most amazing character, I loved her to bits. She’s tough and funny, with her own particular moral code. Albert is a loveable, if strange, character who I grew to really enjoy throughout the story. I kept having to remind myself this book is set in a dystopian England, not the wild west, but that in no way affected my enjoyment of it. Full of gunfights, terrifying monsters (both real and fantastical) and an epic adventure, The Outlaws is utterly brilliant and one wild ride I didn’t want to put down.

It looks like this one is going to be a series, and I’m so glad I’m going to get to see more of these characters!