The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne

Starred review from September 20, 2021
After handily knocking over a bank to settle a debt, red-haired, gimlet-eyed Scarlett McCain—“no ties, no allegiance”—disappears into the woodland wastes between England’s Surviving Towns with a rucksack full of cash, her prayer mat and cuss-box, and “little to worry about.” When she comes across the aftermath of a terrible bus accident, however, she encounters in the vehicle’s toilet cubicle the incident’s sole apparent survivor: seemingly clueless youth Albert Browne, bony and bright-eyed. Scarlett begrudgingly agrees to accompany Albert to the next settlement, but the appearance of bowler-hatted trackers sets off a reluctant partnership between the cued-white protagonists that sees them pursued over land and sea across a postapocalyptic, flooded Britain that’s menaced by plague, enormous water monsters, ghastly cannibals called the Tainted, and Faith Houses “on the watch for any kind of deviation, be it physical or moral.” Some elements feel less sensitively rendered than others, but Stroud (the Lockwood & Co. series) expertly builds flawed characters, cahoots close and tender, and a fully realized setting in this rollicking series opener, employing arch phrasing, witty rapport, and quick pacing alongside the brutally rendered truths of a world intent on controlling outlaws of every type. Ages 10–up. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House on behalf of Veronique Baxter, David Higham Assoc. (U.K.).

September 15, 2021
Grades 5-8 Something terrible has happened in Britain: London is a lagoon filled with terrifying aquatic creatures, cannibalistic mutants roam the countryside, and the remaining fortified cities rule their inhabitants with iron fists. Not everyone is keen to fall in line, however. Scarlett McCain--bank robber, traveler, and outlaw--keeps to herself, but when she comes across a survivor of a gruesome accident, Scarlett allows him to tag along. Young Albert is her opposite, approaching his situation with a sweet naivete that annoys and then intrigues Scarlett. When the pair attracts more trouble than she bargained for, Scarlett realizes that Albert may not be what he appears, and a race for survival begins. Stroud's world building is exceptional, his compelling characters easy to root for. There's real suspense and surprise, along with some truly terrifying moments, though plenty of banter and scheming keeps things fun. Readers may be left with more questions than answers, but future exploits may fill in the gaps. A proper adventure story that isn't afraid to have a lot of fun along the way.

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November 1, 2021

Gr 6 Up-An adventurous fantasy set in an alternate England, after calamities have transformed it into guarded cities with generators and basic commerce surrounded by deadly wilderness and large predators-not to mention the Tainted, who are zombie cannibals. All religions have merged into Faith Houses, which are a significant but not salubrious presence. Enter cutthroat outlaw Scarlett McCain, described as pale-skinned with red hair, who robs banks for a living. Her backstory is mysterious, but she has no love for the Surviving Towns or for Faith Houses. Traveling the wilderness she finds a boy in an abandoned bus, Albert Browne, with pale skin and black hair. He has his own enemies, and Scarlett agrees to help him try to reach the Free Isles near London. They team up with a riverboat pilot, Joe, who has dark skin, and his pale-skinned granddaughter Ettie to make the journey. Stroud combines detailed, deliberate, and evocative descriptions of the wasteland once known as England with a fast-paced plot. Continuous escapes and fight scenes build tons of excitement and at times spine-tingling horror. Scarlett's frustration with the more friendly, naive Albert is often hilarious, as is her ability to talk or shoot herself out of a tough corner. Some loose ends in Scarlett and Albert's backstories seem to indicate the series will continue. VERDICT Intricate worldbuilding and a compelling heroine will appeal to readers who like "Rick Riordan Presents," as well as the works of Philip Pullman and Garth Nix.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Lib. Assoc., CT

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2022
In a dystopic Britain of the future, drastic events have left the land awash or turned it into a radiation-contaminated and desolate wilderness "infested with bandits, blood-otters, and wolves" -- not to mention cannibalistic humans called "the Tainted." "Normal" people live in scattered fortified Surviving Towns; anyone identified with a perceived deformity or abnormality is cruelly tortured or killed. Scarlett McCain has survived thanks to her wits, agility, and talents as a bank robber, but when she rescues hapless, unworldly Albert Browne after a strange bus accident, even she is amazed by the pursuit that ensues. Men, dogs, guns, explosives, and the mysteriously invincible Mrs. Calloway, Albert's former jailer, are never far behind as the two make their way by raft to the refuge of the Free Isles down the Thames River. Incisive, elegant action scenes, stuffed with daredevil escapes and shoot-'em-up confrontations, keep the story racing along in a turbulent stream of suspense and relief. Stroud's (author of the Bartimaeus trilogy and the Lockwood & Co. series) characteristic humor -- irony, sarcasm, a witty quickness -- lightens the tale's more dire themes of abuse and psychological damage. The story establishes a context and partnership that suggest future escapades, with characters ripe for development, plenty of unanswered questions, and a tantalizing treasure heist in the offing. Deirdre F. Baker

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2021
Kicking off a new series with a bang (several bangs, in fact), Stroud sends two young fugitives with murky pasts fleeing murderous pursuers across a fractured future Britain. It's a land of wilderness and often radioactive ruins, with remnants of humanity in scattered walled towns huddling for protection against crazed, cannibalistic Tainted roaming the woods and ruthlessly culling anyone with even minor mutations under the direction of magisterial Faith Houses. Scarlett McCain, professional thief, initially thinks the uncommonly persistent, bowler-hatted gunmen are after her for her last bank robbery--but soon realizes their quarry is actually Albert Browne, a strangely secretive and ingenuous lad she impulsively pulled from a blown-up bus. What makes him so valuable? The answer, coming through hails of gunfire, massive explosions, narrow escapes galore, and encounters with terrifying monsters (not all of them nonhuman) on the way to a desperate climactic struggle in the immense concrete archipelago of London revolves around a secret prison where children with special mental abilities are kept, tortured, and trained for purposes unknown. If Scarlett turns out to be formidable in the crunch and Albert not so much, by the end the two have not only bonded, but proven to have complementary abilities that bid fair to serve them well in future exploits. The vivid setting, rapid-fire dialogue, and nonstop action will propel readers through this raucous, rousing rumble. The cast presents White. A blast for action fans, with potential for a long run. (Science fiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2022
In a dystopic Britain of the future, drastic events have left the land awash or turned it into a radiation-contaminated and desolate wilderness "infested with bandits, blood-otters, and wolves" -- not to mention cannibalistic humans called "the Tainted." "Normal" people live in scattered fortified Surviving Towns; anyone identified with a perceived deformity or abnormality is cruelly tortured or killed. Scarlett McCain has survived thanks to her wits, agility, and talents as a bank robber, but when she rescues hapless, unworldly Albert Browne after a strange bus accident, even she is amazed by the pursuit that ensues. Men, dogs, guns, explosives, and the mysteriously invincible Mrs. Calloway, Albert's former jailer, are never far behind as the two make their way by raft to the refuge of the Free Isles down the Thames River. Incisive, elegant action scenes, stuffed with daredevil escapes and shoot-'em-up confrontations, keep the story racing along in a turbulent stream of suspense and relief. Stroud's (author of the Bartimaeus trilogy and the Lockwood & Co. series) characteristic humor -- irony, sarcasm, a witty quickness -- lightens the tale's more dire themes of abuse and psychological damage. The story establishes a context and partnership that suggest future escapades, with characters ripe for development, plenty of unanswered questions, and a tantalizing treasure heist in the offing.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)