Fable

Series Info/Source: I borrowed this ebook from my Library. This is the first book in the Fable duology. Previous to reading this I read Young’s “Sky in the Deep” duology which I enjoyed.

Story (5/5): This was an amazing fantasy adventure story about the daughter, named Fable, of a powerful trader. Her father leaves her on a cutthroat island to survive after a horrible shipwreck. When Fable’s finally scraped together enough money to leave the island she ends up on a treasure hunt while dodging various baddies. It’s a very well done story that is fast-paced, has some really interesting yet subtle magic, and is somehow very heartfelt as well. I absolutely loved this story and was completely engrossed in it.

Characters (5/5): Fable show more is one tough girl. It’s hard not to love her because she is so tough, yet still finds room to care about the people around her and be loyal to them. The crew she joins on the ship Marigold is amazing as well. They all have a lot of depth to them and have very detailed back stories. They are fun characters to adventure with and characters I grew to love spending time with.

Setting (5/5): This book jumps between different islands, ships, and trading towns. They are all well described and easy to picture. I loved the locations because I felt like I was actually on the adventure with Fable, the scenes and settings just really come alive!

Writing Style (5/5): I enjoyed Young’s “Sky in the Deep” duology but this book was so much better. Young has certainly found her writing stride here. The pacing is perfect, the descriptions of surroundings are phenomenal and make the settings easy to picture, the characterization was incredibly well done, and I loved the story. I am on a huge adventure fantasy kick right now and this book definitely hit the mark. I could not put this down and stayed up way too late reading it. Everything about this was flawless.

My Summary (5/5): Overall this was an amazing fantasy adventure read that I adored. I can’t wait to read the follow-up book “Namesake” which should be out as of the time of this review posting. I would strongly recommend this to fans of fantasy adventure, especially pirating types of adventure stories. This book was so hard to put down and just such a pleasure to read. show less

There are heroines for whom leadership is thrust upon them. These are the girls who reluctantly rise to greatness, which usually involves some major soul-searching and testing of their fortitude. Then, there are those heroines like Fable by Adrienne Young. These girls know their strengths and weaknesses, both physical and mental, and have no problems rushing headlong into danger for the right reasons.

Fable is T-O-U-G-H. Not only does she survive for four years on an island of thieves and cutthroats living by herself, but she also free-dives like she was born underwater, stares down potential rapists, and faces danger with a clear, pragmatic head. Yet, Ms. Young lets us know just how fragile she is underneath that cool exterior. After show more all, being abandoned as a preteen by your father after being told you weren’t meant for this life, is going to leave emotional scars, of which Fable has plenty.

One of the best things about Fable, outside of the fact that she can kick some major ass, is her self-awareness. She may have daddy issues, but she doesn’t (always) let them interfere with what she needs to accomplish. She knows her strengths and plays to them. Also, she has the ability to read others’ body language, which helps tremendously in her situational awareness.

For most of the novel, Fable does everything right no matter what the world throws her way. She sets goals, follows her instincts, observes, and acts appropriately, and eventually achieves her goals. This does not mean the story is boring. In fact, the story is exciting as she finds her plans thwarted at every step through no fault of her own and must constantly adapt. There is only one mistake she makes throughout the course of the novel, which ultimately sets up the cliffhanger ending to leave you wanting more, and boy do I want more.

Fable is not a long read. Personally, I finished it in the course of a few hours. This is partly because it is not a very long novel at 368 pages but also because I did not want to stop reading. I found myself so engrossed in her story that I could not put it down. In addition, with its tropical setting, Fable is the perfect antidote to a gloomy autumnal weekend. show less

Four years ago, Fable, now seventeen, was abandoned by her infamous father on the island of Jeval, a place teeming with thieves and danger. Before he left, he carved a cryptic message into her arm. Since then, Fable has learned the hard way not to trust anyone. She scrapes together what little she can to earn passage to Ceros, where her father resides. Eventually, she secures a spot on the Marigold, captained by the enigmatic West, a young man with secrets of his own.

"Fable" was an absolute page-turner, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. The author’s world-building was exceptional: rich, immersive, and brimming with atmosphere. Set almost entirely on or near the sea, the story carried a constant undercurrent of danger. I show more could easily imagine the crashing waves, the roar of storms, the snap of sails, and the sway of the ship on open waters.

Fable herself was a compelling protagonist. Her skills, secrets, and inner strength are gradually revealed, making her journey all the more engaging. I appreciated how her past unfolded through memories, showing how a difficult childhood forged her into someone fierce, brave, and resilient. She is loyal to those she trusts and, when necessary, can adapt to survive.

I also loved the crew aboard the Marigold. Though not bound by blood, they were a tight-knit family, fiercely protective of one another. I quickly became invested in all of them, especially West and Willow, and I can’t wait to learn more about their backstories in the sequel.

Overall, "Fable" is a rollicking fantasy adventure filled with themes of family, hope, survival, and the longing to find a place to belong. A thoroughly captivating and entertaining read. show less

❝ Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never, ever owe anyone anything.
Nothing is free.
Always construct a lie from a truth.
Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.❞

What the what?

Holy shit, this was phenomenal!

It was exactly what I wanted. Starting from the breathtaking cover (seriously look at that fucking cover! Hands down one of the best of 2020!), feminist YA fantasy storyline, LGBTQIA representation, badass pirates, adventure with a touch of action in the high seas and let's not forget the well-considered controlled pacing romance between West and Fable that wasn't rushed nor forced—It was damn near unputdownable!

Besides the epic adventure the author takes readers on, what I enjoyed the most show more was the authors writing. The author's writing has improved drastically since 'The Girl the Sea Gave Back' and dare I say, the ‘Fable’ series is her best work yet. She was able to captivate me far more with the main characters than imaginable and what led the Marigold crew to cross paths, well paced plot, remarkable supporting characters whose backstories I hope is further explored in the 'Namesake' including Fable’s parents Saint and Isolde, the strong friendships and broken families ties. And that cliffhanger though! Take notes authors because that’s how you get readers amped for the sequel.

I seriously can't remember the last time I raved so wholeheartedly for a young adult fantasy novel. I thought for a second I was in a rut but hell to the naw! ‘Fable’ resurrected me from the slump grave and I’m sitting on the edge of my seat eager to get my hands on the next installment, ‘Namesake’ because it’s going to blow everything else out the water.

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Fable was born and raised on the sea. The daughter of a notorious trader father and a dredger mother—someone who dives for precious gems hidden beneath the water’s surface—Fable was stranded by her father the day after a storm sunk their ship and killed nearly everyone on board.

Now, four years later, Fable wants more than anything to get back to her father. To show him she’s a survivor, and to get what he promised her when he abandoned her. She enlists the help of the Marigold and its helmsman West to get her back to her father, but the journey through the Narrows will prove more difficult than she bargained for. Her father’s business enterprise has grown exponentially since she’s been away, and so has his list of enemies, show more and Fable begins to questions the secrets West and his crew are determined to keep close to the chest.

Adrienne Young has now done for the swashbuckling pirate story what she did for Vikings in her debut Sky in the Deep. She has a penchant for writing solitary characters who find themselves in precarious situations, often fighting for their lives, but injects so much heart and perseverance into the story that I cannot help but compulsively read.

Fable is another such heroine. I loved her characterization, all the characterizations really. This is a world where you look out for yourself and any and all connections, relationships, loyalties are dangerous because they show vulnerability to any and all that would expose such. Fable herself would use someone else’s vulnerability if it meant saving her life or the lives of the people she cares about, but you also know that she’s not unnecessarily cruel. It’s an interesting dynamic.

One that is especially highlighted in the interactions between Fable and Saint—her father whom she’s discouraged from claiming. Typically, I would find a father who abandons his young daughter to fend for herself or die trying rather abhorrent. But in Adrienne Young’s hands he becomes a man who has lived too long in his role and has lost so much along the way. Their relationship is so rocky, yet I cannot help but see glimpses of love that are overshadowed by fear of losing again. It’s something I hope we see develop more in the sequel.

Not to be outdone of course is the tentative alliance between West and his crew of the Marigold. I loved this small group of traders each with their own story who have grown into this quasi-family due to the fact that they rely upon each other to pull their weight and do their job on the ship. Fable kind of thrusts herself into their orbit by enlisting their help, and as much as she tries, she can’t keep herself from being curious about this crew. But in the Narrows it’s a curiosity that could cost someone their life. So proceed with caution.

I’m just going to say it: Fable ends on a pretty major cliffhanger. I was just thinking how it’s been awhile since a book has ended in such a way where I felt that gut punch, but I felt it here. Luckily, its sequel Namesake will be out in March with plenty of mysteries left to unravel. Not too long to wait. Right? show less

Fable has been stuck on the island of Jeval since her father abandoned her there four years ago. She’s scraped by diving for gems until she can buy passage off the island, but the ship she secures passage on is not the simple trading ship it seems. Naturally, adventure awaits! This was a really fun book, with deep sea diving, shady traders that are almost pirates, and a crew formed of a bunch of outcasts. The found family trope is my favorite, and I loved it here. The perilous seas and coral reefs are described beautifully, I could practically smell the salt water. I have not read Adrienne Young’s previous books, but I will definitely fix that now. My only real complaint is that it is a series which, you know what that means, show more cliffhanger ending. But that seems to happen in almost every YA series so, what can you do? We’ll just have to wait for the sequel! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review show less

Adrienne Young's writing is superb! Not to mention her worldbuilding. She created a culture and meticulously fleshes out the character. This is shown as she gives everyone a back story. And no, it does not make the book drag. Rather, it gives life to the narrative. What is powerful about Young's storytelling is that she shows how everyone carries their own blindspots and motives, things that must be hidden deeply because they are the strongest weapon against you. In each page, layers are peeled and in it the art and heart of a gifted wordsmith.

Fable lost her innocence the moment she was abandoned by her father on an island where you don't make friends, only enemies. In a world where there is no grace, only exchange of favors, Fable has show more to be astute and attentive. When troubles arise, she ends up as an unwelcome passenger of the Marigold. There she meets a group of waterside strays who might just be as canny as her because of their desperation to survive. She is not seeking to reach out to be a part of them, but sometimes camaraderie sneaks up on you and you have to decide if you will become each other's greatest fear or partner to survive the Narrows.

And then that ending came with the worst cliff-hanger and now I'm left wondering how can I get my hands on the sequel ;)

*I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. show less