Title: Fable

Author: Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release Date: September 1, 2020

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Summary: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

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My Review

“You want something in this life, you take it.”

Fable is like a whisper of hope in a world overflowing with cruelty and hardship. It’s a story brimming with adventure and longing, a story that refuses to be forgotten among the waves. Fable called to me and even every time I was forced to put the book down, I always found myself thinking about the story or looking at the book longingly. This story had the power of a siren song, even without a siren. Fable is a story that grips you and carries you beneath the waves, and leaves you craving for more. Trust me when I say this is a book you will not be able to put down.

I’ve been a fan of Young’s writing ever since I read an early copy of Sky in the Deep. I knew she was going to be a force to be reckoned with in the YA book world. She’s the eye of the storm I never saw coming, but I am beyond thrilled to have been introduced to her stories. Her writing has a way of pulling you into the story, of gripping you in the deepest corner of your heart and tugging you into her worlds. It is worth saying, I will never get enough of Young’s writing. And Fable? Fable is, without a doubt, Adrienne Young’s best work yet. Her writing is lyrical and soulfully captivating, filled with meaningful prose and lush world building. Young has brought a cruel yet enchanting world to life, one that will not be lost to the sea.

“This crew had already been in trouble when I stepped onto their ship, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I was going to be the storm that finally sank them.”

This book is as swift and coarse as the waves and as strong and deadly as a storm. Fable starts out calm (calmer than any other part of this book because, trust me, you’re in for quite the adventure), calm enough to grab your attention and keep your eyes glued to the page. But after the first several chapters, the story grabs you and pushes you right into the middle of a whirlwind, making it almost impossible for you to put the book down.

Fable is a girl constantly told she’s not built for the world she was forced into. But in her eyes, she’s capable of fitting herself into this cruel world and making a name for herself. She is destined for greatness, and she’s not afraid to go for what she wants, even if she should be. Fable has every right to demand what her father owes her, especially when he left her with no family. He ripped her from her childhood and forced her to grow up, to fend for herself. But that also brought her strength and her bravery to the surface, illustrating she has what it takes to survive in this world.

Even though this is Fable’s story, I could not get enough of the crew of The Marigold. Each character is skillfully and beautifully crafted to the point that they dive right off the pages. It wasn’t just the writing or the story or Fable that enamored me; it was also the crew. Especially West and Willa. West had me swooning all over the place to where if I was on The Marigold, there’s a good chance I’d fall overboard from all the swooning. He’s a relentless current with his eyes set on one direction, always. Willa, on the other hand, is very tempestuous, but has every right to be. She has a past that has scarred her, that has made her very hesitant about who she trusts. But among The Marigold, among the crew, Fable finds what she’s wanted for years: family. And in a world made from brutality and pain, family is a rare and valued jewel, one many people see as a weakness, and one Fable doesn’t ever want to lose.

“Nothing comes free, Fable. We both know that surviving means sometimes doing things that haunt you.”

This story is heavily character driven, but wonderfully and rightfully so. The plot is intriguing, but the characters really sold this story. Each character has something valuable to hide that adds a bit of mystery to Fable. The characters really stole the show and brought light into this world that’s easily shrouded in darkness.

And the ending. THAT ENDING. I literally was left sitting in my chair staring at the page, grappling for words that wouldn’t come to the surface. That ending left me completely speechless. Needless to say, I’m thoroughly looking forward to Namesake and my greedy little hands wish that the sequel was nestled in my hands. Believe me when I say that this book is not destined to disappoint, but destined to shine. Fable by Adrienne Young is an absolute treasure.

Fable is undoubtedly a five star read for me. If you love fantasy books filled with adventure, romance, and found family, and/or if you love Adrienne Young’s work, I highly recommend Fable!

Thank you, Wednesday Books, for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars