Fable (Fable, #1)

by Adrienne Young

Filled with all of the action, emotion, and lyrical writing that brought readers to Sky in the Deep, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Fable, the first book in this new captivating duology.

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.

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.

Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.

• ASIN: B08JSHCTC3
• Publish Date: 26 January 2021 (first published 1 September 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Titan Books (UK)
• Format: eBook (Kindle)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Sarah at Titan Books for approving my copy of this book via Netgalley. I saw the hardback edition released last year and I loved the cover. When I saw the ebook was on NetGalley I was so excited to be approved.

This book is a story of a young girl trying to find not only herself but also a family. In a world full of thieves, grudges and pirates it's not easy for Fable to find anyone she can trust. She is however extremely determined. She never gives up, every time she's knocked down she gets back up again. I really liked Fable.

I really loved West and the crew on the Marigold. I think Willa was my favourite of the crew. She might seem like a tough girl on the outside but on the inside, she's just as scared as the rest.

This book had lots of interesting themes. There was a big focus on how love can make you weak. How others can hold that power over you. Its a theme I have seen before but it still makes me very sad. That people are afraid to fall in love because of what they can lose.

Adrienne has done an excellent job with the world-building in this book. I loved the different islands and boats. The writing style is very easy to read and I found I was absorbed into the book without even realising it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2!

[reshydari]

2.5 stars. I really think I was expecting more action, but I’m starting to learn otherwise (from reading her other works), that the author tends to focus more on battling our inner demons, and saves the outer “demon slashing” for a relatively few pages of the book. I personally, am intrigued enough to keep reading her work. But I’m not yet fully blown away.

I made the mistake of reading about 30% of the book, then forgetting about it for months. When I started it up again, I decided to start from the beginning, and maybe that’s why it was a struggle. The book was also just too slow for me. And I think I had higher expectations. The book picked up about halfway through, and I ended up really enjoying the last 1/3 of the book (the pace picks up here). I enjoyed the end so much that I’m eager to see how this concludes. But I can’t ignore how difficult it was to get through the first half of the book. It also took awhile for Fable (the MC) to grow on me, but by the end of the book I was wholeheartedly rooting for her. I liked being inside her head, because her finer qualities are very admirable. Truly. Besides her, I did like the crew of The Marigold, especially Willa. We learned so much from those two interacting. But for awhile the characters were just... there. Everything was very gradual with this book. I’ve read the author’s other books, and I think the plot for this book was best. And like her other books, the author did a great job of setting the tone/mood.
There is definitely a lot of mystery and lore waiting to be explored. I hope we will get satisfying answers in the finale!

[thepunktheory]

Full review on my blog coming soon!

Okay, so here's the thing. It took me a hot minute to get into the story but that was 100% my fault. I spent almost my entire life in Austria, where we don't have an ocean. There are just mountains. Somehow it simply took a bit until I got the world, until I fully embraced the vibe. I am aware of how stupid this sounds. I read countless books set in fantasy worlds and still got sucked in faster. So please, just ignore that.
However, after some initial trouble, I was hooked. The story is fast-paced and the book isn't too long. So, I soon reached I point where I didn't want to put it down and just NEEDED to know how all of it would end.
I'm sure you can tell by now that I tremendously enjoyed Fable. The world-building is fascinating and even though I am entirely unfamiliar with a great many things mentioned in the book, Adrienne Young has such a way with words, it really all came to life in my head. The images the story invoked in my head were just as gorgeous as the cover design!
The characters are quite amazing, we get quite a range of people, from skin-color to sexual orientation. I love that Young managed to incorporate such much representation and every single moment of it feels natural. That's how stories should be! It was nice to follow along and discover little bits about the characters and get to know them more. Young unravels their backstories slowly and at the end of the book, I still feel like there is a lot more to find out. Also, I'm just a sucker for slightly dysfunctional found families, so...
I am not 100% convinced by the entire premise of the story that basically kicks off Fable's journey and adventure. However, once I was about 1/3 in, I couldn't care less about that. I was sucked into the world and needed to find out more - whether it all made sense or not.
By the way, as I mentioned I don't know anything about sailing a ship, so I can't speak to the accuracy of Young's description on that part. All I can say is that she really painted a picture and it was easy enough for me to get what was going on, despite all the technical terms she used (and that I am not familiar with).
Last but not least, the CLIFFHANGER. Oh damn, ending a book like this is pure evil. It's the cliffy-est of cliffhangers and I just need to get my hands on the next installment asap. I really hope Adrienne Young is a fast typer!

This book has earned a permanent home among my shelves. If you enjoy pirate adventure books with fantasy vibes, then you must read Fable!

Separated from her family and alone on a dangerous island, she quickly learns how master her trading skills in order to survive. A few years later, she begins her quest to find her family and experiences some close-calls, shady encounters, and lots of adventure along the way.

Not only is Fable a fantastic protagonist with her admirable strength and determination, but the narration of the story is superb too. The author successfully brings Fable to life while creating a world that is both intriguing, as well as dynamic. The result is a beautifully written story that will linger long after you finish.

*Fable is the first book in Adrienne Young’s newest duology. The second book ([b:Namesake|53138025|Namesake (Fable, #2)|Adrienne Young|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590354154l/53138025._SY75_.jpg|68428327]) is set to release in March 2021.

[Stephanie]

This review was originally posted on Once Upon a ChapterI received this book for free from NetGalley, Personal Collection in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.








I decided to read Fable by Adrienne Young because I really enjoyed Sky in the Deep. I didn't love The Girl the Sea Gave Back as much. When I heard Young had a new release I had to give it a shot! The title really caught my attention and I wanted to know which way I would land after reading Fable.



I really wasn't sure how Young was going to be able to pull what I thought the plot of Fable was through such a long book. At first I thought it was going to be thing A was the end goal, then I moved to thing B....then thing C.



Young lured me in to a false sense of resolution multiple times. I'm not even mad about it. Young took the best thing about Sky in the Deep which for me was immersive, descriptive, and beautiful writing and put it in the fast moving plot of Fable.



Fable is a girl looking to belong. She's not very trusting and I don't think anyone can blame her. I really loved the crew of the Marigold. They make no bones about doing what needs to be done to survive.



The rest of the cast of characters have memorable personalities. There are no excess characters. Each one has an important role to play.



The writing in Fable is what really made it shine. I felt like I could have been on that ship with Fable. I loved it and I can't wait for the sequel to come out in March!

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

This absolutely BLEW ME AWAY. 5 full, bright, refreshing, pirate-y Stars!

RTC

That ending...no. Just no. I need book two now!

After the death of her mother, Fable is abandoned on a cut throat island by her father and has to fight to survive the next four years. Dreams of escaping and taking her rightful place by his side see her dredging for gems in the hope of scraping together enough coin to barter passage off that hellhole.

What ensues is an adventure across the sea, with a mysterious crew who are playing a very dangerous game. Secrets are unearthed, friendships are formed and a new life awaits if she has what it takes to make it.

I LOVED this book! I was slightly dubious because I wasn't into "The Girl the Sea Gave Back" but after watching "Pirates of the Caribbean" 11 times at the cinema when it came out, I was all for a swashbuckling YA fantasy and boy I was not disappointed! I thought the characters were great and I was totally immersed in their world and a life of surviving at sea. The insta-romance I so hated from "The Girl the Sea Gave Back" wasn't present here, instead relationships and trust are hard won in a world that will use any weakness against you. I can't wait to see what happens after that ending...bring on book two!!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[llamareads]

Content warnings: fantasy violence and murder, child abuse, torture, child abandonment

I’m not sure what’s prompted the rash of young adult pirate books lately, but yes, please give me more, thanks. This one is a dark and gritty fantasy filled with found family and adventure on the high seas. Also, I apologize ahead of time for the boatload of nautical puns in this review.

“I’m on the Marigold to crew.”
“No, you’re not.” She sighed, getting to her feet. “You’re on the Marigold to find a family.”

This is basically a “found family” story in two senses. First, Fable is hunting down her father Saint, head of a massive shipping conglomerate with both legal and illegal arms. Four years ago, he left her on the island of Jeval after her mother drowned in a shipwreck, and promised her to help her out if she managed to escape the island and find him. After years of using her gem sense, a sort of magical ability to find and appraise gems, she’s almost made enough to buy passage when events conspire against her again. The end result is that she lands on the Marigold, a ship crewed by an unlikely group of young people who aren’t exactly happy to have her there. They think she’s trouble and they’re right, but eventually she grows on them like, well, a barnacle.

“It doesn’t matter why we’re here, West. We’re here. I need someone to trust with my life.”

Fable’s tenacious and a survivor, and you certainly can’t fault her bravery. She’s not afraid of hard work and she’s tough as a result of having to survive on her own amongst a group of people who’d kill her for the change in her pocket. She doesn’t necessarily always make the right decisions – she tends to act a bit rashly – but it’s all in character. The part where the book ran aground for me was the side characters. West, captain of the Marigold and Fable’s blindingly obvious love interest, has some depth, but the rest of the crew felt more underdeveloped to me. I can give you the basic facts about each of them, and I thought the m/m relationship between two of the crew was sweet, but it’s more snapshots than full personalities. One of Fable’s guiding tenets is to never reveal what matters to you to anyone so they can’t use it against you, so everyone, including her, has secrets. Between that and the crew spending a chunk of the book suspicious of her, it takes a while before each crew member’s personality and interconnections are explored, and it didn’t quite feel like enough to me.

The world building is enjoyable if not particularly inventive and the plot is well-paced but slow, much like an ocean voyage. Fable’s voice – the book is told in her first person POV – really worked for me, and the writing captured my attention. It’s gritty and sometimes brutal, basically grimdark fantasy turned down a notch for a YA audience. And like most grimdark, every time something good happens for Fable, I kept searching the horizon for the next storm to come in and set her even further off course.

Overall, I’d give this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, and due to a cliffhanger ending that is absolutely heinous, I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Fable in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fable is the start of Adrienne Young's latest series, and it is once again sure to catch the hearts and minds of the fans.

Fable is the daughter of one of the most powerful traders in the Narrows, yet that isn't enough to keep her safe. Cast away for reasons unknown, Fable has spent the last few years fending for herself on a harsh and cruel island.

Now she's going to find a way off the island, prove herself to her father, and start a new life for herself. At least, that's the plan. That's the thing about plans though, they always end up getting more complicated by the end.

“Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never, ever owe anyone anything.
Always construct a lie from a truth.
Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.”

Fable is one of those stories that grabs you right from the start, and refuses to let go. In fact, it's hold is so strong that I'm literally already counting down the days until I can get my hands on Namesake, the second novel in the series.

This is a fast-paced novel, set predominantly on the sea, with strong (and fun) pirate themes all over the place. It's shockingly complex, as Fable is desperately trying to find a place for herself in this world that is anything but kind.

In a way, she did do exactly that, just by accident. It's sweet, for more than one reason, all while carrying the plot steadily onward. The secondary characters are one of the many highlights in this novel, and I found myself rooting for them just as much as I did for Fable.

At the beginning of this book, I found myself making assumptions for how it was all going to turn out. I was wrong, and I actually really love that about this book. It was unpredictable, in the best of ways. It was a thrilling tale, one that wasn't afraid to show the darker sides of humanity (the Narrows doesn't seem like a place that treats humans, of any race, gender, or age, very kindly).

The complications that come from Fable's relationships brought what was an interesting story to a whole new level. It added tension, pain, and hope all at once, while also adding layers to the entire novel. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how all of that develops in the next book.

Speaking of, is Namesake out yet? I would really like to start reading that right about now. No? Oh, I guess we're just going to have to wait a little bit longer then. It'll be worth it, I'm sure.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[lindsey]

First of all, I can't get over the beautiful cover. It's what first drew me to the book, and then the description finished the job. Sometimes I'm a little worried about reading a book that I'm highly anticipating because it's easy to be let down by them, but luckily that's not the case with Fable.

It's an action-packed adventure on the high seas, full of interesting characters and wonderful world building. I can still picture the ships, ports, and cities so clearly in my mind. The descriptions were incredibly detailed, but I never felt bogged down by too many details.

Adrienne Young's writing is exquisite, and the story flowed so well that it was hard to put the book down at times. 

There's a large cast of characters, and I tried to narrow down my favorites, but it's just too hard. I adored Fable herself. She's a fantastic character - strong and capable of taking care of herself, yet flawed and far from perfect. 

I loved pretty much all of the characters, to be honest. Some I loved for themselves, and some I loved to hate. 

The entire crew of the Marigold was fantastic and I want to know more about all of them. Hopefully, we learn more about their backgrounds in the next book.

I don't want to share any spoilers at all, so I'm not going to talk about one of my favorite parts of the book, but I will say I was very happy with one of the relationships! I'm dying to talk about it with someone, so I can't wait for more people to read the book! 

But that cliffhanger. I need the next book NOW. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

This is one that I would highly recommend!