Book Review – Fable by Adrienne Young

Title: Fable (Fable #1)

Author: Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication date: September 1st, 2020

357 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she 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. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.

Review

“He looked at me with a hundred stories lit behind his eyes.” 

Adrienne Young, Fable

Adrienne Young is already an auto buy author for me after Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back, but even if that wasn’t the case I would’ve bought this for the cover ALONE. Holy damn it is gorgeous, and the cover for Namesake is almost better! I’ve never seen two books with covers done so cohesively before. But I digress.

I’m into pirate books at the moment, so I found Fable to be a fantastic beginning to a new duology by Adrienne. I love Adrienne’s writing so much – it is so evocative, I felt like I was in the Narrows and on the ship with Fable and West. The world Adrienne has created is so interesting with the dredging of gems, the pirate lifestyle, and the fact that Fable is abandoned on an island by her father, a very powerful trader in the Narrows. Adrienne comes up with some of the best first lines in a book and Fable is no different. This book is magical, Fable is strong-willed and a fighter, intent on finding her father and figuring out why she was abandoned. Along the way she might just find her family and love.

If I have one critique, it’s that this book does have a very stereotypical YA fantasy book feel. I personally love that, and will always read those books no matter what – but I know that is a critique that could turn some readers away so I wanted to mention it. However, I think the world is super unique and interesting that it undercuts some of that typical YA feel and makes it a very worth it read. There is very subtle magic involved as well, which is a huge selling point for me.

Fable reminds me a lot of All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace. If you love pirates, found family, beautiful writing, and YA fantasy – please check out Fable by Adrienne Young! Come back soon for my review of Namesake.

Happy reading, folks!