Fable

Fable (Book 1 of 2)
By Adrienne Young

Summary:
After being left as a young girl, to fend for herself on an island of thieves, Fable has learned to trust no one. She has no way off the island, but when she runs into trouble, she looks to the harbor. A merchant ship and their helmsman named West, reluctantly agree to help her off the island. The crew harbors many secrets and she learns that West isn’t what he seems. With the help of her new mysterious partners, she sets off to find her father and discover where she truly belongs.

My Review:
Fable is one of those young adult novels that is all over the internet. I picked it up because I had just read the “Daughter of the Pirate King” duology which is also a pirate themed young adult fantasy. I wanted to read them side by side so I could see the similarities and differences between such similar premises. I enjoyed both of them for different reasons, but overall, I was more engaged with Fable.

Adrienne young’s writing is absolutely stunning. The atmosphere of this story pulls you in and makes you feel as if you are breathing the crisp sea air. It is easy to get wrapped into the relationships between all the characters and the gorgeous landscape around them. The world is masterfully built and the plot flows effortlessly in the setting. I love the depth that she gave each character and the backstories never felt clunky or out of place.

I did find myself wanting a bit more from the romance in this book. She doesn’t seem to have a teenager longing and I felt like she should have been more enamored with the love interest. It was a bit too much of a slow burn for my liking with not enough pay off. Some people who are more in it for the pirate adventure might find this refreshing in a YA novel with a female lead though, to each their own. Personally, I’m hopeful that there will be more of a build in the next book.

Pros: The writing and atmosphere of this story are beautiful and consuming. It was so easy to feel like I was in the story rather than just reading it.
Cons: A bit of a slower start and it takes a bit to get invested in the story. The romance was a bit lacking; I wanted a more intense connection between them.

I think that Fable was a fabulous world to get lost in for a bit and I would highly recommend this book. It was different from other young adult fantasy stories in that it felt more grown up, even though she wasn’t. Despite the fact that it took me a little longer to get into this book, I do not regret reading it and I am already reading the sequel.

Overall, I give Fable 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

–Jacqui

“Isolde was the wind and sea and sky of Saint’s world. She was the pattern of stars that he navigated by, the sum of all directions on his compass. And he was lost without her.”

Characters 4/5
Setting 5/5
Writing 5/5
Plot & Themes 3/5
Romance 3/5
Diversity 4/5

Author: Adrienne Young
Genre: YA Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: Child Abandonment, Loss of a Parent,  Alcohol consumption, Drowning, Violence
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length/Page Count: 8 hrs 54 min
Format & Source: Audiobook, Libby App
Narrator: Emma Lysy
Publishing Info: Macmillan Audio