Book Review: Fable by Adrienne Young

Fable (Fable #1)

by Adrienne Young

💰💰💰💰 (four stars, as rated in bags of loot because PIRATES! ARRRR!)

Fable has spent four long years on a trading island; dredging the treacherous waters and plotting her escape. Since her father abandoned her the night after her mother’s tragic death, Fable has thought of little besides how she plans to get back to him. He made her a promise and she plans to hold him to it. When offered a chance at passage off the island, Fable joins a rag-tag crew of traders by concealing her relation to one of the most powerful men on The Narrows. But this crew has secrets of their own. And when faced with an opportunity that could change all their lives, Fable must decide of her loyalties lie with her newly found family on the sea, or the man that once promised her the world.

“What he was saying—the things he told me—was his way of showing me he trusted me. It was also his way of giving me the match. If I wanted to, I could burn him down. But if we were going to do this, I would have to be his safe harbor and he would have to be mine.”

Adrienne Young, Fable

Oh this book is a slow burn! I really wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into here, but did I ever enjoy the hell out of it! There is so much build up to the first 60% of this story that I was honestly worried I was going to be let down by the end. But, ALAS, I was not! Not in the slightest! I can genuinely say that I feel fully satisfied with the way the plot knotted itself together in the end while still leaving enough possibility hanging about for the next book. Consider me fully invested in this character, this series, and, frankly, this author. She has crafted a magnificent cast of characters, all equally flawed and yet dripping with charm, while still maintaining their believability. Young’s writing flowed serenely and from page to page. And, while I have absolutely no idea what a nautical life of “dredging” would legitimately entail, I never felt out of my depth (pun intended) as full chapters of diving jargon were thrown around me like cannon fire. My one hope for the second book is that the hints at the supernatural which graced the subplot of this first installment are explored further in its sequel. There is so much potential there that would be a shame to waste! Fingers crossed!

✨ Rep in this book: n/a

✨ Content warnings: child abandonment, death of a parent, abuse, general violence, kidnapping, murder

About the Author: Adrienne Young

Adrienne Young is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the Fable duology and the Sky in the Deep duology. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, sipping wine over long dinners or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. (copied from the author’s personal website)

Personal note: girl on pirate novels

I can’t be the only one with a super soft spot for pirate novels, right? I mean, the swashbuckling is just so much fun! I have entire shelves of them in my guest room. From what I’ve read of the genre, I’d say the golden era was around the 1960’s. Though, real talk, Fable is an outstanding addition to the group!

Best,

Sarah