Fable by Adrienne Young — ARC Review

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.

Review: 5 Stars

This was the first book that I was really excited for in a while, so I actually read this one really early even though publication was pretty far out. Fable was absolutely incredible. I loved every aspect of this book and I never wanted it to end. Adrienne Young really outdid herself with this book. It was everything that I wanted and more. Fable is one of those rare fantasy books that exceeds the highest of expectations and reminded me why I love reading so much.

Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never, ever own anyone anything.
Nothing is free.
Always construct a lie from a truth.
Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.

The characters were so well done and had me so invested in this book. This is a found family story and each character has a place in my heart. Fable is a girl fighting to survive and make a better life for herself. She was fierce, yet vulnerable, she was a thief, yet she was loyal. From the very beginning I was rooting for her and by the end she became an all time favorite character of mine. The rest of the crew each found their way into my heart as well. They took care of each other fiercely and were truly a family sticking together against the world.

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.

The writing was absolutely amazing in every way. The book was so vividly described that I felt like it was a movie playing out in my head. The dialogue helped give the characters substance and personality which made them each feel so authentic. The world built in Fable was described well, but without too much fluff. The vicious lifestyle of traders and dredgers had me so captivated that I finished this book in less than a day.

The possibility made me feel something I rarely did. It made me hope. But it was quickly followed by the swift and brutal reality of what life as a trader was. A constant game of strategy. The never-ending maneuvering to get ahead and the insatiable hunger to want more.

More coin. More ships. More crews.

It was something that ran through my own veins. I was no different.

While this book was a character focused novel it had a great plot filled with tons of action. I used to be hesitant about books set on ships because I thought they were boring, but ever since I read The Bone Ships I’ve wanted to read more sea adventure novels. Fable and The Bone Ships do have some similarities, they are both about ragtag crews on a sea adventure that wind up becoming a family with a shared purpose. After enjoying both of these books I can say that I really do love sea adventure stories. Who knew? Fable was incredibly fast paced and full of adventure. Parts of this book were so exciting and thrilling that I was on the edge of my seat. It had been a while since I so thoroughly loved a book that Fable was everything I needed.

“The only thing I feel truly afraid of is something happening to you.”

This wasn’t just enough of the truth to be believable. It was whole and naked, a first spring bloom waiting to wither in the sun.

“I kissed you because I’ve thought about kissing you for the last two years. I thought that if I just..” He didn’t finish. “We can’t do this by the rules, Fable. No secrets.” He stared at me.

This is the best book I’ve read so far this year and I can not rave about it enough. It did end on a cliffhanger, so I will have a hard time waiting until close to publication to read the sequel. Luckily I have an unread copy of Sky in the Deep I’ve been excited to read as well of an ARC of the sequel, Namesake, but it doesn’t come out until March, so I’m trying my best to wait a little bit to read it.