Fable by Adrienne Young

Fable by Adrienne Young

Release Date - September 1, 2020

Publisher Website - Raincoast
Publisher Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 357 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**Own**

Here is the 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.

Fable triggered a surprising nostalgia for me. It reminded me of young adult books I have loved previously but not because of its content. It reminded me of being swept away by a book and its world. It captured some of the essence of the books that everyone in the community becomes obsessed with. It feels a little magical in a way that only certain books can.

Fable is so well executed. Its characters, setting, plot, and writing fuse together to create something a reader can effortlessly get lost in. It has emotional stakes, adventure, and romance so it hits on multiple levels. This slower paced read seeps itself into you the way water does into crevices. 

So vivid is the atmosphere and descriptions that this book reads as very cinematic. I didn't just feel like I was reading but experiencing this journey with the characters. You can easily imagine the saltwater spraying on the breeze as the ship glides across the water. The eerie silence that exists underwater pops off the page. The heightened thrill that comes with the danger almost makes your own pulse pound. It is a transportive reading experience in many ways.

The title shares its name with the main character. A resourceful, self reliant, and focused main character whose tough exterior compliments a vulnerable side. Fable is easy to care about and that makes our investment in the story all the more rewarding.

Pirate lore is always fascinating. I am someone who would love Black Sails in book format and this hits close enough to that sweet spot. The high seas adventure of this book and all that entails is compelling. Everything from epic storms, bonds between the crew members, and rival ships feed the story and transports the reader into the life of these characters. 

There is so much to swoon over in the book. The romance in this one really worked for me. There is an underwater scene that is so beautifully written and described that it made me melt. There is no higher compliment than a romance scene making me squeal in delight and hug the book I am reading and this one managed it a few different times.

Family, and chosen family, are a large part of this story. It is the thing that moves the story forward and weaves itself into every other element of the book. The author manages to create a tension while having these elements be especially emotionally resonant. 

Fable whisks the reader on an adventure that will have them immediately reaching for its sequel ... cliffhanger and all. It captures a lot of what I love about books within its pages and has made me desperate for more in this world.