Melting Pages
Book Reviews and Recommendations
REVIEW: Fable
Hi everyone! It’s been almost a month since I’ve written a review, which means I really need to get back to writing reviews (since that’s really the main reason I started this blog was to give my opinions on the books I read). This time around, I’m bringing you another ARC review, this time for Fable by Adrienne Young!
Fable
by Adrienne Young
Series: Fable #1
Release date: September 1st 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆
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.
First, can we just talk about how BEAUTIFUL that cover is? The detail is awesome with the ship being reflected in her eyes!
I read Adrienne Young’s book Sky in the Deep back when it first came out and loved it quite a bit because it was so atmospheric and it seemed like Young did some research to make it really seem like you were immersed in Vikings and their culture. Because of that, I was not surprised at all to find that Fable was every bit as atmospheric, although with pirates and the open ocean instead of Vikings. This world is full of danger, and I could really feel that through the page.
Because of how dangerous this world is, Fable lives by the 5 rules that her father taught her:
- Keep your knife where you can reach it.
- Never, ever owe anyone anything.
- Nothing is free.
- Always construct a lie from a truth.
- Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.
I adored Fable herself, she had so much strength and courage! Her father left her on an island alone after their ship sank in a storm, and told her that if she could find him again he would give her what she was owed. She survived for 4 years on that island just barely scraping by. I also really loved the crew she escapes with, even though parts of their characters are still a mystery and you can never quite tell what they are thinking or planning. There is also LGBT+ rep, which was nice to see.
I also appreciated Fable’s relationship with her father, although I do wish we could see his motivations for abandoning her on that island. However, that may end up being answered in the sequel, as this is the first book in a duology. I’m also hoping for more clarification on the relationship between Fable, her mother and father, and Zola, because clearly there is something else going on there. I’m also curious about how the whole gem sage thing works and how that will come into play with the next book!
Finally, I want to talk a bit about my main con for this book: the romance. It felt a bit like it came out of nowhere because the love interest didn’t seem to have much interest in Fable for the majority of the book. I can’t talk too much about the relationship without giving away some spoilers, but it was hard to see where the relationship ended and the ‘important cargo’ thing started.
This was such a page turner, I couldn’t stop reading and I only put the book down once to sleep. This was exactly what I was expecting from this book, and I’m excited both for the second book and I’m also excited to read the only other book by this author that I haven’t read yet, The Girl the Sea Gave Back!
Ke
Melting Pages 
Ooooh! First off, can I just talk about how beautiful your header is ♥️😍 with that stag 😍♥️. Loved your review!! I’ve seen Fable around so much and I’m glad to see you enjoyed it. I understand what you mean when you speak about how you feel a little … disconnected (shall we say?) from the romance because it kinda comes out of nowhere. I’m curious though, did it have a unrequited love feel?
I love that you mentioned the cover!! Because saaaame! I loved your review ♥️♥️♥️😍😍😍
Happy reading and stay safe love!
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Thank you! It wasn’t really unrequited, more like the love interest didn’t want to get involved because they were afraid of being used against each other since the world is so brutal. So more like ‘this is wrong, we can’t do this/we need to keep this quiet’ kind of thing.
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Ohhhh gotcha! ♥️
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I’m so excited to read this book! I’m a bit jealous I didn’t get an ARC but overall just chopping at the bit for the release date! I loved your review. 💖 You’ve definitely increased my level of anticipation. 😁🙌
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Thank you! I’m looking forward to the release date too so I can get a hardcover copy! That cover is just too gorgeous to not own!
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Completely agree! 🤩
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Great review! I really want to pick this one up!
And indeed, that cover is gorgeous!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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Great review! I’m definitely interested, and I agree, that’s a beautiful cover!
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Thank you! It was such a great book
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