Reviews with content warning for Violence - Fable

I enjoyed this well enough! It was a quick read and some parts were fun. The twist was good - I thought it would go a different way! I liked the characters. I think there were just some things that bugged me. The characters aren't very well developed for how many there are - I had to keep reminding myself who the hell Hamish was 😅 I think there was too much "keeping secrets" and it made the characters under developed. And I obviously haven't read the second book but I feel like things could have been cut to be one book...

My biggest annoyance? Fable continually refers to her mom by her first name which I found so weird for a teen. It made sense for her dad but not for her mom, who she was close to and lost...
Anyways. If I can find the second book inexpensive then I might read it 😅

Content Warnings

rodes's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

saturdayslaughter's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Good fun! I couldn’t really find it in me to care about the romance. Setting was fun, liked the action. I did like her father, that was an exciting relationship. Didn’t get attached to any of the other characters, though they had pleasant vibes I guess. I was nit-picking it a lot while reading, which did make me think less of it, but it was enjoyable to criticize as well.

Content Warnings

her's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

lixard's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

fascinating world
- there are very severe consequences and Young doesn't hold back on very violent maiming and murdering
- but simultaneously there is some ya-fantasy-main-character-syndrome hand-waving to explain away some plot points
- i don't Greatly mind but it would've been nice to see complete grittiness and them actually facing problems that they aren't insanely suited towards solving
im interested in seeing how those not in this industry treat their children? like if they're just a baker's kid, do their parents still neglect and emotionally traumatize them?
sheepishly, i am kinda more interested in the other characters besides the main 2
- the guy fell too fast with 000 interaction and then their buildup was literally only looks and touches. their few conversations were already so tense with "chemistry" that came almost out of nowhere
- where is the sister gonna go after this? how was it like those years she had to stay with her mom before ML came back for her?
- how did the two others meet and end up together and what is the social climate for their relationship?
- their stories just seem more compelling to me without the trope-y ya romance-ness ig
- i also hope for more actual found family and not just smirks and bullying of fable, ouch

I loved her with a love that broke me.

Content Warnings

booksalacarte's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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. 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. 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.

✨My Opinion✨

Fable was a compelling heroine that was dynamic and not overtly feminine, which I really liked. She was practical, humble, smart and tenacious. She knew her worth.

West was stoic, but a caretaker. While not flowery with his words, his willingness to risk it all for those he cared for made him a man to be respected and admired as a romantic interest for Fable. He was the stability she could depend on when her dad was absent.

The stakes were high from the beginning and really drew me in to the story. Survival, found family, parental death, estranged family, enemies-to-lovers. There was a lot going on, but it was spread out and explored fully so you didn’t feel like you were bombarded with trope.

The tension that came with the hesitant savior/enemies-to-lovers was well done. I enjoyed every moment.

The word building was seamlessly intertwined with the familiarity of maritime seafaring. It gives you the sense that oceans are the same in any world, and maybe even an additional character.

I enjoyed it so much and started the second book right away.

Content Warnings

rain_baby's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

theteamsreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A definite favourite. Such an incredibly light, but engaging read with a promise of more to come. All characters were interesting and fun to read about and explore, and the actual plot and setting itself felt like a strong breath of air in terms of a subgenre like this. Recommend to anyone into pirate and trader books, with hunts for missing treasure, escapes from islands, battles on and off seas, big plot twists, and characters to fall in love with entirely.

Content Warnings

More...