alexis_k0's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I regret not reading it sooner. The lore is unique and the world is fun. The stakes aren't high compared to most books, but it's still a gripping read. I read the majority (all but 30 pages) in a single day.
Fun, light, yet adventurous all the same.
Fun, light, yet adventurous all the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, and Kidnapping
catdoherty's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
"You were made for a far better world than this one, Fable,"
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Seriously! When I wasn't reading about it, I was thinking about it. Every time I hear the name Fable, I now feel like she has to be our redheaded main character because of how real she (and all the other characters) feel in this story. The world is so unique and fleshed out with descriptive, captivating writing that transported me right to The Narrows. The cast of crew on the Marigold were so realistic, I had a great time getting to know them and really seeing how they all look out for each other and end up accepting Fable. I really truly feel like this is a real world, which just attests to how well Adrienne Young wrote it.
It ended up taking me a year to read this book, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I was stalling and didn't want it to end!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series especially because of that jam-packed ending!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Seriously! When I wasn't reading about it, I was thinking about it. Every time I hear the name Fable, I now feel like she has to be our redheaded main character because of how real she (and all the other characters) feel in this story. The world is so unique and fleshed out with descriptive, captivating writing that transported me right to The Narrows.
Spoiler
I loved West and Fable's relationship and how it wasn't an immediate instalove. The scene between them when they are diving for the Lark was so perfect!It ended up taking me a year to read this book, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I was stalling and didn't want it to end!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series especially because of that jam-packed ending!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Violence
Minor: Blood
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Grief, and Bullying
Minor: Abandonment and Kidnapping
sarahamuller1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Gore and Blood
katiev9beb5's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Torture, Child death, and Physical abuse
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
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 😅
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
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
rodes's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Vomit, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Grief
booksalacarte's review against another edition
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.
✨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
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood and Kidnapping
rain_baby's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Blood, and Violence
taelights's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
I did enjoy the setting, plot, conflicts, and characters in this. Those elements really got me hooked to the book and made listening to it very enjoyable.
But, I hated the romance elements. Honestly I thought Fable and West had no chemistry at all. Like Fable has a huge crush on West throughout the book but I never bought her feelings for him and other than his looks didn't understand why she liked him so much. I also thought their interactions had basically zero chemistry and felt really forced. Fable had a lot more actual chemistry with Willa who would have been such a better love interest for her. Yet another book where the cishet romance is boring and falt and the possible queer romance that authors refuse to acknowledge would have been 10 times better and more interesting.
It wasn't a bad book and I will probably listen to the sequel one day. I'm not dying to read it but this was a solid short read that I did enjoy though!
But, I hated the romance elements. Honestly I thought Fable and West had no chemistry at all. Like Fable has a huge crush on West throughout the book but I never bought her feelings for him and other than his looks didn't understand why she liked him so much. I also thought their interactions had basically zero chemistry and felt really forced. Fable had a lot more actual chemistry with Willa who would have been such a better love interest for her. Yet another book where the cishet romance is boring and falt and the possible queer romance that authors refuse to acknowledge would have been 10 times better and more interesting.
It wasn't a bad book and I will probably listen to the sequel one day. I'm not dying to read it but this was a solid short read that I did enjoy though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual content