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madalina0_0's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
ali_k0's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you like books with treasure hunts, characters with hidden motivations, deception behind every corner, and pages pressed with the salt of the sea, Namesake won't leave you disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Classism
extrafolklore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Sexual content
hannahbailey's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
How disappointing! Whilst Fable was a fun and atmospheric read with interesting character dynamics, its sequel failed to expand on these relationships and was instead rather dreary and repetitive.
Fable was by no means a revolutionary work of YA, but the things it did well really stood out. The father-daughter relationship was cleverly crafted as was the high-stakes setting, first of Jeval, and then of the seas the characters sail on.
In Namesake, the world-building is left behind and instead the author focuses on the MC's inner conflict between her father and her found family. This still could have been interesting if executed well, but sadly it dwelled too much upon the love interest and his 'bad boy' behaviour, their lovers' quarrels and their attempts to save one another by going behind each other's backs. It was so boring!
As I mentioned in my review of Fable, the side characters had potential that I was hoping would be explored further in the sequel. Some were, but only in a way that furthered the plot, rather than providing a richness of character for the reader. Despite the author heightening the stakes, they never felt so low for me.
Fable was by no means a revolutionary work of YA, but the things it did well really stood out. The father-daughter relationship was cleverly crafted as was the high-stakes setting, first of Jeval, and then of the seas the characters sail on.
In Namesake, the world-building is left behind and instead the author focuses on the MC's inner conflict between her father and her found family. This still could have been interesting if executed well, but sadly it dwelled too much upon the love interest and his 'bad boy' behaviour, their lovers' quarrels and their attempts to save one another by going behind each other's backs. It was so boring!
As I mentioned in my review of Fable, the side characters had potential that I was hoping would be explored further in the sequel. Some were, but only in a way that furthered the plot, rather than providing a richness of character for the reader. Despite the author heightening the stakes, they never felt so low for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Death, and Violence
kassidyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
kelburke's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence, Blood, and Abandonment
saturdayslaughter's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Fun! Still didn’t care about West, which did make the plot harder to stomach, cuz a lot of it is about their relationship. Was brainstorming how to change the plot to remove the romance, I think it would have been better. I liked a lot of the relationships with her family, and her relationship with Koy felt like a more real friendship than her relationship with anyone on the crew. I enjoyed the settings, pretty as always. There were lots of little things I didn’t like and plenty of times I wished I knew the crew more. An enjoyable ride though, especially the beginning, which was more action packed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
lottsofplots's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
thereaderfriend's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Was hoping for more character development for Fable because I feel like she was handed many things and directed to many decisions rather than leading her own path. But then again that's probably because I struggle accepting help. I also didn't like Fable and West's relationship because it was instant love and we didn't really learn much about West. He was super withheld. Hoping that Saint's book will answer some unanswered questions about Isolde.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence
Namesake by Adrienne Young is the second book in the Fable duology. Although I did enjoy reading this one, it felt a little weird not interacting with the crew the Marigold as much, but we did get some good background on Fable's family.
We pick up from that awful cliffhanger from last book, with Fable being captured by Zola and his crew. Fable soon finds out that she's not a prisoner per se, but is expected to be a part of the crew and to do the tasks that Zola wants done. Part of the problem is that Zola knows Saint is her father, because his old navigator, Clove, now works for him, leaving Fable feeling betrayed. Cue the intrigue.
As I said before, we get to learn more about Fable's mother as she learns for the first time about her mother's past. Turns out she was running from her powerful mother. Similarly, we get to learn more about Saint, and he and Fable finally get to have a touching moment that humanizes him.
I found West to be quite annoying this book. The whole I -went -behind -your -back-and-and-decisions-you-wouldn't-like-because-i-love-you-so-much reads to me as unhealthy and, honestly, overdone. West seemed more flat in this book instead of growing. Instead of his love for Fable helping him see the error of his ways, he uses it as justification of his behavior.
We get a little more background on Paj and Auster, but we get nothing about the other crewman, Hamish (the ship nerd 🤓). I loved that Fable's rivalry with Koy from the beginning of the first book comes full circle, and they become reluctant allies.
All in all, I thought it was a good wrap on the series, I just wish there had more growth for our main characters.
Namesake by Adrienne Young is the second book in the Fable duology. Although I did enjoy reading this one, it felt a little weird not interacting with the crew the Marigold as much, but we did get some good background on Fable's family.
We pick up from that awful cliffhanger from last book, with Fable being captured by Zola and his crew. Fable soon finds out that she's not a prisoner per se, but is expected to be a part of the crew and to do the tasks that Zola wants done. Part of the problem is that Zola knows Saint is her father, because his old navigator, Clove, now works for him, leaving Fable feeling betrayed. Cue the intrigue.
As I said before, we get to learn more about Fable's mother as she learns for the first time about her mother's past. Turns out she was running from her powerful mother. Similarly, we get to learn more about Saint, and he and Fable finally get to have a touching moment that humanizes him.
I found West to be quite annoying this book. The whole I -went -behind -your -back-and-and-decisions-you-wouldn't-like-because-i-love-you-so-much reads to me as unhealthy and, honestly, overdone. West seemed more flat in this book instead of growing. Instead of his love for Fable helping him see the error of his ways, he uses it as justification of his behavior.
We get a little more background on Paj and Auster, but we get nothing about the other crewman, Hamish (the ship nerd 🤓). I loved that Fable's rivalry with Koy from the beginning of the first book comes full circle, and they become reluctant allies.
All in all, I thought it was a good wrap on the series, I just wish there had more growth for our main characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence