courtsport3000's review against another edition
4.0
FABLE is an incredibly difficult book to review. It features interesting characters, a really cool world, a unique form of "magic", and is overall a really fun read. But for all of that, it also doesn't feel like anything especially new or impactful. I got really strong DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING vibes throughout the book. I kept waiting for this read to take a powerful turn or do something really different to flip that comparison on its head... but that just never happened.
I also feel like there are challenges with the pacing of FABLE. The story would ramp up and I kept thinking something exciting or dramatic was about to happen, but then that moment never came. It can be a bummer when you guess the plot twist in the story, but it's an even bigger disappointment when there are no twists at all. While I enjoyed this book and read through it happily, it just felt like a neat little package where every character and every detail followed in an organized line and behaved exactly as expected. Nothing ever came along to shake things up or create tension or a sense of the unknown.
Although I'm sure Young is saving most of the big reveals for the upcoming sequel, I might feel differently about FABLE if the first book offered more payoff. Maybe I could overlook the lack of plot twists if some of the questions presented by the story had been addressed before the end. But there are many situations where characters make choices that feel important, but are never explained or revisited (mostly lookin' at you, Saint). After reaching the end of the first book I'm forced to wonder if those choices are actually irrelevant to the overall storyline or if I'm to continue patiently waiting for things to make sense. As a reader, neither of these options is especially appealing.
Overall, FABLE is a fun story about a girl with a unique gift on an adventure to find herself and her place in the world. It's a bit predictable and much less dramatic than I expected from the blurbs. It's a perfect recommendation for someone who wants a low-stress adventure story or someone eager for something akin to Levenseller's PIRATE KING duology. In fact, someone who hasn't read Levenseller's work might enjoy this book much more than I did. Maybe it would feel really fresh and new to someone who hasn't experienced a very similar character in a very similar world with very similar family struggles. Although this felt like something I've read before, I still rated it relatively highly and I will still gladly read the second book in the series. At the end of the day, I had fun reading FABLE and that feels like a pretty important factor to consider.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I also feel like there are challenges with the pacing of FABLE. The story would ramp up and I kept thinking something exciting or dramatic was about to happen, but then that moment never came. It can be a bummer when you guess the plot twist in the story, but it's an even bigger disappointment when there are no twists at all. While I enjoyed this book and read through it happily, it just felt like a neat little package where every character and every detail followed in an organized line and behaved exactly as expected. Nothing ever came along to shake things up or create tension or a sense of the unknown.
Although I'm sure Young is saving most of the big reveals for the upcoming sequel, I might feel differently about FABLE if the first book offered more payoff. Maybe I could overlook the lack of plot twists if some of the questions presented by the story had been addressed before the end. But there are many situations where characters make choices that feel important, but are never explained or revisited (mostly lookin' at you, Saint). After reaching the end of the first book I'm forced to wonder if those choices are actually irrelevant to the overall storyline or if I'm to continue patiently waiting for things to make sense. As a reader, neither of these options is especially appealing.
Overall, FABLE is a fun story about a girl with a unique gift on an adventure to find herself and her place in the world. It's a bit predictable and much less dramatic than I expected from the blurbs. It's a perfect recommendation for someone who wants a low-stress adventure story or someone eager for something akin to Levenseller's PIRATE KING duology. In fact, someone who hasn't read Levenseller's work might enjoy this book much more than I did. Maybe it would feel really fresh and new to someone who hasn't experienced a very similar character in a very similar world with very similar family struggles. Although this felt like something I've read before, I still rated it relatively highly and I will still gladly read the second book in the series. At the end of the day, I had fun reading FABLE and that feels like a pretty important factor to consider.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
kdoss2707's review against another edition
4.0
A bit of a slow start but overall a good adventure story. Didn’t have as much romance as I would like but I did like fable as a character I thought she was interesting. They were parts of this book that confuse me and it mainly had to do with terminology because I’m not very familiar with boats and trading but I still got the general idea of what was going on. I was starting to wonder how she was going to make this into a second book until I got that plot twist at the end which was very much a WTF moment. So when the second book comes out I will definitely be reading it. Hopefully there’s more romance in the second book because I know this is YA so there is definitely going to be no smut but I need some kissing!
molikesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jolietjane's review against another edition
5.0
Well, it only took me two days to slam this. Thanks to Wednesday Books and Goodreads for providing a free copy!
Sometimes, A book burns in your soul, leaving it raw upon it's exit. Fable was that for me. If pirates and seafaring adventures are the next trend in YA, I won't complain about this one leading the charge.
Fable takes place in a merciless, unnamed world of low fantasy where life at sea is seemingly normal for most people. Fable, at 14, is abandoned by her successful trader father. After the tragic loss of the ship she grew up on, her father slashes her arms and leaves her on an island of nomadic criminals. She spends years growing up on this island, surviving with bare minimum against all odds working as a dredger (essentially, someone who finds precious stones and ore under the sea)
Evntually, she finally has enough coin to pay for passage off the island and search for her father.
Fable is what I would call a "grimdark YA"- another trend I am seeing emerge. The first 100 pages or so are some of the most stressed out i've ever felt reading a YA novel. Fable isn't just left on any island, but an island where men sleep in shanty camps and can sniff out coin and success. Any stroke of luck can lead to ambush, death, or fates far worse as the local population mercilessly hunts you. Adrienne Young is a masterful storyteller, and encourages a powerful sense of empathy in the reader as you feel men watching our main character from every corner.
In this universe, any sign of weakness can damn you, and I was surprised just how often I felt for Fable...this sense of fear never really leaves you through the book. When Fable has a stroke of luck, you are waiting for the other shoe to drop. When someone shows kindness, you are trained to question "why".
When Fable is taken upon the Marigold for passage to her father, you meet West and his crew- a team of ragtag, morally grey, and utterly brutal traders. They crew is hellbent on keeping their secrets and moving Fable off of their boat as quickly as possible.
Watching relationships develop in "Fable" is powerful, because every character is more guarded than the last...but ultimately, aside from being the epic heart pounding pirate style thriller you have dreamed up, "Fable" is about relationships, and the price you pay for opening your heart.
The primary source of conflict in this story does not revolve around a save the world, chosen one, or magical item plot. Really and truly, this is a grounded low fantasy about money, power, and conflicts between monopolized businesses that act like mobs. It 's a conflict between rich and poor, debts and debtors, and the impact of climbing up the ladder of power.
"Fable" is a slow churning story, having a few small climaxes, but not pushing for a lot of narrative moment as the few of the Marigold go on a number of smaller, but ultimately important adventures between sea and costal city. Despite this, these adventures are impactful and meaningful- any "filler" keeps you engaged and moves the plot along.
Some cliffnotes on the hi lights of this amazing read:
- Enemies to lovers slow burn romance that does not take up much real-estate in the series
- Found family
- horror/grimdark elements
- emotional, high tension scenes
- A YA novel with adult characters
- a strong female character that survives largely on her brains/wits and doesn't represent strength in a masculine/feminine way.
- Some LGBT rep.
This has got to be one of- if not my favorite 2020 release and I can't wait for other people to go on the adventure I just got to experience. Bring on the angry swashbuckling trader boat wars!
Sometimes, A book burns in your soul, leaving it raw upon it's exit. Fable was that for me. If pirates and seafaring adventures are the next trend in YA, I won't complain about this one leading the charge.
Fable takes place in a merciless, unnamed world of low fantasy where life at sea is seemingly normal for most people. Fable, at 14, is abandoned by her successful trader father. After the tragic loss of the ship she grew up on, her father slashes her arms and leaves her on an island of nomadic criminals. She spends years growing up on this island, surviving with bare minimum against all odds working as a dredger (essentially, someone who finds precious stones and ore under the sea)
Evntually, she finally has enough coin to pay for passage off the island and search for her father.
Fable is what I would call a "grimdark YA"- another trend I am seeing emerge. The first 100 pages or so are some of the most stressed out i've ever felt reading a YA novel. Fable isn't just left on any island, but an island where men sleep in shanty camps and can sniff out coin and success. Any stroke of luck can lead to ambush, death, or fates far worse as the local population mercilessly hunts you. Adrienne Young is a masterful storyteller, and encourages a powerful sense of empathy in the reader as you feel men watching our main character from every corner.
In this universe, any sign of weakness can damn you, and I was surprised just how often I felt for Fable...this sense of fear never really leaves you through the book. When Fable has a stroke of luck, you are waiting for the other shoe to drop. When someone shows kindness, you are trained to question "why".
When Fable is taken upon the Marigold for passage to her father, you meet West and his crew- a team of ragtag, morally grey, and utterly brutal traders. They crew is hellbent on keeping their secrets and moving Fable off of their boat as quickly as possible.
Watching relationships develop in "Fable" is powerful, because every character is more guarded than the last...but ultimately, aside from being the epic heart pounding pirate style thriller you have dreamed up, "Fable" is about relationships, and the price you pay for opening your heart.
The primary source of conflict in this story does not revolve around a save the world, chosen one, or magical item plot. Really and truly, this is a grounded low fantasy about money, power, and conflicts between monopolized businesses that act like mobs. It 's a conflict between rich and poor, debts and debtors, and the impact of climbing up the ladder of power.
"Fable" is a slow churning story, having a few small climaxes, but not pushing for a lot of narrative moment as the few of the Marigold go on a number of smaller, but ultimately important adventures between sea and costal city. Despite this, these adventures are impactful and meaningful- any "filler" keeps you engaged and moves the plot along.
Some cliffnotes on the hi lights of this amazing read:
- Enemies to lovers slow burn romance that does not take up much real-estate in the series
- Found family
- horror/grimdark elements
- emotional, high tension scenes
- A YA novel with adult characters
- a strong female character that survives largely on her brains/wits and doesn't represent strength in a masculine/feminine way.
- Some LGBT rep.
This has got to be one of- if not my favorite 2020 release and I can't wait for other people to go on the adventure I just got to experience. Bring on the angry swashbuckling trader boat wars!
soarinsora's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I'm not one for pirate stories but the characters of Fable pulled me in. After a long slump this was a breath of fresh air
sharada_mohan's review against another edition
3.0
Fable took me on a raw and wild adventure I have never quite experienced before. YA fantasy just isn’t my thing, but I was drawn to it seeing it all over booksta. The cover is stunning and I wanted to read more fantasy as part of my reading goal this year!
Abandoned on a dangerous island by her father when she was 14, Fable has learnt the art of survival the hard way. Belittled time and again by him that she isn’t cut out for this world, Fable is determined to make good of her life. Now after 4 dreadful years, having endured some extreme adversities just to exist, she requests West for passage across the treacherous Narrows in his ship.
Bound by the promise made to her father, Fable’s journey unravels in a way she never expected. Navigating the sea, they would need to overcome multiple obstacles and her skills are tested. As she spends more time with the ship’s crew and West, she discovers there is more to each of them and their ship, than can be seen.
It took me some time to get into this book. The initial 40% was painfully slow and I struggled with all the terms related to the sea, ship, words like ‘dredging’ and helmsman. But the story did pick up pace around half way and that’s when it became exciting. My imagination ran wild trying to picturize the vivid descriptions of the beautiful seas and of the lives of traders in the Narrows.
Young’s story telling was top notch. Her ingenuity in creating the characters of Fable, her father, West and the world they live in, deserves appreciation. Fable’s relationship with her father deeply affects her personality. The loss & pain she has suffered have honed her into a skilled warrior. However, her judgements are questionable when she gets betrayed. It was fascinating to see how Fable deals with it all, learning to trust people again.
Overall, I really liked this fantasy novel but don’t think it lived up to all its hype. I am highly intrigued by the ending which hints at new beginnings for Fable with the added element of romance. I will definitely be reading the “Namesake” eventually , which I have heard is better than this one.
Abandoned on a dangerous island by her father when she was 14, Fable has learnt the art of survival the hard way. Belittled time and again by him that she isn’t cut out for this world, Fable is determined to make good of her life. Now after 4 dreadful years, having endured some extreme adversities just to exist, she requests West for passage across the treacherous Narrows in his ship.
Bound by the promise made to her father, Fable’s journey unravels in a way she never expected. Navigating the sea, they would need to overcome multiple obstacles and her skills are tested. As she spends more time with the ship’s crew and West, she discovers there is more to each of them and their ship, than can be seen.
It took me some time to get into this book. The initial 40% was painfully slow and I struggled with all the terms related to the sea, ship, words like ‘dredging’ and helmsman. But the story did pick up pace around half way and that’s when it became exciting. My imagination ran wild trying to picturize the vivid descriptions of the beautiful seas and of the lives of traders in the Narrows.
Young’s story telling was top notch. Her ingenuity in creating the characters of Fable, her father, West and the world they live in, deserves appreciation. Fable’s relationship with her father deeply affects her personality. The loss & pain she has suffered have honed her into a skilled warrior. However, her judgements are questionable when she gets betrayed. It was fascinating to see how Fable deals with it all, learning to trust people again.
Overall, I really liked this fantasy novel but don’t think it lived up to all its hype. I am highly intrigued by the ending which hints at new beginnings for Fable with the added element of romance. I will definitely be reading the “Namesake” eventually , which I have heard is better than this one.
samidhak's review against another edition
1.0
DNF: 200
I thought that the 200-mark was a good time as any to stop reading this book. This book is the most boring piece of literature I’ve read this whole year; and accordingly to me, I’ve read a lot. I saw the hype on goodreads and decided to give this a go, even though I had not liked the last book by the same author.
Except for the stunning cover, there is nothing solid going for this book. We follow our—very one-dimensional, survival-guru, totally not like other girls—heroin, Fable. Fable is such a flat character, that her personality can easily be compared with a wooden table (and still the table will have more depth). The world that Fable occupies is only known to her and the other characters in this book, because clearly for most of the book my expression was ???¿¿¿
The plot is bland as heck. The world building is so shoddy that even the main sects don’t make sense. The dreggers who’re supposed to be thieves and cunning con-man/murderers, didn’t not emanate any sense of danger or dread in me. I was so removed from the characters that I did not give a flying shit about what happened to them, or if Fable ever re-united with her father.
Book,bye.
I thought that the 200-mark was a good time as any to stop reading this book. This book is the most boring piece of literature I’ve read this whole year; and accordingly to me, I’ve read a lot. I saw the hype on goodreads and decided to give this a go, even though I had not liked the last book by the same author.
Except for the stunning cover, there is nothing solid going for this book. We follow our—very one-dimensional, survival-guru, totally not like other girls—heroin, Fable. Fable is such a flat character, that her personality can easily be compared with a wooden table (and still the table will have more depth). The world that Fable occupies is only known to her and the other characters in this book, because clearly for most of the book my expression was ???¿¿¿
The plot is bland as heck. The world building is so shoddy that even the main sects don’t make sense. The dreggers who’re supposed to be thieves and cunning con-man/murderers, didn’t not emanate any sense of danger or dread in me. I was so removed from the characters that I did not give a flying shit about what happened to them, or if Fable ever re-united with her father.
Book,bye.
moxyn's review against another edition
adventurous
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
foxyreadings's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-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? Yes
3.0
carame111111's review against another edition
4.0
If you know nothing about sailing/boats you will be very confused for a majority of the book. But hey just read for the vibes