Fable

SYNOPSIS:

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.

REVIEW

(4 STARS)

What an amazing book! I was baffled at how much I enjoyed it. If you like pirate books with a splash of romance and a few drops of adventure, this book is for you!

The world-building was my absolute favourite thing about "Fable". Adrienne Young takes us on a wondrous ride through the sea, describing remarkable islands and phenomenal cities. Her descriptions are not extensive or tiresome, just enough to make you fall in love with the places she takes us. I think the fact that the majority of the plot happens at sea makes this the perfect summer read: you'll visit colourful attols, you'll discover sunken ships with hidden treasures, you'll bathe in the sun while the breeze caresses your hair and skin. It makes you want to invest all your money on a boat and leave the mainland. In fact (and I never thought I would say this), the world was so rich and bright it distracted me from the plot's predictability. Don't get me wrong, the narrative had its surprises and unexpected turns (I did not see that ending coming), but it was not the most shocking book I've read this year.

Character-wise, "Fable" was not the most inclusive (at least that's what I think, but I listened to the audiobook and I might've missed some details). We spend too much time focused on Fable's story, so we don't have enough time to explore her relationship with other characters or other character's relationships with each other. I was more interested in the gay couple's dynamic and story (Young left us with so many questions regarding how they got together) than I was in Fable's. ALTHOUGH I must admit that the underwater kissing scene was PURE GOLD - Young really knows how to write steamy moments.

In terms of diversity, I also don't think it had many coloured characters. It's a fact that the author didn't pay much attention to the characters' physiognomy, leaving it to the reader's imagination, but I wish she could've made a firmer stand.

If you're looking for a dreamy summer read, listen/ read to "Fable". You (most likely) won't regret it.