Coming Home: A Guest Post by Adrienne Young

A prequel to fan-favorites Fable and Namesake, Saint is full of pirate vibes and a deep respect for the sea and its whims. This book will soak readers deep into the world they came to love in the original duology. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Adrienne Young on writing Saint.

When I first returned to the world of The Narrows, I didn’t expect it to feel so different. It had already lived and breathed on the page through Fable, Namesake, and The Last Legacy, but writing Saint required me to almost step sideways into that world rather than forward. Instead of chasing the tide, I was standing still, listening. This story asked me to slow down and look more closely at a character who had always existed in the margins—steady, quiet, observant. Writing from Saint’s perspective meant inhabiting stillness in a way I hadn’t before, and trusting that restraint could carry as much weight as action.

Unlike the sweeping momentum of the initial duology, this book unfolded in smaller moments—glances, silences, choices left unspoken. I had to let the world feel familiar but altered, as if viewed through a different lens. At the same time, I was laying the foundation of this mysterious character who would later in life capture readers. The docks, the sea, the tension between survival and loyalty were all still there, but Saint’s internal landscape reshaped everything. 

What surprised me most was how emotional the process became. Saint is a character who feels deeply but rarely gives voice to it, and translating that onto the page meant trusting the reader to meet him in the quiet. At the same time, there’s no denying that he’s ruthless. This is not a gentle man. Since Saint was released in 2022, some of my most meaningful reader interactions have centered on the story of this once-background character. I’ve been fascinated by the magnetic quality of Saint’s restraint, his careful way of loving, and his belief that devotion doesn’t always need to be obvious to be powerful. 

As a writer, you never know how a story like this one will land—whether it will resonate or slip by unnoticed. Seeing readers connect so strongly with Saint reminded me that sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t about what happens next—but about finally being brave enough to look back. I hope readers feel like they are coming back home to The Narrows, but with a deeper understanding of the people who had always been there.