"Young (The Girl the Sea Gave Back) blends adventure and intrigue in this lush nautical duology opener, crafting a flinty world in which danger lurks at every turn." - Publishers Weekly
"An exciting tale of lost treasure, love, and survival." - School Library Journal
"A vividly drawn maritime setting, dramatic sea dives and daring rescues, not one but two formidable villains, and a swoony romance make this a treat for seafarers and landlubbers alike." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A dark maritime fantasy...immersive...and rich in sensory details. For readers who can’t get enough of strong female protagonists..." - Kirkus
"As an author, Young’s strength is in her ability to craft both strong female protagonists and worlds that are filled with realistic details." - Culturess
"The salty sea and the promise of something hidden in its depths, had me reading this book at a furious pace. You don’t simply read Fable, you are ensnared by it. This is Adrienne Young’s best work of storytelling yet!” - Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep
"Gripping, immersive, and absolutely masterful, Fable reels you in with the promise of beauty, and holds you tight with Young’s signature grit. I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough." - Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of All The Stars and Teeth
"I could taste the salt in the air and feel the waves beneath the Marigold. In a brutal world Fable shines as tenacious yet vulnerable, unafraid to do what she must to survive. This story caught me by the throat and refused to let go!" - Shelby Mahurin, New York Times bestselling author of Serpent & Dove
Epic Reads, The 23 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in September
2020-06-16
In a dark maritime fantasy, the first of a projected duology, a young woman finds home and family on a ship full of secrets.
Four years ago, 14-year-old Fable was marooned on a notorious island of thieves. Now the auburn-haired diver has managed to get onboard the Marigold to search for Saint, the father who abandoned her. But Saint is a powerful, sinister figure among the sea traders; and in the Narrows, the most important rule is to trust no one. The narrative excels in the immersive world conjured by Fable’s first-person voice, crammed with nautical lore and rich in sensory details. The cramped geography creates a grim, violent, and cruel society, and it’s no surprise that Fable is equally wary and hard. Nonetheless, her seafaring competence and touch of magic earn her a place among the Marigold’s crew. Even more compelling is her fraught, complicated relationship with Saint and the memory of her fey, charismatic mother, although the frequent flashbacks can be disorienting. More unfortunate is the uneven pacing, for the most part glacially slow—despite the frequent action-packed set pieces, nothing actually seems to happen for over 200 pages—until a rushed climax and a romance that comes from nowhere lead to a forced-feeling cliffhanger. Fable is white, and secondary characters have a range of skin tones
For readers who can’t get enough of strong female protagonists in unusual settings. (Fantasy. 12-18)
