“Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.” – Adrienne Young, Fable. 

Fable by Adrienne Young is a fantasy book about a young lady named Fable. The sea was always Fable’s home. Four years ago, the boat she and her family were on sank, killing her mother in the raging storm. The next day, Fable was abandoned on the island of Jeval by her father, leaving her with no possessions whatsoever. She learned that Jeval was a place filled with thieves and little food. To survive, Fable must keep to herself, trust nobody, and use the skills her late mother taught her. 

The only goal that moves Fable forward is her hope of getting off the island, finding her father, and earning a rightful place on his crew. In order to do so, Fable needs the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and to her father. Unfortunately, her father’s enemies and the dangers of his trading company have only grown since Fable last saw him, and she finds out that West isn’t who he claims to be. Together, they will have to survive more than the raging storms that threaten the waters if they wish to stay alive. 

Reading Fable was such a fun experience. The storms, the brawls, the adventures were so clear in my mind. I was diving to get coin from the deepest depths of the water, walking in the sand on Jeval, sailing to Ceros on the Marigold. I felt like I had really packed my bags and gone on an adventure. 

Young painted a picture with all the little details of the story that brought Fable to life. Toward the beginning of the text, for example, she wrote, “The Marigold’s unique sails were what made the ship easy to spot out at sea-like sheets of white canvas with wooden ribs. Their shapes arched a bit like bat’s wings. But the smell of stained wood and salty rope was something that was on every ship.”

The use of figurative language really helped me imagine what it looks like. The way she described the ship was so beautiful, I could reach out and touch it. She gives each character a background with some secrets and makes you feel like you are on a hunt for the truth beneath the lies they tell. She made sure you truly love all the characters and feel like a member of the crew. I don’t know about you, but I love that feeling. 

Fable continues to impress me with her attitude of “I can do anything I set my mind to.” I love how she tries to do what people don’t think she can do, especially men, so she’s a really strong female character. She can dive in the depths of water for buried treasure and find hidden gems. She knows how to command a ship and to fight for herself. 

Anyone that has read Fable and enjoyed it can find the sequel, Namesake, on Sora or at the Ann Arbor District Library. I thought that was an amazing book as well. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who loves adventure, action, and wants to feel like they are a part of the story. I would give this book 5/5 stars because I could not stop reading it. It had me invested in the story from beginning to end.