Fable’s steady pace and atmospheric tone put the reader on a ship, sailing on a gripping adventure.

Excellent Protagonist

I was a bit apprehensive about reading Fable. When I read The Girl the Sea Gave back by Young; I was not impressed. The characterization there was lackluster and did not captivate me in the slightest.

However, I am happy to note that that is not the case here. Fable is a fantastic character, fierce, strong, a survivor through and through. However, her experiences, while they harden her, do not strip her of her humanity and empathy.

Abandoned by her father after their ship is destroyed by a storm, taking her mothers’ life with it, Fable was told to survive, challenged by her father to survive. Moreover, she survived on land in the middle of the ocean disconnected from the mainland for four years. The disconnected bleeds into her narrative, making her a compelling protagonist.

Fable’s journey is all about finding a home, finding a place to belong, something to anchor her so that she is not sailing alone through the wind. Finally, Fable finds that family on the Marigold. Family is not always defined by blood but rather by those dearest to you, blood or not. Nevertheless, she is ruthless; she understands what it means to be at sea, that loving someone is dangerous, and the best way to keep it alive and the heart safe is to keep it secret behind all locked doors.

Captivating Story

Fable is not a fast-paced story. It certainly has pirate aspects, with the ship and trader vessels functioning like pirate ships. However, the story does not fly by. However, neither is it slow.

Fable flows at a steady pace and is more character-driven than anything else. The story is one of survival, love, and keeping love secret and safe amidst the torrents and storms. Moreover, that is how the story evolves. Fable is atmospheric; it moves like the waves on the sea, capturing the storms, capturing the taste and clarity of the sea air.

Young’s writing is lyrical as well; the way Fable reminisces of her mother, her father, her time at sea both before and after her father’s abandonment. This writing style was something I think lacked from The Girl the Sea Gave Back; the writing lacked personality and atmosphere. Fable does not.

Young imbues every page with such an intense atmosphere, and the steady pace just makes the novel so incredibly captivating.

Final Thoughts

Fable is a fantastic novel, captivating from beginning to end. A character-driven story that drives the plot forward in an engaging way.