"...a daring, swashbuckling adventure, complete with—no matter how hard they try to resist—a heaping helping of romance." - Booklist

"...Rich, poetic prose that beautifully underscores the two main characters’ strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs...Returning and new readers alike will find much to love in this absorbing tale." - Kirkus

Praise for Adrienne Young

"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

"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

"This fast-paced tale with a Victorian feeling is filled with an abundance of scandal, high fashion, intrigue, and, of course, romance... the delightfully swoonworthy love story will keep readers engaged and the pages turning eagerly as they hurtle toward the book’s satisfying conclusion. An entertaining story of forbidden love, family drama, and elegant couture." - Kirkus

"In this sumptuously rendered historical novel, Young deftly explores concepts of family, loyalty, and growing into one’s destiny." - Publishers Weekly

"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

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

"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

2022-09-14
A prequel to the Fable duology.

Elias is a fisherman’s son whose fearlessness and ability to survive deadly storms as the helmsman of an old, decrepit ship have earned him the moniker of Saint and a fierce reputation. But this facade hides the young man’s guilt over his father’s death and determination to make something of himself as the first Narrows-born trader. Isolde is a gem sage on the run from her mother, the most powerful gem merchant of the Unnamed Sea. There doesn’t seem to exist a place far enough from her mother’s influence—until she finds herself joining the diminished crew of a ship out of the Narrows, one whose helmsman may just have what it takes to help her escape. As Isolde’s and Saint’s lives intersect and their attraction grows, the two become immersed in a game of power and love in which the future of the Narrows lies in their hands. This novel follows the parents of Fable, the series’ protagonist, showing the intersection of their budding love story with elements of the worldbuilding that lead to the growth of the Narrows. It’s a slow-moving, immersive story with less action and more rich, poetic prose that beautifully underscores the two main characters’ strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. Both blue-eyed Saint and red-haired Isolde have olive skin.

Returning and new readers alike will find much to love in this absorbing tale. (Fantasy. 12-18)