Namesake (Fable, #2)

Namesake by Adrienne Young picks up right where Fable left off. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, there may be minor spoilers to it ahead. Fable is now in the hands of Zola. What he has planned for her though is anyone’s guess. With the Marigold free of Saint’s control, Fable can only hope and wonder if anyone will come looking for her. As beautiful as it is deadly, Namesake will take you on an adventure that will leave you both satisfied and craving more.

Fable is one of my new favorite characters! She is fearless, loyal to a fault, and knows what she wants. Her entire backstory has been hidden from her and slowly it comes to light in this book. She finds her origins, where her mother was from, and in the process, Fable finds who she is. I adore her character arc and the journey Young takes us on.

West is a lot darker in this book. His past was hinted at in Fable, but his actions and feelings for Fable allowed me to overlook it. Now, with her taken, his past is coming back to haunt him and not in a good way. Y’all I really struggled to continue to love West. He’s in a dark place when we see him again, and my heart broke for him.

The entire plot of this one is Fable finding out who she is and where she comes from. I love the backstory, the history that is given to this character. Saint returns, and his character arc is just as interesting to me as Fable’s. I already had a soft spot for him, but y’all I totally fell in love with him here. Young expands the world of Fable taking us across the Unnamed Sea to Bastian. The imagery, again, is outstanding. I just wanted to crawl into the pages and live on the ship with Fable.

Overall, I really enjoyed Namesake. Adrienne Young wraps the series up nicely, leaving me satisfied at the conclusion. All the characters from Fable to Saint to even Koy are fully fleshed out and felt real to me. If you enjoy fantasy on the open seas, I highly recommend you grab this one.

NAMESAKE is a stunning conclusion to an enthralling YA fantasy duology. The book begins right after the first left off, and I would definitely recommend reading them close in time or reading the synopsis to remind yourself of all the players before launching into this second read. Fable is once again a pawn in the schemes of those around her, trying to find her footing in an uncertain world. She wants to find her way back to the ship that has become her home and the people she loves, but the path there is anything but easy.

Along the way, Fable will learn more about who she is, the people who made her, and where she wants to go moving forward. Although she fears that her emotions make her soft, these are some of the parts of her that make her strong against the storms of others' desires for her. The character growth and development that happen in this book are equally as strong as the first. Combined with the lyrical prose and absorbing plot, this sequel is a strong book in its own right.

There were some interesting themes about monopolies, political power, and the control of trade that were thought-provoking. I also appreciated the themes of forgiveness, family, and romantic love that continue from the first book. The romance takes a backseat here, but I still loved its inclusion. Beyond Fable, other characters are also finding their own truths, and I enjoyed their journeys as well - there are so many fantastic and compelling characters in this duology, and I loved every tidbit about them. This was a world that I would love to follow more, and I am sad to leave it behind.

With compelling characters, atmospheric writing, and intricate plotting, NAMESAKE is a riveting and stunning conclusion to the FABLE duology. Highly recommend for fans of YA fantasy - this is a duology not to be missed.