From a writing perspective, Adrienne Young is one of the most talented, and underrated authors in young adult. Despite its atrocious covers, the World of the Narrows Series is lush with world-building. Saint represents that achievement, a beautifully lush book that focuses less on telling a story and more on taking the reader through the Narrows. Its politics, culture, and geography.

'Saint' is at its core, a "no plot just vibes" book. It requires you to have some background on the characters in Young's other works as it fills in some gaps from previous books. I loved this book because Young also creates openings for more stories while expanding her world.

'Saint' is supposed to be Isolde and Saint's backstory, but by the time we meet them here, they are fully formed people who have gone through a lot. This isn't a 'coming of age' book, and I would argue that its pretty slow and politic heavy for even a YA book. We have already skipped over Saint's life as a kid/teen starting out on his adventures. He's a cold, somewhat calculating adult who isn't rattled easily. Isolde is also grown in the story, and while her arc resembles 'Fable' A bit more, she's still a reserved, mature young woman who knows how the world works. Both characters are found at the intersection of their lives, where they meet and fall in love.

This means there is room for novellas of both characters before they meet each other. These two are full people by the time 'Saint' starts, and they don't really go through any development. I think of this entry to the Narrows series as a "didn't you ever wonder," and it isn't necessary to some extent, but it is fun to see Fables parents being absolute badasses before she's born.

There isn't....really a plot. The plot is 'how I met your mother'. About 1/3rd of the book is talking about sea politics. It is very, very slow; and contrary to the fact that this contains a pretty important love story, character interaction is not the focus here. Isolde and Saint are largely in their own solitary worlds dealing with different forms of isolation.

Sometimes, this gets boring, I can't lie..and the romance is a speed run. I rarely tolerate instalove, but since both characters are so icy and mature, its not quite as annoying as that type of romance usually is.

If you like Adrienne Young and 'Fable', don't miss this one. If you were MEH about Fable or haven't read it it, skip it for now.

This was everything we wanted from this universe! Saint has always been a character we’re not sure if we should hate or love, but boy oh boy do we know now! This story answers all the questions we had about Fable’s parents. It’s lyrical, theatrical, and sucks you in from the first moment.

Add this one to your list asap!!

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed everything about the Fable duology and this was such a fantastic addition to the backstory. There is just something about Adrienne's writing that is so captivating and so real.
I really enjoyed having both Saint and Isolde's POVs in this book. It rounded out the story getting to see if from both sides and we got to see both of them from the beginning before they met. I really loved both of these characters and I loved both narrators as well. They both just had a magnetism about them to the reader as well as to each other. We obviously know them from Fable and Namesake but we really got such a better picture of them in this book.
There was a lot that happened in this book but it flowed together so well and nothing seemed unnecessary. Everything had its place and it all fit together. I do wish the timeline had gone on a little bit longer, but I don't want to spoil where it does end so I'm not going to say where it ends.
This book honestly made me want to reread the Fable duology with a new set of eyes especially involving Saint.

The perfect prequel to an adventurous series! I can't wait to dive back into Fable for the second time with this story fresh on my mind. Definitely recommend reading this one first if you can, but not required!

Oh my goodness, how good it is to be back on the high seas of the Narrows!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillen Audio for the early audiobook copy!

As soon as I caught wind of another novel in this series I was counting down the days until I could get my hands on it physically or via audio. First of all, this cover with Saint and his stunning blue eyes is everything I've ever needed.

Getting a prequel after the original books are already published is either a BIG hit or miss. I'd say if you enjoyed Fable and Namesake then don't miss reading this prequel!

Saint and Isolde's alternating POV's made this story come to life. Cinematic and Stunning.
Ell Potter and Will Damron narrated this to perfection- this is one of the clearest sounding audiobooks I've ever listened to. Saint, Fable and Namesake will definitely be a world I want to revisit through the audiobooks in the future.

Getting inside Saint's head was sexy. Getting his dark, twisted backstory just makes sense. Hearing about how Saint and Clove came to be is heartbreaking yet empowering. A true meaning of finding the light in the dark. It was heavy but just makes sense knowing how the characters carry themselves.

The tension between the pages and myself just WAITING for Isolde to help wrap Saint's hand on board the ship HAD ME SCREAMING. Although it didn't have as much charm for me as her first two, it was exactly what I needed.
Some parts unfortunately drug on and I wish the ending was a bit longer... oh, and I still hate Zola!

4.5/5 stars. Rounded down to a 4 on Goodreads.
5/5 stars as far as the audio narration!

OH MY GOODNESS! I thought I loved Fable and Namesake, but this one is my favorite. The detail and feeling is unsurpassed. The dual viewpoints and voices of the narrators is phenomenal!

Ahhhh! This was such a sweet book. It’s so well crafted. I love Isolde and Saint, so being able to hear their story was such a gift.

Things I loved about this audiobook!!

Ell Potter and Will Damron. Will was also the narrator of Friendshipped and I love his narration. He does such a good job as Saint! The hit the cocky and sincere parts well, and I loved it. Ell narrated Twin Crowns too, and I love her accent. It works well with Isolde’s character. I loved both of these narrators.

Dual POV! It’s always better with a dual point of view in an audiobook with two narrators. It’s so nice to get two different versions of the story.

I read this in tandem with Namesake and it was such a good idea. I loved hearing about Fable hearing the stories I was reading in Saint, it was great! Definitely recommend doing that. 🥰

Also, if you haven’t read the other two books (Fable and Namesake) it’s still ok to read this book. You don’t need the background, but if you HAVE read them, it’s worth it to pick this up too.

"I've wanted you since the minute I saw you.
That's the problem..."

Saint was everything I was hoping it would be and more. It followed Saint and Isolde as they fell in love and found themselves in The Narrows.
Adrienne Young did a great job on giving us the origin story we wanted but also teasing us with information we never knew before and it leaves us wanting more.

A few notes on the audiobook version:
The tempo of Saints reader and Isoldes reader are different, Isoldes sections are noticeably faster.
As well they pronounce Isolde different than it was pronounced in Fable and Namesake.

Saint is the prequel to Fable written by Adrienne Young. Narrated by Ell Potter and Will Damron who in my opinion were two of the best narrators I’ve heard. I actually stopped listening and looked them up! Loved their voices and loved this story. This writing was lyrical with all the magic of a good adventure. I’ve not listened to the rest of this series but seriously want to now.
The narrators and the writing teleported me to world I couldn’t get enough of. The novel swept me in and I’m a fan. I highly recommend listening to this one because it was good!
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Prequel to Fable that gives interesting back story to Saint and Isolde.
The story alternates between the two. They have every reason not to trust each other. If they are true, they can have all the seas offer and more.

Reading prior to duo will leave you with questions, but you can still enjoy this faster paced fantasy.

I received the audiobook free from netgalley for my honest review.

I rated this book 4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5.

First off let me say I LOVED this book. The Fable series was one of my favorite reads this year and this one did not disappoint! Saint was hard for me to fully understand and love in the previous books. He does have some redemption at the end but he was never a favorite for me, now it has all changed. This book gives helps lay the foundation for the choices he makes in the future and you understand the heart break deep down inside. I loved the relationships you see and the way they mirror future relationships. This was a great read!

Also, the audiobook version was perfect with the dual POV using different voices, it was lovely.

I have been intrigued by Saint when I first met him in Fable/Namesake and this story delivered. He’s dangerous but also kind of a dream. I love Isolde and knowing what happens later broke my heart but gosh it was also just lovely.

I wish I could read it again for the first time.

*inhales deep* ASDFGHJKLDJDJSKSGAKLSGHDGFJFSDAS!!!

Adrienne Young has given the people what they want. I'd always been curious to know more about Saint and Isolde thanks to the teasing yet tragic glimpses we got in the Fable duo, but I didn't expect Young to actually write it. I nearly choked when I saw the news and cover, and I definitely choked when Wednesday Books gave me early access to read it. Apologies to every other book I had on the go, but none of you mattered once I had this in my possession.

There's a bittersweetness that attaches itself to every word of this book. If you've read Fable, you already know what happens to these two. How and where their love ends, what results from it, and how Fable's and Saint's relationship unfolds after. It's a permanent ache that makes you want to cling to the good moments that do happen in this story. And there are plenty of those, don't worry.

As I'm sure you've already gathered, this is the origin of Saint and Isolde.

Saint is a Narrows-born helmsman giving everything he has to gain a trading licence so he can (legally) help build the Narrows into something that can push back against the rich traders from the Unnamed Sea. He respects the sea for what she can give and what she can take, and his piety and boldness to enter storms no other man will survive has built him a serious reputation. And everything is going great ... until he meets the saltblood gem sage running away from the Unnamed Sea.

Isolde is nothing but trouble from the moment we meet her. Daughter of the wealthiest gem trader in the Unnamed Sea, Isolde is running away with the biggest gem she's ever found for Holland. Problem is: the ship she gets to take her to the Narrows is intent on selling her as a gem sage to someone who likely won't let her live. When she encounters Saint, he quickly becomes her only chance to living a life free and her own. His reputation doesn't scare her, but that doesn't mean she agrees with his methods.

Your honour, I love them. I came for the possibility of them and I stayed for them. Watching Saint and Isolde come together, how smitten they grew to be for each other and how he would do anything for her--inject it directly into my veins. Saint is such a cold person in the Fable duo, and seeing him this way, smiling and laughing and loving, humanizes him so much. I actually really want to re-read the duo because properly knowing what he'd lost by then makes me view him in such a different light. You can see so much of Fable in her mother, but there are small pieces of Saint there too.

As with the Fable books, I was completely engrossed by this. Young's writing remains some of the best I've read for this genre and age group. I'm obsessed with how quickly I get lost in her books. It's not fancy prose but it's addictive and well-written. I remain in awe of how effortlessly she writes the ship scenes. It is so easy to imagine every moment out at sea and feel like you're there with them on the Riven. And I love how high the stakes always are and how they play out in the end. Her books all wrap up neatly while leaving me so thrilled with how it came together.

Characters we've already met from previous books in the Narrows series appear in here, and it was such a treat to see them this way. I loved getting to know a younger Clove, who has been with Saint from the very beginning. Zola, who causes trouble in the Fable duo and doesn't do much better here. There's Henrik Roth, who we met in The Last Legacy, and there are mentions of Holland, who know well from Namesake. And there's even a tiny and surprising mention of West!

Finally, I received the audiobook early and the narrators--chef's kiss. I think they might very well be my new favourites.

I have a feeling a lot of hearts are going to be broken with that last page, because Young did not hold back on thoughts for the future, and I very nearly cried.

I liked the character Saint in the Fable duo, but I LOVE him now!!!
It was so fabulous to get all the juicy details of his comeuppance with Isolde.
💚💙💜This was everything I hoped for and more💚💙💜
Much love to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Adrienne Young for my DRC!!!

I really enjoyed this. Adrienne Young's writing always seems simple on the surface but then immediately draws me in and I remain hooked throughout the story.

I loved Fable and Namesake, so I was excited to read Saint. I wasn't sure about it at first, because he and Isolde are hard characters to get to know. They keep everything so close to the chest and are very wary about trusting anyone. As the story progressed, however, they began to let down their guard little by little and I cared about them a lot before I even realized it.

The romance was the sort where they're instantly attracted to one another but fight it, which isn't my favorite trope but I think in this case it worked well. For Saint his attraction to Isolde is almost like his mystical rituals about the sea. For Isolde it's like the Midnight. Like it's bigger than the two of them and they can't understand it or change it but just ride it out.

The story moved along at a good clip and there was plenty of action to keep me riveted. I loved that it was set either out on the sea or at various ports. Those are my favorite sort of books.

The side characters were great as well. They all felt real, as did the setting, like I could walk into those ports and those people would be there, exactly as described.

The story also managed to feel very new and yet end in a place that perfectly set up Fable and Namesake. It left a good span of years between the end and the start of Fable, but it arranged the playing pieces in such a way that I could see how they were lining up and how they would fall.

I will definitely be seeking out more of Adrienne Young's books when they are published.

The audiobook narrators were excellent as well. I enjoyed their voices and the character voices they chose. It definitely helped bring the story to life.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an audio arc for review.

Saint by Adrienne Young is a prequel to the fantastic Fable duology. It follows the parents of Fable, Saint and Isolde as young people making their way in the world. What an addition to the series it is! I will spend as much time in the Narrows as Adrienne Young allows. This world feels authentic, fleshed out, and wonderfully interesting. In this rich setting, she places complex and motivated main characters. Saint was an intriguing character in the original duology, successful but mysterious. Here we get time with him and understand what it took for him to become the man who left Fable on that island.

This story is a much read for fans of the Fable duology! I could not put it down!

Audiobook details- excellent male and female narrators, one for each of the main characters. The story is performed in an enjoyable way!

Thank you to NetGalley, Adrienne Young, and the publisher for allowing me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the audiobook in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts:
Adrienne Young is officially my auto-author. I’ve read Fable, Namesake, and Spells for Forgetting. Getting approved for this audiobook was icing on the cake. I finished it in a day.

Dual POVs, intense plot, absolutely adored the love story. It was a slow burn but worth the wait. No spice here. Ell Potter did a marvelous job narrating as Isolde and as much as I love her English accent, I had to speed it up a bit. Will Damron as Saint was great as well.

Saint was not the cruel father I remembered in Fable & Namesake. I am in love with this version. Isolde was brave, smart, and very observant. The epilogue made me teary eyed. I love how they incorporated West at the end.

I received an audio copy of SAINT by Adrienne Young for review. This book is a prequel to Fable and Namesake and is about Fable’s father, Saint, and how he met her mother, Isolde, and how he became a legendary trader. I love this story so much. It brought more details to Fable’s family background. I love the characters, the struggles, the complex relationships, and the love story. If you have read Fable and Namesake, this one is a must read. It is my fav in the series.

Saint is the backstory of the famous gem-trader Saint from the Fable Duology by the same author, Adrienne Young, We follow him as he is about to get his first ship and crew, but before he can, a mysterious girl from the Unnamed Sea with several secrets crosses his path. The greater the pull he feels toward her, the farther he drifts from the things he’s spent the last three years working for. And he has seen firsthand how jealous the sea can be . . .

So, I liked Fable and Namesake, but I wasn't over-the-moon crazy about them. I liked the worldbuilding, the atmospheric experience of reading them, Fable herself, and the darker aspects (what kind of father abandons his 14 year old on an island where it's "dive & hide to survive!?!"). But overall, I found them a little . . . lacking? Not a lot happens? I didn't come away feeling anything, really?

But then Saint came along, and I was like, "hmmmmm, I can get behind a prequel here, cause Saint surely has a lot of backstory and surely a lot of stuff has to happen?"

No, stuff doesn't really happen. At least, not for the first 60-70% of the book.

And I know what you're thinking - "But Grace, you like other books which have plots arguably just as slow?" And I would sit you down and say, "My young padawan, here's why Saint is different for me . . . "

Basically, Saint is slow plot-wise, but then it doesn't really culminate in much. I really enjoyed the excitement at the end, but it's basically things we already know happened, or could have guessed, based on what we know from the Fable Duology.

And, beyond that, the story feels like a cool, passing wind. It's fun and atmospheric and enjoyable, but once you're done, you kind of just forget it. There's nothing really memorable about the story (and I don't mean that in a harsh way). It's not one of those stories that really stuck with me, but I felt the potential for it to be that way, and so that was a little frustrating.

Plus, I personally find prequels to be really difficult to read. It feels like the author is limited by what they wrote beforehand, and that squashes some of the fun twists or movements they could have done (because usually they aren't thinking about a prequel when they write the original series).

There was one really surprising thing in Saint, which I think was a nice touch, but it's tiny and at the end.

And as a not-so-positive surprising thing, the insta-love was disappointing to me. I guess I assumed someone like Saint would begrudgingly give his heart away?

I know this has already been a long review and it probably feels kind of negative for a 4 star review. So, let's talk about the good things really quickly:

* We experience the atmosphere of the world again (which is top-notch, btw)
* We get to see Saint's ruthless side a little
* We learn why Isolde left her mom (which really sets up Fable's story and impact later)
* We spend more time on land (vs sea), so we learn more about the cities
* We see how Saint started to become revered/respected.

I enjoyed the story, and I really liked the small snippets we get to see of Isolde's thoughts about her mother that set the stage for Fable's actions later, but I just wish the whole book would have been more like the last 30%.

4 stars because I think it was well-done and a great step back into the Unnamed Sea & the Narrows!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Fable so to go back into the world of the Narrow Seas, I was IN! This book is set as a "prequel" to Fable/Namesake but it an entirely separate plot line to it. It's been a couple of years since I read Fable/Namesake so I sort of forgot what happened between those. Not that I think you needed to know...it would've been nice to see if there were any loose connections between the two. Especially one of the names brought up towards the end.

This book is dual POV, which i'm always a fan of! The audio had a narrator for each POV, which I'm equally a fan of! I love it when those little details are honored with multiple POV books!

Overall, I thought the book was good. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Fable/Namesake but it was still fun to go back to the Narrow Seas for a little bit. There wasn't as big of an exciting build up in the plot.

3.5/5 stars