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eshalliday's review against another edition
1.0
Dnf. I don't know how this book got published without being an ironic social send-up.
thebiblioshelf's review against another edition
4.0
At the start of the story we are immediately thrown into Ada’s world of grief and upheaval as she faces leaving behind her lifestyle and ancestral home upon the death of her father. After a move to London and a generous offer from a wealthy relative, Ada embarks upon an art history adventure travelling through Italy as a Dilletante. For Ada, this is the break she has always desired, to discover her true purpose and destiny within a world of like-minded people. The trouble is, fitting in with the social elite isn’t always as easy as it seems (not when you have secrets to hide) – and after a tragic accident at a party, the relationships between the travel buddies is severely tested as they return home and try to go on living their usual lives amidst its aftermath.
Ada was a thrillingly complicated and unreliable narrator. Her character arc was spectacularly crafted and took me on an incredible journey of shifting emotions. My empathy towards her varied greatly at different episodes in the story. Her feelings of mis-identity and that strong yearning to fit in with her fellow Dilletantes showed you this sense of loneliness and vulnerability which she must have been feeling – but then in the next breath, her fabrication of particular gestures or her backstory and her yearning to fit in has you wondering just what type of person she truly is. Her voice gave off a sense of dissociation which was intriguing; was she actually witnessing her life from outside of her body or was she truly experiencing all of those emotions and events from within her own head? In part, it reminded me of Eleanor’s narrative voice in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
As we got deeper into the plot and some of the Dilletantes started to reveal their true motives, it really made me wonder what kind of reality Ada was missing out on due to her tunnel-visioned focus into this lifestyle that she’d only ever been on the periphery of? The way the ‘favour’ masked Ada’s guilt at being an accomplice and her vehement self-denial was the flipside of a split-personality which just craved friendship and belonging. The multi-facetedness of her character and the tantalisingly dark plot twists gave this novel an unpredictability which I found fascinating to read.
Being set in Italy was such a draw for me. Travelling to Venice, Florence and Rome was one of my favourite and most memorable holidays so it was almost like journeying back to the past to see those places again through Ada’s eyes. I was immediately transported into those gloriously artisan surroundings with tavernas, canals and piazzas oozing with creativity and delicious food (and wine!). Vaughan’s lyrical writing helped to bring that Italian world to life in a way that made me want to keep on reading and exploring those galleries and museums with their beauty and Renaissance charm.
The technicalities of the artwork were expressed in a way which I found intriguing without being too overwhelming. I still couldn’t define for you what a pentimento is, but I enjoyed the way that some of those art techniques and famous paintings/sculptures tied in to the themes and plot of the novel.
I loved how sentient the ‘favour’ seemed to be and how it was used and moulded by several different characters all for their own motives. At first, the favour seemed to be created out necessity and tragedy, an act of quick-thinking combined with the desperation of trying to protect someone whilst at the same time cementing your place within their world. As the plot unravels, that same favour spiralled and shifted out of control leaving you to wonder who was the real puppet-master manipulating its strings. All of that drama made for such mind-bending reading and the plot twists came thick and fast right up until the very end.
In a similar way, Ada’s ancestral home, Garreg Las, almost became one of the characters itself – always waiting there in the depths of Ada’s subconscious, an explicit reminder of how the house ties itself to Ada’s sense of identity and belonging. Sometimes it could be a status symbol to prove that Ada was a part of the Dilletante world, whereas at other times it was a refuge, a little corner of Wales that Ada felt she was truly home. I loved the way it would appear at different intervals within the narrative, like a guest star who makes special appearances and has to ensure they find their way into the encore before the final curtain fall.
Overall, The Favour is a tremendously well-constructed story with Vaughan giving you teeny segments at a time whilst slowly building up to that spectacular final twist. Ada’s narration had me constantly second-guessing if I could trust her or whether in some ways she truly is a victim of her own making or sheer circumstance. Combining that dark and twisty narrative with the wondrously charming Italian surroundings made The Favour such a compelling read, and although at the start of the novel I was readily signing myself up a Dilletanti Discoveries style adventure… let’s just say I’d definitely be a little warier about trusting my fellow travel buddies after reading this!
Ada was a thrillingly complicated and unreliable narrator. Her character arc was spectacularly crafted and took me on an incredible journey of shifting emotions. My empathy towards her varied greatly at different episodes in the story. Her feelings of mis-identity and that strong yearning to fit in with her fellow Dilletantes showed you this sense of loneliness and vulnerability which she must have been feeling – but then in the next breath, her fabrication of particular gestures or her backstory and her yearning to fit in has you wondering just what type of person she truly is. Her voice gave off a sense of dissociation which was intriguing; was she actually witnessing her life from outside of her body or was she truly experiencing all of those emotions and events from within her own head? In part, it reminded me of Eleanor’s narrative voice in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
As we got deeper into the plot and some of the Dilletantes started to reveal their true motives, it really made me wonder what kind of reality Ada was missing out on due to her tunnel-visioned focus into this lifestyle that she’d only ever been on the periphery of? The way the ‘favour’ masked Ada’s guilt at being an accomplice and her vehement self-denial was the flipside of a split-personality which just craved friendship and belonging. The multi-facetedness of her character and the tantalisingly dark plot twists gave this novel an unpredictability which I found fascinating to read.
Being set in Italy was such a draw for me. Travelling to Venice, Florence and Rome was one of my favourite and most memorable holidays so it was almost like journeying back to the past to see those places again through Ada’s eyes. I was immediately transported into those gloriously artisan surroundings with tavernas, canals and piazzas oozing with creativity and delicious food (and wine!). Vaughan’s lyrical writing helped to bring that Italian world to life in a way that made me want to keep on reading and exploring those galleries and museums with their beauty and Renaissance charm.
The technicalities of the artwork were expressed in a way which I found intriguing without being too overwhelming. I still couldn’t define for you what a pentimento is, but I enjoyed the way that some of those art techniques and famous paintings/sculptures tied in to the themes and plot of the novel.
I loved how sentient the ‘favour’ seemed to be and how it was used and moulded by several different characters all for their own motives. At first, the favour seemed to be created out necessity and tragedy, an act of quick-thinking combined with the desperation of trying to protect someone whilst at the same time cementing your place within their world. As the plot unravels, that same favour spiralled and shifted out of control leaving you to wonder who was the real puppet-master manipulating its strings. All of that drama made for such mind-bending reading and the plot twists came thick and fast right up until the very end.
In a similar way, Ada’s ancestral home, Garreg Las, almost became one of the characters itself – always waiting there in the depths of Ada’s subconscious, an explicit reminder of how the house ties itself to Ada’s sense of identity and belonging. Sometimes it could be a status symbol to prove that Ada was a part of the Dilletante world, whereas at other times it was a refuge, a little corner of Wales that Ada felt she was truly home. I loved the way it would appear at different intervals within the narrative, like a guest star who makes special appearances and has to ensure they find their way into the encore before the final curtain fall.
Overall, The Favour is a tremendously well-constructed story with Vaughan giving you teeny segments at a time whilst slowly building up to that spectacular final twist. Ada’s narration had me constantly second-guessing if I could trust her or whether in some ways she truly is a victim of her own making or sheer circumstance. Combining that dark and twisty narrative with the wondrously charming Italian surroundings made The Favour such a compelling read, and although at the start of the novel I was readily signing myself up a Dilletanti Discoveries style adventure… let’s just say I’d definitely be a little warier about trusting my fellow travel buddies after reading this!
rachyc's review against another edition
4.0
Okay so I feel like a lot of readers will say the story dragged on and not a lot happened for most of the book. But I liked it. It’s clear the author really researched Italy and all the art/culture, which made the book interesting. I really enjoyed reading about how Ada analyzed/studied all the characters, I found it super interesting especially as she was so young.
I enjoyed that there was a plot twist in the end and that it wasn’t Chem that killed Mallory but Anabella- but the whole incest thing lost a star for me. Felt weird. Otherwise, brilliant book and would definitely read more from this author!
I enjoyed that there was a plot twist in the end and that it wasn’t Chem that killed Mallory but Anabella- but the whole incest thing lost a star for me. Felt weird. Otherwise, brilliant book and would definitely read more from this author!
wickedwitchofthewords's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Oh my gods!
This book needs to be talked about more because holiest of the holies this was magnificent!
Wow!
This book needs to be talked about more because holiest of the holies this was magnificent!
Wow!
kazza27's review against another edition
4.0
love a story that is set around a group of young people, and my immediate thoughts were to A Secret History when I read the blurb. Although their is also an Agatha Christieesque air about it too.
Ada, I am afraid did not endear herself to me at all, she has a huge chip on her shoulder as her father was not her birth father and although he loved her dearly. When he dies her and her mother have to sell the family pile, ‘Garreg Las’ where she lived and her father wrote. They have to move and she feels like the life she aspired to have has passed her by.
Then she gets rejected by Oxbridge she thinks her chance to socially climb is over. Then her Godmother Deliah, offers to pay for Ada to go on a mini Grand Tour to Italy to experience culture and Art. Ada has never really shown much interest in either but sees this as an opportunity to mix with fellow Dilettanti students who all come from wealthy and aristocratic families.
When she arrives and meets the other students she feels a little out of her comfort zone but she is very determined and throws herself in the activities. One of the things I really like about a book with a group of people is the sometimes vicious undercurrent that people have with other. This group is no different, snobbery, racism and jealousy are just a few that pop up. Then add in a bit of sexual tension and you have the perfect storm and this is just what happens. The group itself is made up a quite unlikeable bunch of people but I loved this. I think it makes a book all the more interesting if the characters are flawed and this group are certainly that. Oliver really sees through Ada and her charade and she avoids him as much as she can.
Nate who is one of the tutors starts an affair with one of the group Annabelle and then his wife Clemency arrives for a surprise visit and things take a devastating turn.
Ada likes Lorcan and she thinks if she can befriend him and Petra then all will be well, as with all groups one member is on the fringes and in this group that is American, Mallory she has not bonded with the group, then a accident happens or is it murder ?
I love art history and I really enjoyed the tour around Italy and the book is well written and really engaging and it really does give such a interesting view into relationships, infidelity and loss. I was hooked and after the death things get really interesting. This is a great story dripping with intrigue, lies and envy I loved it !!
4.5 stars ****
Ada, I am afraid did not endear herself to me at all, she has a huge chip on her shoulder as her father was not her birth father and although he loved her dearly. When he dies her and her mother have to sell the family pile, ‘Garreg Las’ where she lived and her father wrote. They have to move and she feels like the life she aspired to have has passed her by.
Then she gets rejected by Oxbridge she thinks her chance to socially climb is over. Then her Godmother Deliah, offers to pay for Ada to go on a mini Grand Tour to Italy to experience culture and Art. Ada has never really shown much interest in either but sees this as an opportunity to mix with fellow Dilettanti students who all come from wealthy and aristocratic families.
When she arrives and meets the other students she feels a little out of her comfort zone but she is very determined and throws herself in the activities. One of the things I really like about a book with a group of people is the sometimes vicious undercurrent that people have with other. This group is no different, snobbery, racism and jealousy are just a few that pop up. Then add in a bit of sexual tension and you have the perfect storm and this is just what happens. The group itself is made up a quite unlikeable bunch of people but I loved this. I think it makes a book all the more interesting if the characters are flawed and this group are certainly that. Oliver really sees through Ada and her charade and she avoids him as much as she can.
Nate who is one of the tutors starts an affair with one of the group Annabelle and then his wife Clemency arrives for a surprise visit and things take a devastating turn.
Ada likes Lorcan and she thinks if she can befriend him and Petra then all will be well, as with all groups one member is on the fringes and in this group that is American, Mallory she has not bonded with the group, then a accident happens or is it murder ?
I love art history and I really enjoyed the tour around Italy and the book is well written and really engaging and it really does give such a interesting view into relationships, infidelity and loss. I was hooked and after the death things get really interesting. This is a great story dripping with intrigue, lies and envy I loved it !!
4.5 stars ****
thelibraryofimagination's review against another edition
3.0
I was able to read this ARC ebook with the debut author Laura Vaughan and The Pigeonhole in exchange for an honest review.
Ada, after the death of her father and the sale of her family home is unhappy. She receives a generous gift from her godmother, a lavish art history tour in Italy. Ada soon realises she is out of her league and decides to do whatever she can to fit in.
There were aspects of this story that I quite enjoyed. The descriptions of Italy were most enjoyable, especially since I am unable to travel. However, I found the characters difficult to digest. Such dreadful people and even worse behaviour. You may have noticed that I tend to give a lower rating to books when they consist of unlikeable characters. I just don't see the point in reading a book with characters that I do not like, let alone relate to. I imagine it will be the perfect read for some people though.
The premise of the story is fantastic and I like how the plot developed, however, some parts were slow, drawn out and somewhat unrealistic. By no means terrible though.
Please remember, these are my opinions and I have a certain checklist for the books I read and that is what I use to rate my books. Characterisation is very important to me so if the characters are lacking likeableness, I tend to rate lower. If the plot lags or has inconsistencies then I also rate it lower. The writing is also very important and this book did get a check for that. It’s just how I do it.
Ada, after the death of her father and the sale of her family home is unhappy. She receives a generous gift from her godmother, a lavish art history tour in Italy. Ada soon realises she is out of her league and decides to do whatever she can to fit in.
There were aspects of this story that I quite enjoyed. The descriptions of Italy were most enjoyable, especially since I am unable to travel. However, I found the characters difficult to digest. Such dreadful people and even worse behaviour. You may have noticed that I tend to give a lower rating to books when they consist of unlikeable characters. I just don't see the point in reading a book with characters that I do not like, let alone relate to. I imagine it will be the perfect read for some people though.
The premise of the story is fantastic and I like how the plot developed, however, some parts were slow, drawn out and somewhat unrealistic. By no means terrible though.
Please remember, these are my opinions and I have a certain checklist for the books I read and that is what I use to rate my books. Characterisation is very important to me so if the characters are lacking likeableness, I tend to rate lower. If the plot lags or has inconsistencies then I also rate it lower. The writing is also very important and this book did get a check for that. It’s just how I do it.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
4.0
As a child Ada seemed to have it all, money, devoted parents and a country upbringing with a private school education. At eighteen she feels entitled and resentful - her father dead and money worries meaning that she has to go to a local comprehensive and now she has failed her Oxford interview. Her godmother offers to subsidise a 'gap year' adventure, a cultural tour of Italy and Ada is determined to fit in with the effortlessly rich clique that she tours with. However when tragedy strikes at the end of the tour Ada sees a way to ingratiate herself into a society that she feels that she should belong to, even if it means telling a few lies.
There are part of this book that I loved and parts I hated! Ada is a very unlikable character, manipulative and calculating, I wasn't sure if she had any redeeming features. however there are few likable characters in the book, each has massive flaws and this makes the book difficult at times because as I reader I cared little for the characters. However it does redeem itself by atmospheric descriptions, particularly of Venice, and a clever little twist in the tale
There are part of this book that I loved and parts I hated! Ada is a very unlikable character, manipulative and calculating, I wasn't sure if she had any redeeming features. however there are few likable characters in the book, each has massive flaws and this makes the book difficult at times because as I reader I cared little for the characters. However it does redeem itself by atmospheric descriptions, particularly of Venice, and a clever little twist in the tale
hollsbookshelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Incest
mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review. I found the opening salvo quite interesting but was soon hopelessly lost in the maelstrom that was Italy. The characterisations were so similar that it was difficult to separate them out - I assume this was deliberate. However, not one of the characters really took my interest. moneyed individuals who believe they deserve the palatial life developed and an MC who was only a twisted, at times malevolent wannabe. Part 2 of the book was, in my opinion completely pointless, nothing happened, the characters were planted in barren soil. The 3rd and final part did answer some questions but I felt the twist was too banal for me.
From reading other reviews - I am in a group f just one with this opinion but this is not an author I would be tempted to pick up again.
From reading other reviews - I am in a group f just one with this opinion but this is not an author I would be tempted to pick up again.