Review by cbrigs99 - The Favorites

cbrigs99 's review for:

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

3.75

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a very gripping, bingeable read. I enjoyed the interview format of the story, and it lent itself well to keen visualization by the reader. I felt that I was truly watching an Netflix documentary whilst reading the story of Kat and Heath, and it was a great method by the author to shed some light on the qualities of many of the side characters at play. While I did really enjoy it, I think I would have rated it higher if there was more of a consequence or event of great significance at the end of the story that really punctuated Kat’s career and aided in her character development. It seemed like her growth was a little choppy at the end, and jumped to a grand change too close to the conclusion of the story.

Frankly, I think the story would have been better if Keith had died at the Olympics before they had been able to talk, and THAT had been what made Kate realize that she cared more for him than the sport itself. It definitely would have packed a greater punch and been a great wake up call for Kat to really transform her outlook on the sport and her life.

Overall, a very solid, fun, and gripping read.

Content Warnings