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oxfordcommas91 's review for:
The Favorites
by Layne Fargo
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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 book had an absolute choke-hold on my life - I did not want to put it down for the 48-ish hours it took me to read it (and it only took me that long because I also had to do things like sleep, work, and eat...).
Looking back over the book, I can't say that it was particularly well written in the sense that the prose was nothing exceptional, but the author did an incredible job at crafting characters that you love, love to hate, and hate to love. She built tension until it reached an absolute fever pitch, catapulting you through this novel so fast you barely have time to strap yourself in. The characters feel so real and vivid, and it was clear she took inspiration from past Olympic figure skating controversies (Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, anyone?) but this book truly took on a life of its own. Kat and Heath, our main characters, are supported by a diverse and rich cast who each bring their own trauma, hopes, and dreams to the storyline. Together, Fargo builds a complex story of a group of driven, passionate youngsters who are so focused on their Olympic hopes that they can't see their lives crumbling in pieces all around them.
Written in a documentary style, I flew through this book and devoured it so thoroughly that even after the last page was over, I still wanted more. The ending to me was honestly a bit of a let-down (hence the 4 stars) after the mayhem of the 300+ pages that came before it, but I truly enjoyed the whole roller coaster ride that Fargo asks us to take in this novel.
I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of a narrative story-telling style, and anyone who is into sports dramas like Carrie Soto is Back or similar. You'll have a grand time.
Looking back over the book, I can't say that it was particularly well written in the sense that the prose was nothing exceptional, but the author did an incredible job at crafting characters that you love, love to hate, and hate to love. She built tension until it reached an absolute fever pitch, catapulting you through this novel so fast you barely have time to strap yourself in. The characters feel so real and vivid, and it was clear she took inspiration from past Olympic figure skating controversies (Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, anyone?) but this book truly took on a life of its own. Kat and Heath, our main characters, are supported by a diverse and rich cast who each bring their own trauma, hopes, and dreams to the storyline. Together, Fargo builds a complex story of a group of driven, passionate youngsters who are so focused on their Olympic hopes that they can't see their lives crumbling in pieces all around them.
Written in a documentary style, I flew through this book and devoured it so thoroughly that even after the last page was over, I still wanted more. The ending to me was honestly a bit of a let-down (hence the 4 stars) after the mayhem of the 300+ pages that came before it, but I truly enjoyed the whole roller coaster ride that Fargo asks us to take in this novel.
I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of a narrative story-telling style, and anyone who is into sports dramas like Carrie Soto is Back or similar. You'll have a grand time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol