Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > The Favorites

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

I really have to give this book points for trying.

Unreliable narrator writing an account of her deeds and misdeeds in hindsight to an unknown third party? I loved that up until I found out who she was writing the account for.

The plot of the book being that the narrator is attempting to avenge her sister’s untimely death by gaming academia and the professor she feels is responsible for what happened to her sister? I’m always down for fighting the patriarchy.

A woman who is clever, manipulative, cunning, and willing to lie and cheat to get what she wants? I am always, always down for that.

Throw in lectures and inner discussions about the intersection of law and literature and I mean, come on, that’s just catnip for someone like me.

It’s just…this book took something that could’ve been a slice-and-dice takedown of academia and tamed it down. It felt like every time Hennigan built up to something revelatory or explosive, she backed away. What could’ve been brilliant was turned sentimental.

This book takes place over the fall and spring semester of 2016-2017, so the presidential election of that year here in the US plays a large part in the sociopolitical commentary in this book and I think that takes a lot of the focus off of the main narrative. I think that was a mistake. To me, it read like a crutch for all the other characters in the book to lean on. Even our protagonist and antagonist lean on it from time to time, as if it can explain away actions or reactions. A book set in academia is already going to lean heavily on the themes of patriarchy. There wasn’t really a need to add in the election.

I just think it was a whole lot of material with more potential that could’ve been developed better. It’s still a pretty great read if you like your dark academia on the softer side, but if you like your dark academia with a hefty dose of vengeance then this might let you down.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed here are mine and mine alone. This review was written without recompense. Thank you.

File Under: Dark Academia/Literary Fiction/Psychological Fiction