"A darkly disconcerting and intelligent read that slips into the shadowy thoughts of a social-climbing young woman."
This is a book that will keep you wonderfully off balance, it feels as though you are being trusted with an unsettling and dangerous secret. When Ada Howell turns 18 her wealthy godmother presents her with a gift that could allow her access to the world she she craves. The shocking aftermath of a sudden death appears to pave the way for her dreams, but the route she takes comes at a cost. Ada narrates, opening a disquieting window to her world and looking at herself without sentimentality. I felt that any feelings of compassion I had for Ada would have been slapped away and yet they remained. The nostalgic recollections and empathy she does have channel themselves into the house she grew up in and lost. Laura Vaughn has previously written for children and young adults, this is her first novel for adults. She writes with an understated eloquence, slowly allowing the intrigue and tension to build piece by delicate piece. There are a number of characters, each perfectly placed and adding to the feeling of claustrophobia that haunted the pages. I felt a shiver of foreboding as the ending began to slide into place, followed by satisfaction as I closed the last page. A well-written and rewarding read The Favour slips into shadowy thoughts and finds the darkness that dwells there.
| Primary Genre | Thriller and Suspense |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
A tangible and refined novel about the need to make yourself fit in to the life you think you are owed...
I really enjoyed reading this book as it was set in parts of Italy I have visited so it was very easy to imagine the settings and surroundings and the heat. It was elegantly written, pared back in words and emotion and yet insightful.
Throughout the book there is a very tangible connection to the neediness of Ada, who is the storyteller.... Read Full Review
An elegant and incisive read about family, secrets and dangerously dark obsessions.
When Ada Howell loses her father as a teenager and moves to London, her sense of loss is compounded by her loss of identity, the sudden termination of the life she thought she would lead. With her ancestral home sold and her university future in doubt, she enthusiastically embarks on a cultural and educational trip suggested by a kindly relative. Feeling sure she will once again be immersed in ‘her’ people, she sets off to Venice with a calculated plan in place. And when one of the group dies in suspicious circumstances, Ada seizes the opportunity to bind herself to her affluent new friends.
This is a compelling story about family, secrets and obsession. Reading it I was sometimes intrigued and sometimes horrified by Ada’s desperation to fit in with the group.... Read Full Review
This is a “slow burner” and the reader is drawn into the claustrophobic atmosphere of this book and the group of people involved.
This is a “slow burner” and the reader is drawn into the claustrophobic atmosphere of this book and the group of people involved.
The main character is Ada Howell who is rather unpleasant and needy. The large, fairly grand family house where Ada lived was been sold following the death of her father and Ada his been taken from her boarding school, and is educated at a local secondary school. Ada finds this hard to take and aches to return to this society.
When her Aunt dies the small legacy she receives allows her to travel to Italy and join a study tour run by Dilletante. Discoveries. Ada changes her life story and her accent to ensure she belongs in this higher society.... Read Full Review
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