ALC Review: The Favorites by Layne Fargo
Release date: 14 January 2025
Rating: 4.5/5
Narrators: Christine Lakin, Louisa Zhu, Amy Landon, Elena Rey, Valerie Rose Lohman, Suzanne Toren, Graham Halstead, Julia Emelin, Layne Fargo, Eric Yang, Johnny Weir
Narration Rating: 5/5
Book Box(es) and SE’s: BOTM January, Authentic Books January, Goldsboro Prem1er December
Synopsis: To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.
An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice
She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.
Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.
As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.
Reviews
The Favorites snuck up on me; I did not expect to like a book about figure skating drama, but I did, and here I am writing a glowing review for it. I went in expecting a melodramatic soap opera and was pleasantly surprised with quite the thriller thrown in to the bargain. Fargo kept me guessing the whole way through as to what in the world was really going on, and that aspect alone had my earbuds glued in my ear canals until the book was over.
I used to watch the Winter Olympics every time they came on. I loved all of the sports, even the cross-country skiing events. Of course, figure skating was one of my favorites (speed skating and downhill were my top two), and I remember vaguely some references from the older folks in my family to the infamous rivalry between Harding and Kerrigan. Up until probably Sochi, when I stopped watching mostly because I got too busy and forgot they were even on, I knew some of those athletes’ names like I knew the names of my favorite authors.
Katarina’s story vaguely resembles that of another figure skater, full of talent and drive, whose ambition creates both purpose and tumult in her life. Her relationship with Heath only adds fuel to the fire, and the two spend their entire lives together without even developing as individuals first, and boy does that make for proper fodder for such a story as this. Drama and obsession in and of themselves, though, are not enough to keep me interested in a book. Fargo’s story threw in some mystery/thriller catnip that really kept me on the edge of whatever surface I happened to be sitting or standing on while I was listening.
Much like Surf’s Up (If you haven’t seen that movie, it’s hilarious and family friendly, please check it out at your earliest convenience), The Favorites tells Katarina and Heath’s story in the form of a documentary-style narrative, complete with section overtures of interview snippets that set the tone and scene for each part they precede. There’s a cleverness to these short, succinct overtures I greatly appreciated, and the audiobook experience made the story so much better. I didn’t really look at the names of all the narrators until I was finished listening, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the character I pegged as having a strong resemblance to Johnny Weir was actually narrated by Weir.
I had only problem with the story, which I won’t spoil, but in general, I don’t really do well with relationships in stories where there’s any kind of unfaithfulness, whatever form, and the story kind of soured toward the end for me. I didn’t find the resolution ideal, and the end fizzled out for me a bit.
The full cast of narrators, which mostly voice the interview snippets parts, combined with Lakin’s amazing narration for the majority of the book knocked this one out of the park. If you like audiobooks, I suggest highly that you experience this one in audio. It’s quite the experience.
My profuse thanks to Penguin Random House Audio and LibroFM for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
Comments