The Favorites by Rosemary Hennigan

An edgy, feminist campus novel about justice, gender, and power, following a woman who enrolls in law school and competes her way into an elite “Law and Literature” cohort to get revenge on the charismatic professor who wronged her sister

Most students would kill to be accepted into the prestigious Law and Literature cohort at Franklin University. But for Jessie Mooney, enrollment in the course is about more than elite campus status, rigorous thought, and professional connections. It’s her chance to get close to charismatic professor Jay Crane—and take him down.

From the moment she discovered their secret relationship, Jessie’s been convinced Crane is to blame for the events leading to her sister’s death. Still haunted by their last email exchange— You know what you did —she’ll cross any line to hold him accountable. But when Jessie finally earns Crane’s trust and the coveted position as one of his “favorites,” attracting the other students’ envy and suspicion, the truth becomes darkly twisted. Is it justice Jessie craves, or revenge? And what does she stand to lose if she gets her way?

Shimmering with tension, this provocative novel explores the nature of obsession, the inequities of power, and the ways that anger, desire, and love reveal the best, and worst, of us.

Published by Graydon House
on November 14, 2023

Review:

I picked this book for my Aardvark book box back in November of 2023 but have been unable to get to it until now. When I read the synopsis, I was under the impression that I would be in for a nice little revenge thriller – one of my favorites – and the fact that it took place on a college campus was also a plus (dark academia is another favorite trope). Sadly, I ended up with something else. While the book is well-written and deals with important topics, the lack of tension really made this one drag for me.

In “The Favorites,” Hennigan places the reader into the intense world of elite academia and the dark undercurrents of power, revenge, and justice. The story follows Jessica “Jessie” Mooney, a determined woman who enrolls in law school with a singular purpose: to get revenge on the charismatic professor she believes is the reason behind her sister’s death.

Jessie’s motivations are crystal clear from the start—she is consumed by the need to hold Professor Jay Crane accountable for his actions. With a burning desire for justice simmering beneath her calm exterior, she seizes the opportunity to infiltrate Crane’s inner circle. Crane is notorious for having favorites in his classes, and after reading her sister’s journals, she knows exactly what she needs to do to become one herself. Jessie’s resolve only strengthens as she navigates the treacherous waters of academic competition, envy, and suspicion from her peers. Nothing and no one can stand in her way. The only thing that matters is making Jay Crane pay for what he did.

On the plus side, Hennigan has crafted a complex narrative that delves deep into the psyche of her characters, exploring the murky waters of obsession, desire, and the quest for retribution. Jessie’s inner turmoil is palpable, and we can’t help but question her mental health at times. This is a young woman who finished college in Ireland (where her sister met Crane when he was a visiting professor) and then enrolled in a college in Pennsylvania to enact her revenge. She is so focused on bringing Crane down she is almost obsessed with it.

Hennigan has also crafted some memorable characters, and each one has a distinct voice and purpose in the novel. I just wish the stakes had been a little higher. While I appreciated the message the author was trying to convey, I felt like some added tension and a twist or two would have elevated this to a higher level. There were times when I was glued to the pages and on the edge of my seat, wondering just how far Jessie was willing to go to achieve her goal, but sadly, about halfway into the book, I realized that I was likely holding out for a reveal or a twist that wasn’t going to happen. What we do get is an unflinching exploration of power dynamics, gender politics, and the lengths people will go to in the name of justice. Hennigan deftly tackles weighty themes of how men – predominantly white men in power – can pretty much get away with anything.

In the end, “The Favorites” is a thought-provoking tale – I just wanted more tension. The book is set in the fall of 2016 – right before Teeny Weenie Cheetolini was elected as president, and our country was turned even further on its head. The author has a point to make about gender inequality – and it’s an important one – I just wanted a little more in terms of tension and raised stakes. I feel this could have been accomplished without compromising the characters or the message, but hey – what do I know?