Angie and her brother have gone though some rough patches. They are still young and yet have had to grow up rather quickly. Losing their mother and with no answer forthcoming to the mystery, they have lived with the uneasy wonder of it all. Their father is absent frequently, and their grandmother is their primary care giver. She has never cared for their father, so it is an uneasy alliance. They feel twisted between the two, but handle it well. Angie has never given up on the idea that somehow – someway – her mother will be found. She will never lose hope.
Mrs. Bittner is a lonely woman whose daughter died quite young. Her son, while not quite normal, is by all accounts a rather nice man. She cannot understand what went wrong and why he tried to hurt Angie. However, she has secrets she does not want anyone to know. She lost her own family and now wants to give Angie and her brother a start in life, and yet she seems a bit needy, maybe even just a little creepy.
In Favorite, Karen McQuestion has put together a story of sadness and despair. We find the lengths that people will go to in an effort to hold on to what they may have lost. The story is strangely compelling and twists into some strange and chilling venues. Angie is a complicated character, and her father is physically detached although, whenever there, emotionally available. It is a strange combination and gives the ending a bit of a surreal quality.
This is a very interesting young adult novel. I would recommend it for the parents who are trying to get their child more interested in reading, but need something that is just a little more distorted with a slightly dark side. Something, that while it does have a bit of a dark side is instilled with suspense and mystery. It is an unexpected story set with great characters. An enjoyable read.
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