A Simple Favour - Darcey Bell

Started: Saturday 25th June 2022

Finished: Saturday 25th June 2022

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Years ago, as a minor Anna Kendrick fan, I made it my mission to catch A Simple Favour on film as soon as I could. I remember being intrigued by the plot and I was keen to see Kendrick in a more serious role.

I remember that it hit all the notes I hoped and when I found out it was also a book, naturally it went on my TBR pile… and there it stayed. For years.

And then this weekend, after a heavy sit down with All The Light We Cannot See, I needed a bit of a palette cleanser. So on Saturday, baking done and housework completed, I settled down with the cat and devoured it in one sitting.

Now, I watched the film YEARS ago. I remembered there were twists but I couldn’t remember exactly what they were. In fact, I might rewatch it for comparables.

But I cannot remember being so INFURIATED by Stephanie. I’ve always had a deep rooted issue with Pinterest Mums (or Captain Moms as Emily and Sean call them) and she was the epitome. But that was the intention; she’s meant to be a bit whiney, a little bit condescending, a tiny bit of a cliche. Bell did an excellent job of this.

Of course, Emily was always going to be Blake Lively in my mind. She’s just so effortlessly perfect. Whilst she's clearly unhinged - I didn't feel like there was true depth as to why she is this way. There are snippets of her memories that are referenced but I definitely felt there could have been more depth.

I also feel that the ending could have been twisted further. I guess I was expecting for there to be a final change of direction in the last 10 pages or so. But in the way that Bell wanted to close the book; it worked.

The only character I felt neither way for was Sean. Again, there was no depth. I felt he was merely a tool for both of the lead characters to do their thing.

To me, the book reminded me of Gone Girl. If you liked that, you’d love this. Even down to the way the book is broken down into sections from the various key characters perspectives.

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