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A review by annacaldwell333
Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
When I finished a House of Salt and Sorrows, I was angry. After finishing Small Favors, I’m just sad. Because this book had so much potential, but just with Craig’s last book, it tries to be too many things at once while not really excelling at any one of them.
I don’t mind a slow moving plot, but there better be a point to it. The creatures were built up to be more threatening than they really were. Honestly I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the supernatural was taken out of it and this was just about a village full of people turning against each other.
The main character had no personality. I’m told that characters are a certain way. “He tells me everything, she’s my best friend”, but I see no evidence of this at all? Kind of hard to believe Sam’s a good person and brother when he’s a dick right from the beginning.
The love interest. Sigh. I feel like I could replace him with Cassius from HoSaS and there would be absolutely no difference at all. And come on. He was one part of the mystery that wasn’t a mystery at all. No personality, insta love by the gallon, main character swooning over him literally from the first moment. In a book this slow, there was time to build a relationship between Ellerie and Whitaker. But no. We couldn’t possible have that.
The ending was anticlimactic and even more boring than the last novel. Craig’s writing style is beautiful and I was really hoping Small Favors would win me over after the disaster ending of HoSaS. But I think this will be the last book I read from her.
I don’t mind a slow moving plot, but there better be a point to it. The creatures were built up to be more threatening than they really were. Honestly I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the supernatural was taken out of it and this was just about a village full of people turning against each other.
The main character had no personality. I’m told that characters are a certain way. “He tells me everything, she’s my best friend”, but I see no evidence of this at all? Kind of hard to believe Sam’s a good person and brother when he’s a dick right from the beginning.
The love interest. Sigh. I feel like I could replace him with Cassius from HoSaS and there would be absolutely no difference at all. And come on. He was one part of the mystery that wasn’t a mystery at all. No personality, insta love by the gallon, main character swooning over him literally from the first moment. In a book this slow, there was time to build a relationship between Ellerie and Whitaker. But no. We couldn’t possible have that.
The ending was anticlimactic and even more boring than the last novel. Craig’s writing style is beautiful and I was really hoping Small Favors would win me over after the disaster ending of HoSaS. But I think this will be the last book I read from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, and Murder