The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll is one of the most anticipated reads of the summer. Knoll’s debut novel, Luckiest Girl Alive, was an instant New York Times bestseller and the bestselling debut novel of 2015. Intrigued to see what’s in store for The Favorite Sister.
Here’s the synopsis:
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When five hyper-successful women agree to appear on a reality series set in New York City called Goal Diggers, the producers never expect the season will end in murder…
Brett’s the fan favorite. Tattooed and only twenty-seven, the meteoric success of her spin studio—and her recent engagement to her girlfriend—has made her the object of jealousy and vitriol from her cast mates.
Kelly, Brett’s older sister and business partner, is the most recent recruit, dismissed as a hanger-on by veteran cast. The golden child growing up, she defers to Brett now—a role which requires her to protect their shocking secret.
Stephanie, the first black cast member and the oldest, is a successful bestselling author of erotic novels. There have long been whispers about her hot, non-working actor-husband and his wandering eye, but this season the focus is on the rift that has opened between her and Brett, former best friends—and resentment soon breeds contempt.
Lauren, the start-up world’s darling whose drinking has gotten out of control, is Goal Diggers’ recovery narrative—everyone loves a comeback story.
And Jen, made rich and famous through her cultishly popular vegan food line plays a holistic hippie for the cameras, but is perhaps the most ruthless of them all when the cameras are off.
The Favorite Sister explores the invisible barriers that prevent women from rising up the ranks in today’s America—and offers a scathing take on the oft-lionized bonds of sisterhood, and the relentless pressure to stay young, relevant, and salable.
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Knoll was inspired to write the novel about a reality TV show because of her interest in shows like the”Real Housewives” series on Bravo, according to an article on NPR.
[blockquote align=”none” author=””]So I thought, why not base some of these women – they’re all kind of amalgams of various characters on all the franchises. It’s an homage to them. I love these women. I really do. For whatever you have to say about them, they are dynamic women. They have strong personalities. They’re loud. And we don’t get to see women act like that very often in our culture, so I think it’s something worth celebrating.[/blockquote]
So am curious what will happen in The Favorite Sister and if it’s a similar tone to her first book.
I will say Luckiest Girl Alive was very intense and it was sometimes hard to read. I didn’t know much going in and was completely taken by surprise with several events in the story. Check back soon for a spoiler-free review and I’ll share my thoughts on my impression of the book and if it lives up to the hype.
