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The Favourite

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The unmissable new novel from Fran Littlewood, the New York Times bestselling author of Read With Jenna pick Amazing Grace Adams: a story of three grown sisters, whose father - in a moment of crisis - accidentally lets slip that he has a favourite daughter…

A STYLIST MUST-READ BOOK OF 2025
A SUNDAY TIMES "STUFF EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT" PICK

Nothing derails a family holiday like your dad revealing he has a favourite child.

Alex, Nancy and Eva Fisher. Three grown-up sisters; each wonderful and imperfect in their own individual ways. And loved equally by their parents, Vivienne and Patrick.

Or so they thought.

Right up to the moment when, during a family party, Patrick inadvertently lets slip that he has a favourite. While they try to gloss over it, this sets in motion the unravelling of everything the sisters thought they knew. As their past is re-written, secrets and lies are uncovered, and the Fisher clan implodes in a way they could never have dreamed possible.

But will it take falling apart to bring them closer together?

From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams comes a witty, tender portrait of a family’s highs and lows over the years, examining how all siblings are equal – but some are more equal than others.

'FABULOUS . . . God, I wish I had written it. Funny, dark, fascinating and UTTERLY convincing. On my QWJ (Queasy With Jealousy) Scale, I award it 16/10.'
MARIAN KEYES
'Once I picked up The Favourite, I did not want to put it down until the last page was turned.'
LOTTIE HAZELL, author of Piglet
‘Wonderful and very funny. You're in for such a treat.’
GEORGINA MOORE, author of The Garnett Girls
'So sharp, funny, pacey and incredibly well-observed. I loved it.'
REBECCA WAIT, author of I'm Sorry You Feel That Way
'Fabulous - funny and brilliantly claustrophobic on family dynamics.'
LAUREN BRAVO, author of Preloved
'Fran Littlewood has the incredible ability to write like she's been observing you and your family for years.'
ORE AGBAJE-WILLIAMS, author of The Three of Us
'Sizzles with familial tension . . . Heartbreaking, candid and witty.'
JUSTIN MYERS
'Brilliantly funny, dark, insightful, wildly satisfying.'
NATASHA POLISZCZUK
'Has a cinematic quality . . . Every moment feels alive. Full of tender moments and thoughtful insights, The Favourite will be a favourite of readers, perfect with those with imperfect families - which is to say, all of us.'
SHELF AWARENESS


© Fran Littlewood 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny Witty

Critic reviews

Now and again I read a book which is so FABULOUS I get queasy with jealousy. This is one such book. God, I wish I had written it. Funny, dark, fascinating and utterly UTTERLY convincing. On my QWJ (Queasy With Jealousy) Scale, I award it 16/10. (Marian Keyes)
What makes this sibling dramedy so delectable is Littlewood’s writing… All the nuances of sisterhood, daughterhood, wifehood, motherhood, divorcehood, and more are illuminated by this tale of spilled wine, slapped faces, and enduring family love.
Fran writes like a wilder, more breathless Claire Lombardo . . . A huge talent. Set over the course of a family reunion that goes very wrong, THE FAVOURITE is a layered, textured story about the reverberations of the past and secrets in a family, and a psychologically astute look at love and relationships. It’s wonderful and very funny. You’re in for such a treat. I LOVED it. (Georgina Moore, author of The Garnett Girls )
You’ll be captivated by the well-drawn characters
Fran Littlewood is an expert chronicler of family dynamics, and particularly the complex, competitive, and sparkling nature of sisterhood. Once I picked up THE FAVOURITE, I did not want to put it down until the last page was turned (Lottie Hazell, author of Piglet)
So sharp, funny and pacey, and incredibly well-observed, especially when it comes to the small but treacherous undercurrents that run beneath the family. I loved it. (Rebecca Wait, author of I'm Sorry You Feel That Way)
THE FAVOURITE is an absolute knockout - ferociously observed, fantastically funny and deeply relatable. I could not stop reading this dark-edged, pacy, moving novel and was consumed with thoughts about the characters whenever it wasn’t in my hands. Sensationally good (Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Man Who Didn't Call)
There’s to be no Difficult Second Album Syndrome for Fran Littlewood. The Favourite starts with a (literally) cracking premise, and gets messier and more mysterious from there. It is darkly funny, keenly observed, and full of poignant, vivid images. (Tim Minchin)
A powerful and emotional tale, rich in nuance, exploring loyalty, truth and the fragile nature of love
Littlewood's writing is sharp and dry, with a forensic feel for family dynamics and emotional blind spots
All stars
Most relevant
It started well and I had high hopes for this story. However it kind of plateaued and didn't really go anywhere. One of the main storylines of the mother was just left dangling. I feel it could have been a better plot rather than a look back at a rather unextraordinary family. Narrator was perfectly good, just the story itself that disappointed me a bit.

It started well..

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