The Favorites (2025) Parents Guide: Is the book OK for kids?

Kat and Heath's relationship includes a passionate, sometimes volatile romantic and physical dynamic described with some intensity. While scenes often focus on the emotional tension and psychological obsession between them, there are descriptions of heavy making out and sexual encounters that happen behind closed doors or are recounted through the oral history format. Other adult relationships in the skating world, including those of their coaches and rivals, are referenced with similar restraint. The narrative…

A shocking incident at the Olympic Games, central to the plot's mystery, involves physical harm that results in a significant injury. Beyond this climax, the competitive skating world is shown inflicting real physical damage on its athletes, such as Kat training through stress fractures and grueling practice sessions. There are moments of physical aggression where characters shove or grab one another during heated arguments. Emotional abuse is a pervasive element, particularly from parental figures and coaches who…

Regular strong adult language occurs throughout the text, consistent with contemporary adult fiction and the high-stakes world of elite sports. Words like 'f**k' and 'sh*t' are used frequently during moments of high stress, particularly between Kat and Heath as their partnership becomes more toxic. There are also instances of 'b*tch' and 'bastard' used in a derogatory fashion toward rivals or unsupportive family members. The documentary interview segments often capture the characters at their most raw, leading to…

Some adult social drinking is depicted among characters in the skating and media world, including scenes at bars and post-competition celebrations. Kat’s mother is often seen with a glass of wine, which serves as a coping mechanism for the stress of managing her daughter's career. During the documentary filming a decade later, adult characters are shown drinking scotch or wine while reminiscing about the past. There is a brief mention of athletes using anti-inflammatory medications and painkillers to manage the…

The novel dissects obsession, the psychological toll of elite competition, and a destructive rivalry with the Lin twins, alongside manipulation and betrayal within Kat and Heath's own partnership. Themes of childhood instability are explored through Heath's history in the foster care system and Kat's suffocating relationship with her stage-mother. The book examines the 'cost of greatness,' showing how the characters trade their identities and mental health for a shot at Olympic gold. Reclaiming one's identity…