3.5 stars for Foe, a really strange but intriguing read. We follow Junior and Hen at some point in the future, as a stranger arrives with the news that Junior has been selected to go on some strange mission to help save the world. Before he goes, there are many preparations that must be made, and the stranger returns several times to help get it all done.

As the story progresses, we're never given quite enough information, so there's lots of room for your mind to be guessing at what the heck is going on. I did find some parts of the story to be repetitive, and it was frustrating at times to not have the full picture of this world, since there it is clear from the narrative that there is more to this mission for Junior than is directly explained. It also bugged me that the author chose to format Junior's speech differently from that of the other characters.

Overall, though, I wanted to keep reading to figure out what was going on. This is a quick read that I strongly recommend for anyone who enjoys mind games. This is definitely an author to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a DRC of this book.

When one says nothing, one says everything. This book left me speechless. It’s that good. If you want to read something that will leave you question everything, make that one your next read!

Thanks to the publisher for my e-copy of this book through NetGalley.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Iain Read for an advanced copy of this book. That was one mind bending story! Wow! What was fascinating about the plot, is that the reader immediately knows something is off...but what??? Cryptic details are cleverly presented in a slow yet thought-provoking way. As the tension builds and the reader gets further invested, they are left hanging by a thread until the explosive ending.

Hen and Junior are a married couple living the simple and predictable life they always have in a rural area when a stranger suddenly shows up at their door unexpectedly. Terrance works for a company who is planning to send a select group of people to live in space. It’s never been done before and Junior has won the lottery of sorts - he has made the list as a potential candidate. The story is probably best going in without knowing too much more than this.

Foe is a psychological sci fi that blends thoughtful themes about marriage, routine,and the essence of being human with fascinating futuristic technology. Recommend to those looking for a unique sci fi slowburn.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and Iain Reid for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% mine and independent of receiving an advanced copy.

This is the kind of book I absolutely love. It reminds me of “The Twilight Zone”. Everything seems very normal but there is an underlying creepy, dark undertone that gives you the chills. You can’t put your finger on it but you know it’s coming. It is set in the future but other than a few telltale signs it could take place today, giving it a timeless feel. This book delivered in every way that was important. It is stark and hauntingly beautiful and makes you think about the big questions of life, love, relationships and what we want out of life. By paring back on all the extraneous details, Reid allows the focus to remain on the characters.

Junior and his wife Henrietta live on a farm, far away from civilization with no social interaction. Their farm is run down and although there is much space Junior and Hen live almost on top of one another, each being the other’s entire world. They are a quiet couple but you are never sure if it is because they are so comfortable with one another they don’t need to say anything or if there is a distance between them that neither one of them want to address. One night a mysterious man named Terence appears on their doorstep informing them that Junior is being considered by OuterMore Corporation for an adventure that will take him far away. They don’t know when he will be leaving, how long he will be gone or what he will be doing, but Terence assures them that now they are part of the “family” they will be well looked after. There is no choice in the matter, it is not something Junior applied for and Terence’s happy-to-help exterior but never-answer-any-question-with-details interior definitely let’s you know something is up. Two years go by and Terence knocks on their door again to inform them Junior has been selected and he will be going into space. He moves in with the couple and proceeds to administer many tests. Terence needs to know everything not only about Junior but about Junior and Hen as a couple. The strain on having him be so invasive takes a toll on the couple. Junior feels Henrietta pulling away. Terence’s evasiveness puts a toll on Junior and he starts to unravel. There is so much more going on but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read the book.

This read like a play. Anyhow, that’s how it played in my mind. There are so many big questions that this book evokes I will only touch on a few. When Terence returns for the second time Junior wants him out of his house. Junior says the reason is that he and Henrietta need their privacy. Terence’s reply is that he had two years. He knew he was leaving so why did he wait until the last minute to spend so much time with her, be close to her, say important things to her. Why do we wait? Why don’t we live every moment to the fullest. Having had a serious health scare, you would think I had learned this lesson better than most. But life has a funny way of taking over and we don’t live every moment like it is our last. Why aren’t our priorities more in line with our wishes? Henrietta hints at the fact that she might not be happy. She wants to explore the big city and do exciting things. Why can’t she share this with the person to whom she is closest to? What is it that stops her from sharing her wants, dreams and desires with Junior? These are the types of gems that this book leaves in its wake for you to ponder.

I don’t want to give you the impression that this is a heavy book. The sci-fi part is very very cool. There are lots of ethical questions that also could be entertained with that piece. I’m being vague because I don’t want to give anything away. The mystery/thriller aspect keeps you guessing until you slowly start to put the pieces together. There is an underlying creepiness that gives you chills but never crosses into horror at all. There are many entry points so even if you think this isn’t your genre, I think it is worth give this one a try.

It's terse, disorienting and urgent and screwed with my head (and my expectations) like only the best Twilight Zone episode could.

A well constructed, psychological drama set in the near-future, where people have begun to colonize a man-made micro-planet. Told in the first person, the novel does a great job exploring the inner psychology that an individual faces as they prepare themselves to leave the world they know behind. That said, the ending ultimately felt somewhat derivative of certain contemporary science-fiction, like Ex Machina and Orphan Black. Fans of those stories would probably enjoy this work, though.

Sometime in the future, Junior and his wife, Henrietta (Hen) live what seems a contented life on an isolated farm. They rarely get visitors but one day, a man, Terrance, shows up at their door unannounced. He tells them that he represents Outermuch, an organization dedicated to space settlement and that Junior has been selected by a lottery for a long list to travel to space.

Over the next two years, Terrance reappears always unannounced, first to tell Junior that he has been selected for this important mission, then to take Junior's physical measurements and record memories from both Junior and Hen. Eventually he moves in with them, constantly asking for more, and more intimate, information, doing chores around the farm, even taking Junior's job after he is injured.

His presence, not surprisingly, unsettles the couple's lives especially after he tells Junior he doesn't have to worry about Hen while he's gone because she will not be left alone - the company will ensure she has constant companionship. While Junior becomes increasingly more paranoid, questioning Terrance's meaning and motives but seemingingly unable to fight back, Hen seems to develop a friendship with the interloper. All of this leads to a denouement I, at least, did not see coming.

Foe by Iain Reid is one heck of dark and twisty psychological thriller that kept me guessing right up to the big reveal. It is told in the first person by Junior and it gives a very interesting view of the relationship between couples - Junior spends much of his time trying to understand his relationship with Hen whom he views as his anchor but often his analysis does not match his own description of her behaviour. As the publisher's blurb points out, it is a look at 'what it means to be (or not to be) a person' and, as Reid shows, this is much more complicated than most of us believe. This is a fairly short book but a fascinating, suspenseful, and often creepy look at how we see others and how it often doesn't match the reality.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Lately, I have really be interested in novels with a science fiction/dystopian type of spin, so, when I read the back of Foe, the newest release by Iain Reid, I decided to dive in immediately. 

The novel opens with the introduction of Junior and Hen, a quiet married couple, who are thrown for a loop when Junior is approached by a man who tells him he has been randomly selected to travel to space. 

 Random, right? 

I had read this author's previous novel was, truth be told, I wasn't a huge fan.  I found the plot to be little bit confusing but, at the same time, I was unable to put it down.   Reid has a timeless effect to his writing and it reminds me of William Faulker or Flannery O'Conner; it reminds me of the classic gothic authors that I teach my classes.  His voice is strong and distinct and, regardless of how confusing I find some of the plot to be in his work, I really do find myself unable to put it down. 

Worth the read?  I think so.  Especially if you are looking for a straightforward type of read.  It is written beautifully.

How would you handle it if you had an opportunity of a lifetime but it meant you would be separated from your loved ones for a long time? Would it be easier or harder to be replaced in every aspect of your life? While I found Foe did not build up to the same punch as Reid’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things, his writing style is just as compelling and will have the reader questioning how they would deal with such a separation and the lasting effect it would have on all your relationships.

Foe by Iain Reid is a beautifully crafted story. I absolutely loved how the characters and plot developed and how intense such a simple premise could be. I tore through this novel, and the ending was satisfying and thought-provoking. A fantastic psychological thriller, I didn’t want it to end! I was given an advance reader’s copy from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for my honest review. It took me 2 hours to read. 4.5 stars

A special thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Simon & Schuster Inc. for providing me with a digital ARC of FOE by Iain Reid, which allows me to write an unbiased review.

Iain Smith's novel FOE gave me an uneasy, eerie feeling from the beginning to the climatic ending. Even the cover with the silo beside a dilapidated, old barn in approaching darkness looks scary.

FOE is about a married couple named Junior and Henrietta who live a solitary life on their secluded farm, far from the city lights. One night a strange visitor shows up at their home. He tells them that Junior has been randomly selected to be taken away. Arrangements have already been made so that when he leaves, Henrietta won't have a chance to miss him at all, because she won't be left alone.

I enjoyed reading this domestic thriller and highly recommend that you give yourself time to read FOE in one sitting. The suspense and tension is intense in this taut, psychological mind-bender.

I received an ARC of Iain Reid's "Foe" compliments of NetGalley for Simon & Schuster Canada and appreciated the opportunity.

Having been a huge fan of Reid's "I'm Thinking of Ending Things", I couldn't wait to delve into "Foe". The writing quickly grabs you and it's a race to the finish. I didn't manage to gulp it down in one sitting, but wanted to. It rolls around in your mind and plays with your thoughts.

The main characters, Junior and Hen are a quiet, peace loving couple who are thrown off the course of their quaint and predictable rural life when an unexpected visitor pays them a visit. There comes an offer of a unique opportunity for Junior that would have him leave Hen behind. Assurances are given that Hen will be supported and not left alone. Waves of emotional confusion , an ebb and flow of calm and fear. This story creates discomfort and pushes one's morals and ethical boundaries. Lingering questions hang in the air, where are we going, what are we capable of, how far can we bend, when does it end? 4/5 stars with high recommendation for all book lovers of psychological thrillers.

Iain Reid’s first novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, was one of my favourite books of last year. I loved the atmosphere, the sense of unease and confusion, and the completely shocking ending. I was really glad to find out that Foe has all of these elements which creates another really great novel.

First off, I went into this book thinking it was going to be a horror/psychological suspense novel. Instead, this book takes place in the future. The reader has no idea how far in the future the book takes place, but we know that self driving cars are common and there’s a new colony on a planet created by an organization. While I was disappointed this wasn’t a horror novel, there was still this sense of unease and dread that occurred during the book. Iain Reid is extremely talented at creating these atmospheres where the reader knows something is off, but it’s impossible to determine what it is, which causes a lot of anxiety while reading. I found myself questioning everything.

This book is mostly about the complexities of marriage and domestic life when something really big and important is about to happen. It’s a fascinating character study which is marred by the addition of a third mysterious and creepy person. Everyone is such an unreliable character that you don’t really know what the mystery is or where Reid is planning on taking the book. I thought I’d figured out one big twist of the novel, but still ended up being completely shocked by the ending.

Overall, this is another really creepy novel by Iain Reid. It’s claustrophobic, unnerving, captivating and completely twists your mind. The ending is unexpected, but perfect. Everything about this tightly crafted novel was incredible and I highly recommend it.

More than anything this story is like an old episode of The Twilight Zone or of Black Mirror. Having read Iain Reid's first novel I was fully anticipating an eerie buildup to a twisty reveal and that is exactly what I got. Most of the book is dialogue, external between the three characters, and internal within the main character Junior. Not a lot happens for most of the book but the atmosphere is anticipatory and unsettling. Approaching the end things start to reach a head until the big reveal which is closely followed by a smaller and for me more satisfying, twist. I suspected the first big reveal and it did not surprise me. The second one was a bit more shocking. I expected the character to do something but I didn't forsee their actions. I enjoyed that twist quite a bit! This was a very quick read and if you stick it out through all the dialogue and building of tension you will be rewarded with an unforgettable ending.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

You have to understand, you don’t just sit down, relax and read a book by Iain Reid; it’s a contest, a competition - can you figure out what the hell is going on before he has to spell it out for you? Well, that’s how I look at it, anyway.

Within the pages of Foe, we meet three characters: Junior, Hen and Terrance. Yes, there are a couple of lines spoken by a handful of others, but the story revolves around this trio. Reid masterfully pulled me into this story with these three characters. I got to know them, without really getting to know them. This is what Reid does best. He gives you just enough to want more, but he’s always holding back. What these people did, how they acted, never really made sense to me. I kept rolling around in my head…WHY?!

Foe is set in the not too distant future…I think, again, the uncertainty of it all. Society has changed, the rules that we are accustomed to have changed. With Reid’s focus on these three individuals, I wanted/needed to know more. That is the true beauty of Foe; Reid leaves enough bread crumbs along the way so that when he is ready for his big reveal, it all makes sense. I was left with a ‘why didn’t I see that coming?’ feeling.

Foe was light of plot but heavy on mystery and mind-fuckery. It is a story that goes quickly without much action. It is all about the situation and wrapping your brain around what the devil is going on.

Reid won the battle again.

*4.5 Stars

Assume nothing. That’s my advice for any potential readers. Don’t assume that you are going to be able to pick this book up and read only a few pages at a time. If you’re confident that you’ll be able to see the twist coming, think again. If you believe that you’ll be able to finish this book and then not give it a second thought, good luck with that. After reading I’m Thinking of Ending Things, I should’ve known that Foe was going to be just as gripping, chilling, and mysterious. Once again, Iain Reid’s writing captivated me from the beginning and kept my curiosity piqued until the very end.

Junior and Henrietta live in an isolated, rural area. They don’t leave very often, and people don’t often come by to visit them. They seem content and satisfied with their quiet life together, but their lives get shaken up when a stranger shows up to let Junior know that he’s been selected to participate in the opportunity of a lifetime. Well, my suspicions were already on high alert. I had so many questions running through my mind. I was surprised that Junior and Henrietta were willing to even entertain what this stranger had to say, that they weren’t more inquisitive. This just made my own curiosity and frustration level rise.

Despite my limited knowledge of Junior and Hen, Foe is character driven. It focuses more on how this unusual event affects Hen and Junior, rather than on the event itself. We do get tiny glimpses into their relationship and their feelings, but only enough to spark even more questions.

I’m not going to get into too many of the details of the story. This is one journey to the country that you’re going to want to take on your own. Iain Reid’s storytelling doesn’t give much away, he offers his readers only small morsels of information, just enough to get your mind racing with all of the possibilities.

Foe is eerie, disturbing, and left me feeling uneasy. It is an addictive story that pulls the reader in, keeps them guessing, and then yanks the rug out from under them in the end. I am looking forward to reading whatever Iain Reid’s imagination conjures up next.

*4.5 Stars

Iain Reid is an author who has been on my radar for a while now, but this is the first of his books that I've read. I came across this book via other reviewers, and their positive comments immediately bumped this up on my to-read list. Junior and Hen live an extremely isolated life in a vaguely futuristic society, until late one night, a stranger arrives and reveals that Junior has qualified in a lottery that may potentially end in a stint in space. The stranger, Terrence, becomes a fixture in their daily lives, instilling change and paranoia into their sedate lifestyle.


I absolutely loved Reid's writing style. His sentences are straightforward and punchy, but in a way that serves to disorient the reader within the world he's built. The world seems very similar to our own, until he reveals tidbits such as livestock bans and self-driving vehicles, so that every time you think you have a handle on exactly where and when this may be taking place, Reid throws you off again. This novel hits the uncanny valley in a way I've rarely experienced in a book, and it was definitely my favorite aspect of the novel.

Really the downfall of this novel for me was the slow burn of the plot. I'd figured out the "twist" very early on and had even predicted most of the details of the twist as well. This isn't in any way a mystery novel and there are enough breadcrumbs throughout to lead the reader to the twist well ahead of time, so maybe it was intentional, but if that's the case, then I felt that the first two acts of the novel could have been more compact with greater focus on some of the more philosophical implications of the twist. To me it felt a bit too obvious with not enough detail surrounding the aftermath, which could have made the reveal more satisfying.

Even though the plot didn't fully deliver for me, I really did enjoy reading this novel. The premise is unique and the style is absolutely fantastic. The more I think about this novel, the more impressed I am with everything Reid managed to accomplish. This is an incredible example of how philosophy and horror can be combined to create a deep and unsettling dread. I can't wait to explore more of Reid's work, and I'm kicking myself for not having read him sooner.

This book was interesting and had a similar style of writing to his previous book. However I got bored pretty quickly as it seems that it just stood still

What a kind of eerie, and wonderful book. Couldn't put this one down and drawn me in right from the beginning. And what an ending. Loved everything about this book. i had read one other by this author before and didn't love it, what a difference this one was. Interested to see now what else this author has written. Would highly recommend.

As soon as I saw Iain Reid had a new book out, I knew I had to read it. This is the guy who brought us I'm Thinking of Ending Things, a mind-twisting psychological thriller that had me pretty effusive and proud of my fellow Canuck.

Even though this book is different, it has Iain Reid's style all over it. As in IToET, the reader is aware from the beginning that something is "off", but unsure exactly what that something is. Junior and his wife Hen live on a remote farm. One day Terrence arrives to tell Junior he's been selected to live in a space station for a few years. During this time, Hen will live with a "replacement" of sorts to ensure she isn't alone.

I have to say, I'm not typically a reader of science fiction. So, I got kinda cranky when I realised that's the direction this book was going. Space? Husband replacement? Blech. I also believed that I knew exactly what the big 'reveal' was going to be. I was all "oh brother" and "here we go" and other know-it-all-y things.

I was utterly delighted to be WRONG. Not only was the ending different than I had anticipated, but I found that the sci-fi part is truly secondary. Fancy window dressing. This book is about people and, more specifically, people within a marriage. And what it has to say is quite fascinating.