Content Warnings: There are major content warnings for this book. It discusses rape, justice issues about sexual assault and rape, suicide, murder, and drug use. This is a very emotionally heavy book on top of being a retelling of Macbeth which is a bloody story, to begin with. On a side note, there is a content warning printed at the beginning of the book and I hope that this becomes the industry standard as not everyone has access to the online content warnings before reading a book.

Thank you so much to Meghan Harrison and Wednesday Books for including me in this blog tour! This in no way affected my opinions on this book.

MY THOUGHTS:

When I was approached by Wednesday Books to do this review, I immediately jumped on because it is a retelling of my favorite Shakespeare play, Macbeth. I love reading retellings of my favorite classic stories and I hadn’t heard of anyone tackling The Scottish Play before. This is most likely due to the fact that it is Shakespeare’s most tragic play.

Foul is Fair is no different from its source material. In fact, if you have read the source material then you have a good understanding of how this book goes. Though do not think that this is just Macbeth with an iPhone. Capin instills a wonderful essense of a girl gang that would make the Heathers and Sawkill Girls proud. This angle was my favorite part of the book. I loved to read about Jade and her Coven. When I was first getting ready to read start Foul is Fair, I was under the impression that Jade was playing the role of Macbeth and that she pushing her own vengeance forward. In fact, she plays the story of Lady Macbeth, which totally fitting to her character. Then there are the St. Andrew’s boys, which is where the Macbeth part really starts to show in the story as there names and personalities are all based on original characters.

The other original aspect is why the events occur as they do. In the play, a greed for power was what pushed the characters. Here it is Jade’s vengeance and the boy’s own hubris that cause their downfall. I don’t inherently support all that was done but this is more impactful because I can understand Jade’s reasoning behind it.

Capin writes all of this in this jagged prose that helps to elevate Jade’s emotional state and the intensity of the book.

In total, I completely support this book and frankly, it has not gotten the support it deserves. Yes, it is dark, with a little gore and a lot of pain but it is still a really good book that at its core is about female friendship and fighting for what is right.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I have so many feelings about this book. I finished it almost a week ago and I cannot stop thinking about it.

This book was hard to read, unflinching in all types of ways. Because of that, I don't know if I'd be able to blanket recommend this to people. However, if you're interested in the book and your mental health is in the place to handle the trigger warnings within this book - please, please pick it up.

The writing of this book was something special, and aided in deepening the brutal vengeance that took place across the story. The pacing, coupled with the writing style, made this book fly by. The character work in this book was also unlike many books I've read recently. All of our characters felt so real, in all of the bad and the good parts. I felt for our main character and her friends deeply. I rooted for them - oops - and needed to know what happened next. I couldn't put it down.

Please read this. Please.

Also, please turn this into a mini series? Thanks.

Foul is Fair is a fierce and unrelenting revenge story that offers an outlet for women and girls angry with a world that treats them as unworthy, lesser, or dispensable. It also offers a new look at Lady Macbeth, one that imbues the character with power rather than instability or ambition to the point of madness. I think this book will appeal to a wide and varied audience, though some readers may be put off by the novel’s unique style. The story is told from Jade’s perspective, but the language reads somewhere between traditional prose and poetry. Personally, I thought this style gave the story a fast pace and allowed it to echo the poetic and dramatic nature of the source material. However, I recognize it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Still, I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy Shakespeare retellings, “unlikable heroines,” and revenge.

DNF'd at 30%, which is about 50 pages more than I normally give a book as it is a netgalley book. I really wanted to love this book -- I love revenge stories, I love Macbeth, I love the idea of infiltrating a school to take down the boys who sexually assaulted you. I love that this book has content warnings from the beginning - that is AMAZING.

What I don't love is really everything else. The characters all feel flat and kind of terrible. Not to say the main character deserved to be assaulted (no one does, no matter how terrible they are), but she is a horrible person. Also, whose parents roll over and let their kid do whatever they want to do from the stand point that they can tell murder is the plan when their kid has been sexually assaulted?

I also hate that for a book that is all about revenge for sexual assault, there is so much use of slut and bitch that I cannot handle. "slut-red BMW convertible" for example.

There is a good story in here, somewhere. I love that the head girl of the new school knows what's going on, and how much it has deadened her inside. And maybe she helps by the end -- honestly that's the story I would have loved to read.

I can spend belief for a bit, but this book is unfortunately asking me to do too much of that.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Teenage Revenge Based on Macbeth

Elle and her three friends crash a St. Andrew’s party on her sweet sixteen. She’s used to being able to do whatever she wants, but this time she gets more than she bargained for. She’s drugged and raped. No longer the old Elle, she becomes Jade sworn to revenge.

She transfers to St. Andrew’s and begins the systematic destruction of the boys. Jade doesn’t just want to humiliate them. She wants to kill them and with the help of Andrew Mack, who she seduces and manipulates, that is exactly what she does.

This is a very dark tale with plenty of violence. The characters are based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Jade is Lady Macbeth. Her three friends are the three witches, and Andrew Mack is the hapless Macbeth. Duncan is the leader of the Saint Andrew’s contingent. The writing is crisp, full of primary colors. There are no lingering descriptions. The focus is on action. Much as I enjoyed the cleverness of the plot, it did get rather grim in places. It’s frightening to think of teenagers deciding to coldbloodedly kill each other.

This is a YA book, but it’s not for everyone. The themes are very adult, sexual assault, and murderous manipulation. I enjoyed the book, but care should be taken in recommending it to a teenager.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair"

Foul is Fair is a retelling of Macbeth cast in a current light. These girls are more ruthless than The Plastics from Mean Girls and quite close to the psycho Ramsay Bolton. I'm all about justice, however, these girls are out for blood...literally!

Jade (formerly Elle), Jenny, Summer, and Mads are close friends in their own "coven" (American Horror Story vibes). Bent on dethroning the current "fuckboy" king Duncan, these witches will go to any lengths to get they retribution they think they deserve. After being roofied and raped, Elle disguises herself as Jade and attends the school where the assailants attend. Slowly, the boys are picked off one by one.

What didn't work for me was all of the crude language. The beginning of the novel, it seemed like every other word was a cuss word, which is a big turnoff for me in general. I found a lot of the story, while entertaining, to be unbelievable. Jade's fingerprints are on everything and it seems like there was nothing done to cover that up. Where is everyone's parents?! And how can you just sign up at a new school without any proof of your identification?!

The sharp, compulsive character of Jade was pleasurable to say the least. She is one girl who I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. She had her mission and didn't let up, so that aspect I admire. However, I feel for Mack...poor guy.

Foul is Fair is a present-day retelling of Macbeth, but crazier in character, way more violent, and full of the most vengeful people you'll ever meet!

Title: Fair is Foul
Author: Hannah Capin
Genre: YA
Rating: 3 out of 5

Ella and her three friends are the queens of their circle and their school. They do what they want, when they want. They do and say whatever they please, no matter who it hurts, and they’re untouchable—until the night they crash a St. Andrews Prep party and Elle is roofied and raped by the golden boys of St. Andrews.

Intent only on revenge, Ella becomes Jade, dying her hair, erasing her identity, and transferring to St. Andrews. With her crew’s help, she’ll have her revenge, but revenge isn’t enough. Instead, she wants to destroy the golden boys—and take their lives. And one of them will help her, for his ambition is as ruthless as Jade’s own.

I’m not a fan of the idea of revenge being necessary—though the boys definitely needed punishment—and the right of the wronged. What happened to Jade was horrible, and the golden boys were evil, but…Jade was at least as evil as they were. The actions of Jade and her crew were unfathomable to me, and I couldn’t relate to her on any level, making her—and her friends and enemies—completely unlikable and unreal to me. However, I can see how this is just my thoughts on a trope. The revenge storyline is probably great for some people, but it’s just not for me, and I shouldn’t have even bothered to finish reading this.

Hannah Capin lives in Virginia. Foul is Fair is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dedicated to "every girl who wants revenge," Foul Is Fair quickly establishes its dark and unapologetic tone before readers ever reach the first page. But once they do, (and the opening chapter has been consumed) the spell will be cast. Readers will be hooked and desperate for answers on how this retelling will unfold. Full of fierce prose, theatrics worthy of a Shakespearean play, and one of the most ruthless covens ever encountered on the page, Capin's sophomore novel sets out to prove to fuckboys that women aren't their toys. A message that screams its necessary anthem out of the book and into the world. A modern day "Jagged Little Pill" for the #metoo era. 

"There on the screen Summer's holding, I see the boys we're going to ruin."

Elle crashed an elite prep school party the night of her sweet sixteen with her three ride-or-die besties. That was the night king Duncan chose her to be his crew's latest victim. That was the night the dazzling smile of a now faceless boy handed her what turned out to be a drugged drink. That was the night Connor dragged her into a room where Banks slammed the door and Duffy stay inside despite being chewed out by his girlfriend for cheating with "some roofied slut." That was the night that now returns to Elle via hazy memories that bubble under the surface. That was the night the St. Andrew's golden boys picked the wrong girl. 

"Guilt won't ruin boys like them."

Elle wakes up the morning after her sweet sixteen with a plan to take down the boys that wronged her. Adopting a new look and a new name, Jade (formerly Elle) summons her coven of besties to plot out the vengeance she is rightfully owed. Refusing to leave it up to the authorities, her parents, or the justice system, she decides to destroy the boys one by one. And she'll do it by recruiting an earnest and innocent bystander to dole out her killings. 

Now it goes without saying that there is no right or wrong way to react as a victim/survivor/avenger of sexaul assult. And of course, I'm not condoning the murderous rampage our fearsome female lead takes on in this twisted contemporary. Readers have to suspend their disbelief in order for the influences from Macbeth to land in this modern day retelling. However, I do applaud Capin for giving us a defiant narrative when we're so often exposed to a quieter or meeker take. Again, not saying one approach is more "right" than the other, but it's refreshing to see a character in a contemporary taking the repentance she's rightfully owed. 

"I'm not just a girl anymore. Tonight I'm only cruelty. No pity. No mercy. No fear of what comes next." 

As you've probably gathered this is a hard-hitting novel that came to slay. And despite it's heavy content and intense elements, it was such a responsive read. From the diversity in the characters sexual orientations, gender identifications, and race to the intense loyalty of Jade's coven and parents, there's just so much to love about this book. My words can't touch the power of those found within Capin's pages, but I hope they've done enough to encourage you to give this story a chance. 

All quotes were taken from an advanced copy of this novel and may not match the final release.

3 1/2 stars

I have to say I'm a little bit speechless after finishing Foul is Fair. I've seen it compared to a modern re-telling of MacBeth and I can definitely agree with that. I found the initial premise would lead to a solid story.. We find out the main character, Elle, has been drugged and raped by four guys at a party. Instead of going to the police, Elle decides to get revenge by killing them all, with the help of her friends (coven). Not only does she want to kill the four rapists, she also wants to kill the people who knew and didn't help her.

Elle changes her name to Jade. She changes her looks and changes schools. Jade works her way into the group these boys run in - - the popular lacrosse players and their fly girls. She executes her plan and gradually picks them off one by one. Along the way, she has attached herself to one guy, Mack and has used him in her plan. She plans to let him take the fall for everything when it is done. However, she starts to have feelings for him. Her friends caution her about her attachment as they go through the plan.

I found the story to be a bit far-fetched, but it is fiction after all. I was also a bit scared of how callously Elle/Jade killed these people. Even if you suffered the brutal attack that she had endured, it seems that you would have some remorse. She had none. Absolutely no remorse whatsoever. It chilled me to the bone. It's hard for me to say I enjoyed this book because with every page I read, I kept thinking someone would stop Jade's madness, but it continued on its bloody path. However, I kept turning pages to see what happened next. That is often the trademark of a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 20%

I’m all for powerful and empowering reads with strong female characters that have to overcome something painful—in fact, those are my favorite kind—but...and this a big but...if the writing does not do the story justice, there’s no hope for me to fall into it. This could’ve been <i>such</i> a timely novel to really bring home the beauty of female strength, but it was almost written superficially or in a strange prose-like style that made it impossible to connect to. There was no depth or emotion or character thought; instead it was straight-up plot only. I can’t feel emotion where there is none. With no relationship between me and the main character, I’m simply reading words and not a story. Sure, I can follow along, but I read to feel and connect and become a part of the story, and unfortunately I couldn’t do that with Foul is Fair. I’m massively disappointed this novel wasn’t for me, but I know there are many who are loving it and many who will once it releases so give it a try and it could be for you.

This is a difficult review to write because while I personally had trouble getting into the story, I can see a lot of others being fully invested in it. Foul Is Fair really intrigued me when I read the blurb and that's the reason I decided to pick it up. Since I don't think I was the target reader for the book, that is why I'm not giving it a rating. If I was judging it based on how well it was written, I would definitely give it five stars as it was done extraordinarily well. I strongly suggest reading other reviews and being open to taking a chance on it solely because of the writing alone. If you enjoy retellings, especially of Macbeth (or Shakespeare) this might be the perfect contemporary YA book for you.

(Since NetGalley will not let me leave the star rating blank, I'm setting it at 3 stars just for the purpose of fairness)

This book really was incredibly well-written! I have even gone back since and re-read it twice because it was so superbly executed. The anti-heroines were so well done that I wasn’t sure whether to love them, hate them, or love to hate them! Such a huge investment for revenge and I truly could not put this one down, on any of my readings of it! The girls are made to break things, and I really loved enjoying this awesome story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! I loved this one!

This book is extreme in the best way. It is violent and full of chaos and revenge. I love how supportive the girls are of each other and how they will go to the ends of the earth to defend and avenge each other. I can never get enough badass female characters that refuse to be silenced.

The plot of the story was interesting and the writing okay, but I couldn't connect with the characters at all. I was hoping for some redeeming qualities in the flashbacks when you get glimpses of who the main protagonist and her friends were before the ill fated night that started the whole storyline, but those showcased four spoiled, bored and manipulative girls instead.

I read around 30% until I allowed myself to put it down and "dnf" it (did not finish). I sincerely hope there is a redeeming story arc in this story though. It would give it a depth that I think a story like this needs.

No matter what I think though, there will be lots of people who read this and who will enjoy it for it's vengeance storyline that feels like watching a mix of Gossip Girl and Mean girls with a darker approach. Maybe you'll like it more than me!

A huge thank you to the publisher Wednesday Books who kindly sent me this advanced reading copy! I'm always grateful for the opportunity to experience new stories!

I'm not sure what I think. This sticks with me. This is a dark revenge daydream for so many woman and girls. Updating Shakespeare is not new. Not even to the mini-kingdom that kids think high school is when they are there. The title and out damn spot of it all twist Macbeth into a #metoo and women's revenge.

In the end, I liked it. I didn't love every second of it and I'm a little over the idea of high school royalty. But I loved it overall. I felt for Elle/Jade and I wanted her to get away with everything. I wanted more Mads, Summer, and Jenny. I wasn't thrilled with the wiring style. Yes, we get it. You are a rebel messing with quotation marks and proper punctuation.

A 4.5, but I'm rounding up because I just don't think that a 4 star rating would do it justice. This is a story about revenge, betrayal, and what happens when you pick the wrong girl to mess with and stand by and let bad things happen. This book has no cut cards. From the moment you meet the main players, Jade and her coven, you know they're here to take no prisoners, no mercy, and all the chances. Honestly, the witches in Macbeth WISH they had the power that these girls have. Are they unhinged? Maybe, but it's only a bad thing when it comes to the golden boys of Saint Andrews. They've all made the girls' kill list after they assault Jade on the night of her 16th birthday. She tried to tell them that they picked the wrong girl, but they didn't believe her. They should have.

So when I say this was intense, I'm not joking. From the moment you turn the first page, there's no doubt that this is going to be a dark ride. The story itself reads between a mix of a novel and a play. The scenes/chapters are short for the most part, flowing together and yet choppy at the same time. It keeps you engaged though because while each chapter is a continuation of the next, each chapter also seems to stand on it's own in the story. The thing is, you can guess how it ends. There's only one way for it to end really, but reading this isn't about discovering the ending, it's about the journey. You literally watch as everything comes together and falls apart at the same time. You watch as Jade and her friends wreck St. Andrews from the inside out and the entire time you can't help but wonder how the hell no one has figured this out yet. How the hell are all these people manipulated so easily and how in the world is it that these sort of people exist. What drives these girls? How did they get here? Who are their parents that they've turned out this way, dishing out their own brand of justice because they know that no one else will do it. What's even crazier is the fact that the event's don't happen over months, but 2 weeks. In 2 weeks one decision turns the lives of everyone involved upside down and yet you can't help but feel like they all deserve whatever is coming for them, including Jade herself.

This book has trans-rep, sapphic unrequited love, revenge, and vigilantes taking justice into their own hands. It also deals with rape, sexual assault, abusive relationships, consent, bystander effect, suicide attempts, murder, drugs. Name it and it seems to be in this book. While it's definitely intense and can definitely be triggering, I think that the author does a great job of handling the topics well. She's just as unapologetic as her characters and I think it's important to know that going in. It's a brutal story to tell, but it's one that needs to be told. Let me be clear that there are no happy endings here, not for anyone, but there is a sense of vindication in the end.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

WOW, this book was stunningly clever. A re-telling of Macbeth, Capin has composed a witty, dark, and captivating story. 16-year-old Elle's life changes forever when she is assaulted by a group of lacrosse players at a prep school party. She takes it into her hands to exact revenge on everyone who was involved in the assault. I was so intrigued watching her manipulate the boys into killing each other, with the same sort of fascination as watching a true crime tv show: you know it's horrible and twisted but you also can't stop watching. It was so interesting seeing the ways in which Capin remained true to Macbeth (the out out damn spot scene in particular was well-written) while also seeing the ways in which she diverges from Shakespeare's story to make her own timely narrative. The diversity of the characters was refreshing, especially as someone who reads mostly adult fiction. There are characters of color and even a transwoman as main characters.

This book is definitely not for everyone. It's dark, bloody, horrific. Some might not agree with Elle's exacting of revenge in the manner that she does. However, I love a good, dark novel and this one was right up my alley.

TW: sexual assault (not shown, but heavily referenced), graphic violence

I loved this darkly compelling novel and it’s intensity worked for me. I’m sure it won’t be for everyone, but it has a delightful and glorious rage to it that glows in a strange and tangible form I haven’t read before. I loved the characters, their personas and development were intense and well crafted. I’m very impressed with Capin’s writing which makes this very dark story work. The best way I can describe the feeling this book gave me is this - when you see the bad guy in a movie get his comeuppance in a really satisfying and over the top way and it makes you grin with delight because he SO deserves it. - that is what Capin manages to hit right on target for this book - an incredible talent I’m sure took great effort and precision to nail down. I loved it and was impressed and entertained.

Do you know when you read that book and after that everything changes? That’s how I feel about this book. I will forever compare everything else with this to find favorites…

I can’t believe I almost didn’t read this book. This was recommended to me and I didn’t even know about its existence. I couldn’t have been happier to participate in my first ever blog tour with this book. I literally devoured this as much as Elle devoured her prey. This book is epic. I loved this read so much and I can’t possibly wait for the next one!

This book is heavily based in Macbeth, the meaning “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” – from where the name came from – is a big part of the book, as are some character’s names and many moments in it which I loved comparing to the original story. For those who don’t know, Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare novels for how brutal and intense it is, so I had high hopes for this book.

Like Macbeth, at the beginning of that story, we have a prophecy from a trio of “witches” that say that one day Macbeth will be king. Now, put that into an amazingly hard and gruesome contemporary story with wealthy boys, amazing (and slightly sick) friendship, hierarchies in highschool, maniacal plans, lies, and suspense and you have Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin which I predict to be one of my favorite books of the year.

This story like I said, is kind of a contemporary retelling of Macbeth. When a group of wealthy untouchable boys rape Elle at a party, the plan is to make them pay with their lives. Elle and her coven of best friends – Summer, Jenny, and Mads – create an elaborate plot that starts when Elle, now going by her middle name Jade, moves to these boy’s school and slowly but surely, by manipulating another boy, turns them all against each other and no one is safe anymore.

Overall, this is a book about revenge, about justice and about taking matters into your own hands. It tackles some heavy topics in a very different and gripping way. The plot is extremely fast-paced and it feels like you’re there every second of it. It’s impossible to put down and it engrosses you in this beautifully gruesome plan where heroes and villains are one and the same. It’s intoxicating and I can’t possibly have enough of it.

Something I really liked was how close Jade and her coven were. They were ruthless, powerful, unapologetic and as close as close can be. They are friendship goals and nothing less, no matter what could come between them. They fight and might not always see eye to eye, like anyone else, but they don’t let that destroy them or their goals. It was beautiful to see them in action and I loved how much they were there for each other.

As for the girl’s parents, they are present too, and although they might not seem very conventional for everyone, it worked well with the type of families present. They are not as tight with each other, but you can see their love and how much they try to help by letting their kids find their way. They don’t protect them in the way of doing everything for them but they give them the knife and teach them how to fight (I especially loved Mads family so much!).

It was amazing to read about Jade and her plot. And as the plot progressed so did my emotions. I wanted her to win, to seek her revenge to be free and make me feel free too. She is not exactly a likable character but one can’t help but admire her fire. She is fierce and won’t go down without a fight. I thought Jade was going to be that typical mean wealthy girl but she is so much more than that! She is the most complex and unique character I’ve read about and I will never forget her. Sure, her plan is completely nuts and that probably says a lot about herself but I was rooting for her all the way!

It was SO beautifully written and in the most incredibly clever way possible. I just couldn’t wait to see “Who’s next” and how everything would unfold. I did see certain things coming but my enjoyment didn’t change one bit.

I will put here the publisher’s note because I think it’s quite important: “The primary thematic material of Foul is Fair centers on sexual assault (not depicted), rape culture, and violence. Additionally, the book includes an abusive relationship, a suicide attempt, and a brief scene with transphobic bullying. For a more detailed description of sensitive content, please visit hannahcapin.com/foulisfair.” This book can be triggering in parts, but seeing Jade create her own justice is quite liberating and empowering too. This is an extremely dark story where revenge is the goal, but it gave me so much more than that…

I highly recommend this one if you love very dark, wicked and empowering stories. It’s violent and even tho it doesn’t really show the assault, everything evolves around it in the most gruesome of ways. This is the most haunting book you will ever read and you will love every second of it. I can’t stop thinking about it!

Macbeth. One of my favourite Shakespeare plays, in Foul Is Fair Hannah Capin reimagines the central themes of it, creating a revenge drama for the Me Too age.

The writing is visceral, vivid and pulls no punches. Our witches are as dazzling as the sun, as dark as the depths of night and at the heart of them, Jade drives their mission- destroy the boys who attempted to destroy her, on one night that changed everything.

I fell into this one – the author wastes neither works nor opinions – she is not playing to the crowd here but rather redefining victimhood, changing perception and forcing a different view. At the same time the horror for Jade sits front and centre, sparsely described but right there in front of you. As she takes her blood soaked revenge, even as they falter and regroup, the central truths about sexual assault remain ingrained in the narrative. Rather than take the path of least resistance, the girls here don’t conform to the predictable assumptions but stand tall, stand together, certain in their intention and taking no prisoners.

It’s a clever, intuitive and different way of telling a story we’ve heard so many times, Foul Is Fair will cast a spell that finds you reading it in one breathlessly edgy sitting. It is violent but authentic, written with verve and never losing sight of the point it is making.

Very excellent indeed. Highly Recommended.