It took me a little while to figure out how I feel about this story. On one hand, I am here for revenge and girl power. But on the other hand, I wasn't prepared for the level of camp in this book. So that was a slight factor for me, but if I'm prepared for campy goodness, I love it!

This is very reminiscent of Heathers, but there's obviously a whole lot more, uh, rape culture in this one. Elle, well...Jade, seeks revenge on the lacrosse boys who spiked her drink. Much like in the original story of Macbeth, she has her coven to aid in setting the boys on a course of self-destruction that they won't see until the end.

On one hand, hell yes to seeing rapists get what they deserve, and yes to Jade being the one to do the work. But the rest of the girls in the book...almost feel like archetypes? Take Piper, for instance. She's ruthless, carries a fencing foil with her every day, and is just so...annoyingly catty. But Liliana, the former queen of St. Andrew's, is so close to being something absolutely wonderful and terrible, but falls a bit short.

There's some rep in the book, as Jade is (I think) Indian, Summer and Jenny are queer, and Mads, lovely Mads, is trans. But I feel like we don't really get a true grasp of these characters, even Jade. I even forgot she wasn't white.

I think this would be an amazing film, but it fell a bit short as a book for me. I give Foul is Fair 4 out of 5 crows.

This is clever and engaging and kind of exhausting.

Honestly, I mostly loved it. I loved our main character and was kind of in awe at how the author took the original play, made it so very modern and relevant, yet still kept true to the heart of the original. I loved our coven and adored Lilia.

But it really was exhausting.

The primary emotion in the book is rage, mixed with a little wistfulness. And rage, righteous though it is, is a hard emotion to have on every single page.

I took breaks reading this. I literally stopped at 60% and read something else before returning to it.

Yet, I really liked it.

I do recommend it. I just caution you that may need to take it in small doses.

*ARC Provided by Net Galley

Book Info
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: February 4th 2020 by Wednesday Books
ISBN 1250239540 (ISBN13: 9781250239549)
Edition Language English
Series Foul Is Fair #1
Other Editions (8)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB

Elle and her friends Mads, Jenny, and Summer rule their glittering LA circle. Untouchable, they have the kind of power other girls only dream of. Every party is theirs and the world is at their feet. Until the night of Elle’s sweet sixteen, when they crash a St. Andrew’s Prep party. The night the golden boys choose Elle as their next target.

They picked the wrong girl.

Sworn to vengeance, Elle transfers to St. Andrew’s. She plots to destroy each boy, one by one. She’ll take their power, their lives, and their control of the prep school’s hierarchy. And she and her coven have the perfect way in: a boy named Mack, whose ambition could turn deadly.

Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.

My Thoughts


Welcome to a world that embraces elitism, entitlement, immorality and privilege.

The mantra ”Foul is Fair and Fair is Foul” is explored to its fullest by the four teen girls at the heart of this story.

From a very young age Elle, Mads, Jenny and Summer have proven their loyalty to each other. Many times in ways that are beyond the boundaries of legal behavior but in all those years the four have never been truly tested until now.

This story takes them to the limit and beyond thanks to one stupid night that changes things forever, for not only them but for an entire group at St. Andrews as well.

Not your everyday Mean Girls or Normal Revenge Tale this one goes beyond that in a way that is very easy to read but at the same time hard because of context for the story content, which part I did love even while its context was uncomfortably pushing boundaries very realistically.

While engrossed had no real trouble digesting or reading it from start to finish, even during the parts that made me uncomfortable here and there.

Favorite part is the 4 teen girls themselves and although Jade is the main focus she is not the only outstanding character of this book for me.

I felt the end did not justify the means but was satisfied that revenge served cold proved to not be all about getting even but also about friendship as well as learning ones own limits.

In Jade and her friends case apparently those limits are pretty sky high but to them whatever the cost their particular brand of justice seems to be worth any consequences to their actions.

As the statement included in the books blurb says ”Something wicked this way comes!”

[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Wow! This book is dark and devious, it's fierce and unafraid, it's smart and unapologetic. The writing was vivid and cinematic, the world vibrant and colorful. Certainly this book is not for everyone. There are major trigger warnings. It is definitely not a sweet and sappy HEA. But if you are looking for an intelligent well written book with characters who are strong and loyal, indulge in this dark and twisty novel.

Foul is Fair is a powerful Macbeth retelling about the #MeToo era but focuses on what I believe so many survivors wish they could do: take revenge. I was so easily swept up into this bloody tale about murder, retribution and fierce female friendships.

The novel begins with the aftermath of a brutal gang rape that Jade is subjected to after celebrating her sweet sixteen at a house party. Seven people worked together to ensure Jade had something slip into her drink that made her vulnerable and so that a group of boys could take advantage of her. She wants revenge on all of the people who had a part to play. Together, Jade and her coven of friends do just that: they plan to infiltrate the school the boys attend, sow distrust among them, and then murder them all. But that's not all: they need a patsy, a boy they can blame it on after the gang is dead: a boy called Mack who Jade finds herself falling for even as she manipulates him.

Foul is Fair discusses the insidious impact of rape culture in an unsettling yet compelling way. Hannah Capin explains that, when it comes to rape, it is not just the rapist who is to blame: it is also the system of people that help uphold his behaviour and, at times, even physically help him. From the drug dealer who sells him the date-rape drug, to the person who looks the other way when they see him pour it in a drink, to the person who hands her the drink, to the guy who stands watch at the door so no one will know what is happening behind it -- all are complicit, and this book helps the reader understand that. 

This book is also about trauma and the ways in which survivors weigh their need for lawful justice versus their desire for revenge. Jade obviously goes down the revenge road, along with frightening prophecies and lots of murder. Her coven are all such amazing characters who back Jade up no matter what. The three girls, one of whom is trans and the other two in a burgeoning sapphic relationship, are the epitome of friendship goals -- they are ride or die for each other, and in this case, it's very much die.

Foul is Fair is a book I wholly recommend to young adult and adult readers alike. At times, this book is very hard to read but I would say we need more books like this. Books that show that, even if something devastating like this has happened to you, you are still just as powerful and amazing as you were the day before. (Just please don't murder anyone.)

In the past year or so, I've expanded my reading boundaries to include genres I've previously shied away from like Young Adult. And the rewards have been tenfold! I've discovered amazingly talented authors spinning fantastic tales in the genre, and as a matter of fact, one of my favorite books of 2019 was of the Young Adult genre. Go figure! lol So to say Foul Is Fair is out of my reading wheelhouse is a gross understatement. So why did I love it so much? I honestly can't say other than it spoke to me on a deeper level, sparking a dying flame. And I'm happy to say it rewarded me with another Young Adult favorite author and book!

Hannah Capin's rendering of Foul Is Fair is BOLD, brutal, violent - with inspiration drawn from a teen Macbeth, no doubt. Through edgy and daring prose and first person point of view, the story of Elle and three of her closest friends is told. Drugged and gang raped at a Prep Party at the age of sixteen, Elle is the banner-child for the old saying, "Don't get mad, Get even!" And heaven help me, I cheered for her all the way as she and her friends methodically planned and served up vengeance to the boys who violated Elle in such a despicable way. I'm not going any deeper into the story or plot lines, but I will say that the author's brilliant writing sucked me into this story much more than I anticipated. However, beware the trigger warnings of rape, language, and extreme violence as it is prevalent in this book.

Author Hannah Capin takes on real world issues faced by girls and women in their daily lives in Foul Is Fair. Through a dark narrative, she spotlights the good-old-boy mentality as people's willingness to turn a blind eye to the violence often perpetrated against girls and women is prevalent. This story also features the issue of a bullying mentality often found among students as they seek to climb the social ladder and reign supreme over their school mates, holding court with their own little clique of friends. Issues of class, race, and sexuality often dictate ones place in the hierarchy. The fact that I felt empathy and actually pulled for Elle and her friends during their reign of terror and deliverance of vengeance to her abusers is simply amazing. I kept thinking I should find their brutality revolting...but I didn't. I can only credit that to the amazing story telling abilities of Capin. She sold me this story hook, line, and sinker. Could it have been told in a lighter, less violent manner? Maybe, but there's little doubt it wouldn't have had the same dramatic impact as Foul Is Fair. Raw, dark, and gritty, this story sends a warning to bullies and abusers who manage to elude justice - Beware...we're coming for you. You picked the wrong girl this time. Or should I say the right girl? A fantastic read in the genre! Highly recommended!

✨ REVIEW ✨

When Elle is sexually assaulted at a party, she vows revenge. She becomes Jade and transfers schools - the beginning of her plan to take out each and every person involved, with the help of her best friends; her coven.

With a revenge plot worthy of Kill Bill, this book is a bit Cruel Intentions and a bit Mean Girls, with some of the darkness of The Craft thrown in.

Foul Is Fair is a feminist reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth; an updated YA Contemporary version that is perfect for a generation awake to the #MeToo movement.

This book comes with a few trigger warnings* which are rather well deserved, with many difficult subjects touched upon in oblique ways.

A violent, bloody and great thriller that doesn’t pull punches, this story kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Quentin Tarantino wishes he wrote this.

*Please note: 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.

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I highly recommend this book! Though, I do warn that it is a fairly dark book with characters who themselves are equally dark and it does not shy away from the ugly truth. I do think it's a powerful book that people who are comfortable with the subject matter should pick up. Definitely read the warnings, though. I also really love the writing style; Capin didn't stray from the story she wanted to tell and she did it in such a wonderful way. Definitely recommend this.

Ladies, it's time to sharpen your claws.

When 16 year old Jade is gang raped at a St. Andrews Prep party by a bunch of rich, over privileged pricks she doesn't withdraw, she doesn't even cry, but she does vow to take bloody revenge.

With the help of her four best friends a.k.a the coven they will exact their revenge on those that drugged, that raped, that guarded the door, and that turned a blind eye. For these young ladies aren't your average young ladies. They are the shriek you hear in the middle of the night. They are the talons that will rip through your skin. They are light and glitter. They are vengeance.

You have all been warned.

First of all a huge FUCK YES to Hannah Capin. The story, her writing style - everything worked perfectly here. I can find no faults. Obviously this isn't the most realistic of stories but it's a war cry for women everywhere.

We don't have to be silent when we can be powerful. 5 *Fearless* Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly have no words right now. This is such a powerful book and Hannah Capin is a truly brilliant author. For now, I’ll leave you with this quote from the acknowledgments and the highest recommendation to pick up a copy of Foul Is Fair:

“To all who survive, every day, in spite of everything: those who forgive and those who fight, those who seek justice and those who seek revenge, those who have stood up with the whole world watching and those whose stories will never be told. You are strength and you are power.”

This is not a nice book. The characters are not nice and their actions are definitely not nice. This is a brutal, wicked, dark tale of violence and vengeance.

Foul is Fair is a retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth, with Lady Macbeth as the main character. After being roofied and gang-raped at a party, sixteen-year-old Jade vows murderous revenge on the boys who did it. She disguises herself and transfers to their school, St. Andrews Prep, and finagles her way into Mack's confidences-- the only boy who wasn't at the party that night-- manipulating him into killing his friends for her. With the help of her three friends Summer, Mads, and Jenny (her "coven", i.e., the Three Witches from the play), Jade terrorizes them all to paranoia and madness and, ultimately, death.

Foul is Fair is not meant to be realistic. It is pure, unadultered revenge fantasy. The plot might seem too over-the-top, and it is definitely a wild ride but one well worth taking. Unflinchingly dark and chilling, but also so, so intense and powerful, I couldn't stop reading. The writing style is gorgeous, almost poetic and truly haunting at times, with bits of fabulism woven into the story. Though a somewhat ludicrous plotline, the writing takes itself seriously and the characters and their trauma are treated seriously by the narrative. The mix of these elements is just right to create a truly unique and impacting tale of female agency and power.

(God, do I hate this cover, though.)

TW: drugging, rape, murder, abusive relationship, suicide attempt, transphobic bullying
For a full list of content warnings, see the author's website: https://www.hannahcapin.com/foulisfair

(I've never done this before but: TRIGGER WARNING: mentions and flashbacks of rape.)
Damn....this book was just.... INTOXICATING. It was BLOODY. VENGEFUL. TWISTED and mostly importantly UNAPOLOGETIC. Jade is a QUEEN. This book is for all the girls that become not victims but SURVIVORS. For the girls who's stories become front page news but who don't get the justice that is due to them.
Jade gets drugged at a party and raped by a group of boys who have done this before to multiple girls. Boys who have rich lawyers at their beck and call. Boys who think they can get way with anything. Well this time they won't. They picked the wrong girl. Or as Jade says: the right girl, the last girl they'll ever hurt. With the help of her 'coven', Mads, Summer and Jenny, Jade creates a plan to get revenge on those who hurt her. She will not go down without a fight. But as she gets caught up with each new murder, Jade gets an unwanted surprise. The boy she chose to help her kill the rest of the pack, was the boy who gave her the spiked drink that night. This sends her reeling but she will not break. Jade sees her mission through and the ending, OH MY GOD you guys that ending! "I'm not sorry."
It was just perfect. Honestly, some might say this book was a bit much. But I loved it. It had a touch of Macbeth in it. Jade was Lady Macbeth, the boy Mack (who she ensnared into killing the others) was Macbeth himself. Jade's best friends were the three witches and this was the ultimate revenge story. I'm not sure what else to say. I honestly thought this was a fabulous book. There was intrigue, high stakes, mystery, edge of your seat drama. I would totally recommend it!

There are no words to truly describe my absolute anger and frustration with this book. I believe this story is dangerous in a deeply unsettling way.

And I'm frustrated and disappointed - I really enjoyed Hannah Capin's debut novel, The Dead Queen's Club. The girls' didn't just get "revenge" by uncovering the wrongdoer - but they led the perpetrator to confessing his crimes. It was empowering, refreshing in it's unique storytelling and history retelling.

But this - Foul is Fair falls far short of a good read. It portrays revenges and surviving abuse in a way that is not healthy. And I speak directly as someone who survived a decade of childhood sexual assault, parental abuse, and physical abuse. Someone who has lived through PTSD. A person who has gone to therapy and read countless stories like mine. I'm no stranger to sexual assault - I don't say #Metoo lightly.

I'm not normally triggered when reading books like this, especially when there's a trigger warning. But this book honestly makes me sick - not just because of the assault but how the assault is handled by everyone in the story.

what bothers me the most ---- not reporting the assault.
Her parents are told about the assault and don't report it.

I'm going to truly rant about this one. Sure, people need to be careful and let their kids exercise bodily autonomy. But it's awful - straight up abuse - to NOT go to the police when your child tells you they've been assaulted.
As a person who shared my abuse with my parents, i'm left shocked that this is portrayed as a good thing. It took everything in me to finally voice what had happened to me - and when my parents did not tell the police, it settled like a dark cloud over my life. I felt unbelieved - and to this day, wish someone had filed a police report.

Good adults report crimes. End of story.

Elle Jade Khanjara does not have the maturity or legal age to choose not to report a crime. It's not empowering to portray a family who gives a teenager girl this right.

Today, I'm still haunted that my abuser walks free because I didn't know how to report the crime. If one adult had helped 16 year old me report the abuse, no matter what kind of court fight ensued, at least the adult would have done the right thing. Survivors of abuse shouldn't be shackled with the guilty and weight of an abuser's crimes not being reported.

I'm sick at the thought of a teenager reading this and deciding, like Jade, that reporting an assault isn't worth the time. Truly, truly sick at the sheer irresponsibility of the author to frame this as empowering.

And my second main problem with this story - Revenge free of Real Life Consequences.

Sure, revenge in itself isn't wrong. But murder is murder for whatever reason you chose to kill. it still leaves massive wounds behind and should never be framed as a good thing.

I work in a newsroom. A few weeks ago our station reported on a women who is serving ten years in prison for killing her husband. He was an abuser, an awful man who didn't deserve anything good. But this woman took justice in her own hands and killed him - not in self defense - but in an act of frustration and anger at all the abuse she'd dealt with.

I'm frustrated for this woman because her husband was an abuser. She deserves better. But now, according to the law, she's in prison. And her five children won't be with their mom for the next ten years.

So, yes, people do take revenge. But the consequences are harsh for the innocent folks involved - this woman's children are now without their mother. This woman now has to suffer prison for a decade after suffering years of an abusive relationship.

Revenge rarely benefits anyone. I say this as someone who stewed on getting revenge against my own abusers and as a person who works in a newsroom. I read police report and report of folks taking revenge for crimes done against them. The pain, the consequences of taking the law in your own hands, it hurts not just the avenger, but those they love most.

I'm just so frustrated and bewildered by Foul is Fair.
That a revenge story was written in this way, that a young girl killing her abusers is presented in a poetic way to appeal to young readers.

A MUCH better story of revenge and consequences is Sadie from Courtney Summers. Sadie seeks to get revenge for her sister's death and deals with all the consequences, brutal as they are. It's not pretty. Or glorified, simply the honest truth of what young girls have to deal with every day.

Right now, I'm checked out Chanel Miller's book Know my Name from the library.
Miller was assaulted by a college player. Justice wasn't served. But I think surviving - telling her own story, is a form revenge. I look forward to reading her story and feeling empowered and encouraged - something Foul is Fair completely did not do.

I'm not going to judge anyone who reads Foul is Fair. But I do think it's dangerous. Marketing this book for young readers will harm people. If I had read this when I was younger - it would have deeply harmed me.

Please carefully think about this before recommending this book.

This book is a modern retelling of Macbeth which makes it enjoyable but it was a bit too melodramatic for me, I found it hard to relate to the murders being committed without any repercussions.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that this was a MacBeth retelling. The names started ringing a bell a third of the way through. Duh to me. If Shakespeare wrote the Heathers in our present #metoo world, this would be that story. Violent and a bit absurd. For older readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reading Copy

This book is a dark, feminist retelling of <i>Macbeth</i> combined with <i>Cruel intentions, American Horror Story: Coven, Mean Girls</i> and <i>Heathers</i>. This book is a wild ride and not for the faint of heart.

I just want to put out a warning that sexual assault is the main theme of this story. It’s not depicted on page but it’s heavily referenced throughout the book.

On her sweet sixteen, Elle and her friends/coven Jenny, Summer and Mads attend a St. Andrews Prep party where she gets roofied and raped by four boys. That night Elle "dies", becomes Jade and vows to get revenge on the boys. Jade and her coven take a blood oath and are determined to massacre the boys one by one. How will she get to them? Jade transfers to St. Andrews, the school the boys attend, befriends their girlfriends and picks out Mack as the key to bring death, destruction and mayhem. Chaos ensues.

We love books that include content and trigger warnings. Before the story begins we're told that the book centres on sexual assault, rape culture and violence. There is also an abusive relationship, a suicide attempt and transphobic bullying.

The prose is magnificent and instantly grabs your attention. The friendship between these girls is so strong. The author did a great job writing about difficult topics. It was wild, dark and twisted from start to finish. This book is not for everyone and it's important to be aware of that before you pick this up.

<i>I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.</i>

Imagine Shakespeare' MacBeth set in a high school where Lady MacBeth is in cahoots with the three witches and they are seeking revenge for a gang rape at a party. That is the basis for this book. And while I generally enjoy retellings of classics, this one missed the mark for me. I think the writing was trying to be too edgy and artsy but at the same time tell this solid down to earth hardcore story. I don't think you can do both. At least in this book it wasn't done. I also felt like everything moved too quickly and the basics of the story, presented in this version, were incredibly unbelievable. The whole thing took place in less than 3 weeks. Elle/Jade was accepted by the "in" crowd the very first day? That was hard to accept.

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader's copy of Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to them and the publishers for this opportunity.
Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin is a Macbeth retelling as a YA contemporary novel. All the characters from the iconic Shakespearean tragedy have been translated into well off high school students in sunny California. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

Here's the summary from NetGalley:
Hannah Capin's Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.
Jade and her friends Jenny, Mads, and Summer rule their glittering LA circle. Untouchable, they have the kind of power other girls only dream of. Every party is theirs and the world is at their feet. Until the night of Jade's sweet sixteen, when they crash a St. Andrew’s Prep party. The night the golden boys choose Jade as their next target.
They picked the wrong girl. 
Sworn to vengeance, Jade transfers to St. Andrew’s Prep. She plots to destroy each boy, one by one. She'll take their power, their lives, and their control of the prep school's hierarchy. And she and her coven have the perfect way in: a boy named Mack, whose ambition could turn deadly.
Hannah Capin wrote The Dead Queens Club, which was one of my favourite books of 2019. It was a retelling of Henry VIII set in a high school, and I was obsessed with it. So when I heard she was writing a Macbeth retelling, I knew I had to read it. Macbeth is one of my favourite Shakespearean plays and also the first play I ever taught, so it has a special place in my heart. When I saw it on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it, but I never thought I would get it. Then I did and I was so, so excited!
I will fully admit to having high expectations when I went into this book, but it met and exceeded them. This book is already one of my favourites of the year and I can almost guarantee that it will be in my top 5 of 2020. Perhaps that's a bold statement considering it's only January, but I loved this book.
The book opens up with a trigger warning, which is a great feature that more books should include. This book discusses the aftermath of a sexual assault, some brief transphobia, and there is a lot of blood and murder. It's not at all for the weak of heart.
I will say that this book is not at all realistic, but I loved that about it. I loved how true it stayed to the original source material while also adapting it for a modern audience and making it fit into a high school setting. One of my favourite parts of this book was trying to figure out who was who in the book and being delighted when I figured out, for example, that Connor was supposed to be Cawdor. I also loved hearing the story from "Lady Macbeth's" point of view. She's such a fascinating character and Capin did a fantastic job translating her into a teenage girl.
Another favourite feature of mine in this book was the friendship. Jade, our protagonist, is backed up by her three best friends (Mads, Summer, and Jenny), who are also known as her coven. They are the literal definition of ride or die friends as they are more than willing to help Jade do whatever she wants to do in the aftermath of her sexual assault, which in this case is murder. I also felt that the background characters were wonderfully detailed. Mads, Summer, and Jenny felt like full people, and there were layers to all the St. Andrew's boys and girls as well. Well, at least the ones who had names.
Jade was a fascinating character to read, and I felt that she was the perfect protagonist for this story. Obviously she had strengths and flaws, but she made sense as the Lady Macbeth role and the way she plotted out her revenge was fantastic to watch/read about.
Hannah Capin's prose was beautiful. It was a superbly written book. She wove in actual lines from the play in a way that felt natural for the story and also matched well with the scenes she was retelling. The imagery in this book was really beautiful as well, and some parts of the story were almost borderline poetry. There was this recurring image of wings that I really liked.
There were a lot of sensitive topics dealt with in this book, and I felt that they were handled well. You watch Jade deal with the trauma of what happened to her, without necessarily hearing about the graphic details of what happened. Yes, it's referenced and certain details about what happened are obvious. However, Capin doesn't make the reader read in explicit detail what happened, which was refreshing and a great way to do it. We don't always need to read about a character being raped to know that a character has been raped. It goes without saying that the way that Jade handled what happened to her isn't the recommended way to deal with it, but what was appreciated was the way everyone who was important to her in her life supported her without judging her for what she needed. They loved her no matter what happened to her.
Finally, I felt like the themes of the book really matched with the themes of the play. Revenge and ambition both being recurring elements in each story. This is probably one of my favourite retellings of all time.
Foul is Fair releases on February 18th, and I highly recommend you get yourself a copy. I definitely will be.

This book was definitely unique. I liked choppy sharpness of the writing and the brashness of Jade, the main character.I liked that the book makes the point that there is no "right" way to be a survivor of sexual assault. Jade does not for one second wonder if what happened was her fault or feel shame. She's a fiery ball of pure rage.

It took me a while to figure out that this is a Macbeth retelling. (Yes, characters called Duncan, Duffy, Banks and Mac should have clued me in.) I haven't read Macbeth for a while and the plot isn't exactly the same, but there is a "coven" and a woman who spurs a man onto murder. Macbeth does end with a LOT of bodies (view spoiler)

The story is pretty much 100% plot driven. Yes, it was a contemporary YA but I wouldn't call it "realistic" fiction. It felt almost like ancient Greek drama. There is virtually no development of the characters or delving into their feelings besides Jade's anger and desire for revenge.

Though there is great diversity (in terms of ethnicity and sexual orientation and gender identification) among the characters all are also portrayed as rich and beautiful and privileged and confident. They all had different (and intersectional) identities yet also felt exactly the same. Each one was aesthetically perfect, and also perfectly amoral.

This definitely won't be for everyone, but if you enjoy revenge stories and want something super dramatic and over the top, give this a try.

**3.5 Stars**

Something really terrible happened to Elle. She was bewitched by smiling eyes and compliments, and she let a cute boy give her a drink at a party. Then...well, the next part happened to the old her. Now she is Jade, out for revenge against this gang of guys who think they're invincible...and who have surely done this to other girls before her. She transfers to their school, infiltrates their friend group, and latches on to the one boy, Mack, who could be different. Then she and her coven of girlfriends put their diabolical plan into action. They're going to manipulate Mack into helping her get rid of the rest of them: each guy who was in the room that night, and the girl who watched her struggling to free herself and just walked away. They will all pay. But is Mack as innocent as Jade believes? And is he evil enough to actually follow through with killing all of his friends, or will he be consumed by guilt...and take Jade down along with him?

This is a YA retelling of Macbeth, which seemed like a really difficult concept to pull off since the play is just so dark. But this was a really clever (albeit disturbing) approach, and it kept the dark tone while modernizing the classic story. I really liked the LGBTQ diversity added in to the cast. Jade's coven consists of Mads (a transgender girl), Summer, and Jenny (who is in love with Summer). There were a lot of current tweaks to update the story, and it was fun to see those changes but also what they kept the same (the "king" of the lacrosse team is named Duncan and his estate is called Inverness).

What I don't think worked quite as well was that this was a Shakespeare adaption tried to hold on to some of the lyrical, poetic writing style. It would go back and forth between straightforward storytelling and dialogue and then have passages of choppy imagery and flowering descriptions where you're not sure if the character is hallucinating or just crazy. While Jade and Mack certainly descend into madness, this approach interrupted the flow of the story and I just found it jarring. I skipped over some of the parts written almost in verse because they just didn't fit, and it felt like they belonged in a different book entirely.

However, kudos to this Hannah Capin for a really innovative approach to updating a Shakespeare classic for a modern audience.

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