I’m not a fan of the book’s cover (something about the colours just throws me off). But that’s the only downside.

If you ever wondered what a crossover between Heathers and Kill Bill with a Macbeth edge to it would look like, then you’ll understand what sort of book Foul is Fair aims to be. It’s the ultimate revenge fantasy. It’s bloody and violent in the best ways possible. It’s a feminist manifesto of a girl who wants to show the golden boys who raped her that they simply fucked with the wrong girl.

Just like I Spit on Your Grave, you can’t help but cheer Jade on her mission to destroy the boys of St. Andrews. You’ll want their blood just as much as Jade does. But beneath all the blood and gore stands a book that displays the horror of rape and exalts the strong bonds of female friendships. You don’t need a boyfriend when your friends will help you devise a plan to destroy the boys who did you wrong.

The prose is violent, aggressive, and unapologetic, as it should be. I loved every second of this bloody thrilling ride. There aren’t enough heart emojis in the world for me to properly explain how much I loved this book. It really spoke to my black vindictive heart. I’m sure Jade and I would be buds.

I know they see it –
for just a second –
–our fangs and our claws.

If you’re going to read just one book in 2020, then make sure to make this be the one. It’s raw and cuts you the bone, but you’ll be better off afterwards.

(Thank you NetGalley for this preview copy in exchange for an honest review.)
Guys, I tried. I really, really tried. But after making it through 73% I had to give up.
Look, if a girl who is gang-raped wants to exact revenge against those who hurt her à la Macbeth style, who am I to judge? But damn did this book get tedious. I know I’m in the minority but lines like:
“I say, This color. Know what it’s called? She shakes her head: No. I say, REVENGE. She says, Good girl. Kill him.”
had my eyes rolling in their sockets,
Or this: and then everyone, every charmed St Andrew’s Prepper is cheering for us and I know they see it—for just a second——our fangs and our claws.“
Thank you, next.
Look, I’m in the minority, everyone else is raving about this book. It wasn’t my thing and that’s okay.
If you like absurd dramatics, girls constantly telling each other how pretty and f*cked up they are, and murdering teen rapists, then you will love this book.
Side note, her parents are totally okay with her killing people!! Sorry, what???

Very Dark and gritty. Think Shakespeare MacBeth mix with American Horror Story mix with Mean Girls and you have Foul is Fair.

When Elle attends a party with her group of girls called the Coven she is roofied and raped by a gang of boys. So she plots to seek revenge on everyone who is involved by killing them one by one. Trigger warnings for Sexual assault, rape culture, violence and language.

I did not know what I was getting myself into when I picked up this ARC. It's not something i usually pick up to read so the writing and the story telling was definitely different from my usual reads. Just wasnt for me. Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Foul is Fair is a book that can cut you. It's got all the sharp edges to do so. It's a story of revenge, of friendship, of even sacrifice. I loved that at every step of her plan, Jade wasn't sacrificing her "innocence." that she wasn't a soft girl who turned mean. She was born mean and god fucking help those boys who thought they could take something from her. She got her revenge in such satisfying cold ways. I was rooting for her every step of the way. The writing definitely was the most engaging part of this book, as it left me gasping for the next chapter. Adored this.

This book is a wild and insane ride, I had no idea what I was getting into.

Elle and her friends go to the party of a boy who attends another school, she expected to have fun but what she got will have her plotting deadly revenge.

The story is unapologetically dark and wicked. It is supposed to be the retelling of Shakespeare's Lady MacBeth but I haven't read that book, so I don't know how faithful it is to it. I find the idea of a well-plotted revenge entertaining as long as the story and the characters are believable, in this case I found the timeline too rushed for the events to be plausible.

Overall, the book is a fun ride, more of a revenge fantasy than a fully, realistic plot.

ARC provided by Publisher via Netgalley

Well...wow. Just wow.

I started feeling uncomfortable shortly after I started reading. I am all for revenge, but this book took it a bit too far. However, I kept reading.

The other reviews are spot on by saying that this book is reminiscent of Heathers and Cruel Intentions. It is a dark book. Dark. Filled with revenge and murderous intentions and evil plotting. I really liked the hint of something otherworldly that was lurking in the shadows.

I know that this is a work of fiction, but it seemed like situations and people were too easily manipulated. Not to mention that the main character lived in a town for 16 years and no one could dig up any information on her history? It's not like she just moved into town...You would think that someone would know something that would put a little hitch into her plans. And also...where were the parents of all these kids?!?!

Also, where did she find three other friends who are just like her? Dang!

Small details aside, this book is entertaining and chilling. Although I think it could use a darker cover!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

I have read Macbeth before and was thrilled to see that Capin (whose debut novel I really enjoyed) was tackling a retelling of the story for a YA audience. As the description suggests, it does read as a violent, Kill-Bill-esque version of the story with a more diverse cast of characters (and I'm all for more diversity, especially in YA). Capin also does a nice job conveying the trauma that sexual assault leaves on its victims. (Watch for a surprisingly tender moment between Jade and her parents regarding this.) I appreciated the TWs at the beginning; however, both the violence and the plot required a lot of suspension of disbelief.

As one reviewer pointed out, Macbeth involves a woman psychologically and emotionally influencing her husband to murder his peers, but it happens over a sustained period of time. In this retelling, Jade manages to accomplish the same thing over one or two weeks, all with little-to-no interference from adults or parents. Additionally, while Capin's writing is poetic and devastating, I could have used more character development and enrichment.

In short: this is pure, unadulterated revenge fantasy, if that's what you're looking for. It might resonate more with teens (though hopefully they won't emulate the main characters).

I couldn’t relate to any of the characters in this book and found the plot hard to follow. The writing style, while distinctive, didn’t improve the book for me. While the initial impetus for the action in the book - the drugged, gang-rape of the main character, could be a perfect set-up for introspection and character analysis, this book contained none of that. The exaggerated mean-girl references only make this a less appealing book for teen readers in my eyes. This one is just not for me.

I didn't know much about Foul is Fair until going into it, but after reading this, I can definitely see this similarities to Macbeth. This revenge-plot retelling follows Elle, a high school girl who experiences sexual assault at a party and teams up with her best friends to enact revenge on the boys who did so.

Whilst I do see the merit of a modern-day Macbeth retelling, and found the storytelling magnetic, I sit a little bit on the fence about using sexual assault as the topic. With such an important issue, I would be worried about the impacts of a novel that might motivate unhealthy reactions and behaviours. Especially as a YA title. That said, the author provides a full and accessible trigger warning list, in which the triggers of rape, violence and revenge are noted. Using the warnings, readers would know going into the novel what to expect, and I think that's commendable.

All in all, if you are aware of what the novel contains going into it, and that it is a Macbeth retelling, I think you might really enjoy this extremely dramatic, rollercoaster of a novel. It sure does have a way of keeping you hooked, and the characters are interesting and well developed.

This book was an absolute treat. I greatly enjoyed the characters and the story line. When you have friends like these you definitely won't have enemies.

Elle isn't one to take things lightly. When she is wronged at a party one night, she swears to have vengeance on those responsible. Vengeance that you may think as simple pranks or rumors, but you have yet to come to know these girls. They play a little bit rougher than that.

A story that will have you waiting to see what these four will do next, Four is Fair is packed with enough revenge to keep you racing for the end.

If Heathers, Mean Girls, Macbeth and the Craft had a lovechild, the result would be Hannah Capin's Foul is Fair. The novel is a ruthless, burn-it-all-and-play-in-the-ashes vengeance thrill ride that goes over the top in all of the best possible ways.

Elle, Mads, Summer, and Jenny are the glittering, untouchable mean girl coven of their LA world. No one dares to cross them - until the girls decide to crash a party thrown by the prestigious St. Andrews Prep kids to celebrate Elle's sixteenth birthday and the St. Andrews lacrosse golden boys choose Elle as their next target.

Elle changes her appearance, changes her name to Jade and transfers to St. Andrews, where she sets out to infiltrate and systematically destroy the king of the school and the other boys who targeted her with the help of her coven and ambitious St. Andrews boy Mack, who just might be next in line to rule the school if the other guys are out of the way.

Capin's writing is lyrical and enthralling and Foul is Fair can be described in the same way you would describe its heroine Jade - gorgeous, enchanting, dark and vicious.

I'm just going to come out and say it. I loved this book and I'm not sorry about it.. It's unapologetic and murdery and dark and I felt empowered when reading it. The voice sucked me in and I stayed for the revenge plot, and cheered at the inclusion of a gender non-confirming character. I'm going to throw this book at so many people on Instagram.

A quick read. Mystery. Not one of my favorites.
A younger reader, under 60, might find this fun. Women and their issues.

I think I may be one of the few people who didn't realize that Foul is Fair was a Macbeth re-telling until about 30% in when the names finally got to me. Suffice it to say, you can 100% enjoy this book without reading Macbeth. That being said, Foul is Fair is a five star re-telling for sure! It's a bloody story of revenge. Of girls having enough. Being told to be silent. And having the justice system fail. I fell in love with Foul is Fair from page one. It starts with a scene of revenge, black box hair day, and the claws we put on in the morning.

Foul is Fair takes justice into its manicured hands and enacts its blood revenge. When our dreams become nightmares and fear and doubt manifest in witches and prophecies. It's a story about how we process trauma balanced by our desire for justice and vengeance. The way fear and doubt can eat us alive. Destroy back room deals, silent nods, and a system that allows the crimes of men to go unpunished. At the same time, it's about the ones who watch from the outside, silent, waiting for an opportunity to break in.

Featuring a trans side character and sapphic side romance, Foul is Fair does a fantastic job at illustrating that Jade's sexual assault is not just the fault of the perpetrator. It's the ones who slip them drugs with winks, stand in front of closed doors, and watch in silence. It's easy to be on Jade's side, even if you are a little skeptical of the proposed plan, because not only is the tension palatable, but Jade is convinced on turning them against themselves. It is more than justice that is enacted through blades, but through manipulation, glances tossed, and timing.

Foul is Fair builds the pressure until you have to stop yourself from skipping pages. It's unlike other books because I think it honors its re-telling roots with precision as that carries the story. It becomes something that is not only gripping, but also cathartic (whatever that says about me). But it's also about the ways we see justice mishandled, bought off, and avoided because of big names, money, and sexism. Foul is Fair is the answer I'd been searching for without knowing it.

Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin
TW: Sexual Assault
Overview: Elle walks into a party with her squad. She walks out a new person. She cuts her hair and dyes it black, she changes her name, and she makes her friends swear to help her get revenge. Now named Jade, she transfers to St. Andrews Prep to stalk and systematically take down each of the lacrosse boys who drugged and took advantage of her at that party. She will make them destroy themselves and then escape with her hands clean. She knows just how to play all the boys against one another and exploit their weaknesses to destroy their hierarchy. Overall: 4

Characters: 3.5 The book is hard to break down and discuss because the style it's written in is very specific. I have a hard time figuring out the core of all of these characters because of it. The tone fits the story, but it also positions the reader very far away from all of the characters which makes it hard to see past their exterior. Jade is cold and calculating and feels like a complete ice princess. She's in a very understandable state of shock after what happens to her, but the way that she's immediately so focused on revenge and doesn't show much emotion at all makes it hard to connect with her. She is also very focused on herself and her plot which makes it difficult to really understand any of the other characters. There are some good hints through the actions Jade notices because she's very observant, but it doesn't hit the same way with the distance. They all feel more like paintings than people.

Plot: 3.5 The whole book is centered on revenge and the revenge plot. She works to slowly feed off the boy's powerful ego issues to turn the lacrosse team against each other. It's very calculated, but a lot of the meticulous planning slows the plot down. There's a lot of details and bits and pieces that sort of bogs down a lot of the action. My other issue is that it feels like some pieces are missing from scenes or is too deeply buried in subtext to fully understand what's going on.

Writing: 4 This is an interesting concept book. I think that's where it shines the most. It's written in a style that is very icy and removed from the main character which I think was the point. Jade went through an extremely traumatic experience and one of the most common reactions is to shut down and shut out so I completely agree with bringing the character in that direction. It just creates certain complications in revealing other aspects and nuances of the story. There are parts that are very poetic and there is a lot of showing that I appreciated and quick cut scenes, but I feel like stories also need to be told and that's what was missing here.
There also seems to be a real layer of fantasy here because a lot of the events don't seem plausible at all. Like fantasy under the guise of a contemporary world.

This book had so much potential. It was dark and i really enjoyed reading morally grey characters. Jade is an amazing strong female character and i loved her coven too. It was a very fast paced, dark retelling. 3.5 stars.

This book was so much fun to read. A modern-day Macbeth retelling, this was book is way better than what I was required to read in high school. Dark, engrossing and a page turner, I couldn’t get enough of this book. There are some triggers, but the author did an amazing job with handling them. I mean she got a website listing them, how awesome is that!

Site: https://www.hannahcapin.com/foulisfair.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC. Overall, I gave the 4/5 stars.

I'm sorry. I usually like everything but this was to violent for me. It also enforced bullying. I know a lot of people really liked it. Just not for me.

Like a High School Macbeth

TW: (date) rape / sexual assault (implied but not (heavily) depicted), murder, instance of transphobia

ok wow. THIS was f*cked.

Elle (now known as Jade) and her friends find themselves at a prep school party one night, during which she is drugged and raped by a group of “golden” boys from the school. Jade swears her revenge and her friends more than willingly agree to help her.

I was on Jade’s side. I couldn’t (didn’t/don’t) blame her for wanting revenge and making sure she was the last girl the golden boys ever terrorized. I was rooting for her so hard, in fact, that her vigilantism didn’t really bother me. I couldn’t help but feel that those involved in her assault deserved what was coming to them. Even though some may not have participated in the physical act, they were absolutely guilty for being bystanders - none of those who knew what was happening to her, fought for her. This book was thought-provoking in that sense and had me questioning myself throughout; was Jade right in the way she went about inflicting her revenge? Probably not. Did I care? No.

Jade didn’t victimize herself, nor did she use what happened to her as an excuse for why she should get away with what she was doing. She didn’t expect to get away with it and I admired that about her.

I was absolutely engrossed throughout this story and it didn’t shy away from the horror victims of rape and sexual assault experience. My deduction of stars stemmed from the ending; things seemed to end too quickly. I also wish the perpetrators had been fully exposed for what they’d done and I almost wish they’d gone down the same way Connor and Porter had...at the hands of their own paranoia.

3.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.