Foul Is Fair

by Hannah Capin

'Fierce, ruthless and unputdownable' - Karen McManus, bestselling author of One Of Us Is Lying

I point at my hair, and I say, This color. You know what it's called?
She shakes her head: No.
I say, REVENGE.
She says Good girl. Kill him.

Revenge is a bitch.

Jade Khanjara and her three best friends rule their glittering LA circle. They control everything.
Until one night.

The night four boys spike Jade's drink, lock her in a room and attack her. When they try to ruin her.
But they chose the wrong girl.

Jade is made of claws and fangs and cruel sharp edges. Jade will have them clutching at their throats and choking on blood.

She wants revenge. She has no mercy. And now she won't rest until she gets satisfaction.

This is the thriller for fans of Killing Eve and One of Us is Lying. This isn't for the light hearted.

___________________

Praise for Foul is Fair.

"Foul is Fair embedded itself into my heart. This is a book that I won't be forgetting anytime soon and it became an instant favourite." - Netgalley Reviewer, 5*

"It made me feel too much and made me grin ear to ear when revenge came for the golden boys." - Netgalley Reviewer, 5*

"It's one of those stories that invades your thoughts, that even when you're not reading keeps buzzing around your head." - Netgalley Reviewer, 5*

"An unapologetic feminist battle-cry that leaves you breathless and thirsting for vengeance." - Sonia Hartl, author of Have a Little Faith in Me

"Foul is Fair delivers the story of a girl who snatches control back from a world that stole it away, through whatever means necessary. - Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated

"Fierce, vicious, and electric. If books had teeth, Foul Is Fair would have fangs." - Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of Last Girl Lied To

• ISBN10: 1250239540
• ISBN13: 9781250239549
• Publish Date: 18 February 2020 (first published 16 January 2020)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Wednesday Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Leah]

This was an absolutely fascinating read. At first I wasnt sure I liked it as the prose was a bit too much for me, too sharp, too scissoring. But this was actually incredible. I finished it and I was like "Holy shit!"

I absolutely adore novels about revenge. They make me so happy because they're entirely opposite to me as a person and I admired Jade's tenacity. To go through what she went through and to then basically plot the downfall/death of seven people was pretty awe-inspiring to say the least.

I loved every page of this. I probably wouldnt read it again, but it was magnificent. So clever and biting. So unapologetic about what it was. Foul is Fair will likely be a marmite book but I absolutely devoured it. Bravo Hannah Capin, bravo!

[readingwithwrin]

See reviews first on my Blog

What’s done cannot be undone.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Warning book contains mentions of: sexual assault, rape, rape culture, gender-based violence.

Elle is dead and is now Jade. Jade is out for revenge after she attends a St. Andrews party and things go terribly wrong. Jades’ mission is to make those that hurt her pay for what they did in the only way she thinks justice can be served… To do this she has the help of her ‘coven’ (best friends), and a boy who is willing to help in order to make it to the top.

Overall I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it at certain points in time, and then at other points in time I felt very uncomfortable. Well get to those things in a second but first I want to talk about the thing I did like. The way Jade was able to go into St. Andrews prep on her first day and immediately got in with the ‘it’ crowd was truly amazing to see unfold. The second thing I really liked was her ‘coven’ as they called themselves, the friendships in this group were truly unbreakable. The way they came up with things and made them happened so seamlessly at times was amazing and pure genius. Some of the people in this group should go and become spies or private investigators because they’ve got the skills for it.
Now onto some things that made me feel uncomfortable while reading this book. I knew that sexual assault and rape were going to be big focuses of this book, as well as revenge. One thing I was not expecting, however, was the level of manipulation that happened and how far it went. There were so many points in time throughout this book where I kept thinking and wondering how our main character Jade wasn’t getting caught or how her parents weren’t stepping in because they knew something was going on at multiple points in the book.

Do I still think this book is a fun revenge story? Yes, but I also think it isn’t for the faint of heart because of the rape, murders, and manipulation that happened in it. Will I read book two? Yes without a doubt because I need to know what Jade and her ‘coven’ get up to next!

This book is very dark and you can go to the author's website to learn more about that before you choose to read this book.

[kalventure]

✨ Happy book birthday to Foul is Fair! I honestly can't stop thinking about this book and wholeheartedly recommend it if you're in the right space.

This book has rended my heart and spoken my soul. Its prose flows freely, layers of meaning shrouded behind every word. This won't be a book for everyone, but it certainly was for ME. I loved it with my whole heart and loved the feeling of empowerment that I got from reading this feminist retelling of Macbeth. This book is dark, twisted, and powerful.

"Fair is foul and foul is fair - another spell."

So much of what I love about this book is how it retells Macbeth. How it lends itself to analysis and comparison. But I don't want to spoil any of that for you, dear friend. Making those connections was a delight for me, but I think that the story will stand on its own so that people not familiar with The Scottish Play will enjoy it too. But there are countless references sprinkled in as well.

"You brought the storm with you, new girl."

From the author: the primary thematic material is sexual assault, rape culture, and violence. Please take care of yourselves and make sure you are in the right space before picking this one up. It's an intensely feminist retelling and one that I found especially empowering. Our main character Elle went to a party with her three best friends on her sixteenth birthday. The golden boys of St. Andrews Prep, drunk with power and unchecked privilege, choose her as their next conquest. But she is no victim. She and her best friends will stop at nothing to destroy them all.

“My beautiful deadly girls with their loyalty so strong nothing could break it.”

Honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about Jade and rooting for her success despite the fact that she and her friends being horrible bitches in their own right before everything happened. But I love how unwaveringly supportive not only her friends are, but also her parents. The latter of whom don't have a big role in the book, but considering so many victims of sexual assault experience the antithesis of support, it was really nice to see everyone close to her believe her story and want to help her.

Every mark they left, everything they did, didn't even get close to breaking me. I'm ten times stronger than they'll ever be. A thousand times more ruthless."

I absolutely loved the writing style of this book, poetic and layered with metaphor. It won't be for everyone, but it evokes a similar tone to Macbeth that I couldn't help but be captivated by. The words are sharp and biting and Capin makes use of foreshadowing and repetition - particularly lines of importance from the play - to drive the point home. Like the source material, Fair is Foul centers on the inversion of morality and signals this with the title (one half from a crucial line from the play).

"White lilies blossom thick under my words. A snake weaves through their stems, but no one will see if until it's wrapped itself around them and choked their breath away."

This book reads like a classic but is set in modern-day Los Angeles. I'll admit that I had a difficult time suspending my disbelief at first because for some reason it felt almost jarring to read about a group of girls set for murderous destruction. Which got me thinking about how odd that is? Why do we hold contemporaries to a standard of reality? Heck, look at the news. Horrible and outlandish things happen every day. So why do I feel like I need to justify the actions or prose in spite of the setting? It's still a story, and it's an important one. I don't know why modern-setting must equate believability and this is something that I want to challenge with myself moving forward.

I really loved Foul is Fair. Its powerful prose is laden with meaning and I was captivated from the very beginning. While I did struggle a bit to settle into the narrative flow, I absolutely loved it and am tempted to write a spoiler-y analysis for my blog because I just want to dive deep into textual analysis. This book won't be for everyone, but I do recommend it if what I described sounds like something you would enjoy!

✨ Pre-order the book and submit your receipt here for a "Foul is Fair" sticker (US/Canada only, sorry friends)

Content warnings: (from author) sexual assault (not depicted), rape culture, and violence, abusive relationship, suicide attempt, and a brief scene depicting transphobic bullying
Representation: lesbian and transgender secondary characters

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an electronic ARC of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review. Quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon final publication.

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[layawaydragon]

Damn that was good! Just, so goddamn good.

Witchy and tense and suspenseful. Trans* inclusive. Has content and trigger warnings.

I love how sparse and tight the writing is yet I could picture everything perfectly. Builds wonderfully while still managing to surprise.

Didn't want to stop reading, but when I had to, I could slip right back in with none of the magic lost.

And no, I don't feel a damn bit of guilt for enjoying every minute of it.

As the Feminist Giant Mona Eltahawy says, how many rapist need to be killed until men stop raping?

Her book 7 Necessary Sins is next up for reading actually. :D

[chymerra]

When I got the invite to review Foul is Fair, I almost turned it down. I had read the blurb and didn’t feel that pull I get when I read blurbs. But something called to me and I decided to ignore the fact that I didn’t love the blurb and accept the invite. I am so glad that I did because this book was AMAZING!!! I got invested in Jade’s quest for revenge.

The plotline for Foul is Fair was lightning fast, and the flow of the book was just as fast. I had zero issues following the plotline. I loved it!!

I loved Jade in this book. She was determined to get her revenge at any cost. That included transferring schools, befriending her attackers, dating the only one who didn’t participate, and executing her plan. She was pure fire during those scenes, and when she persuaded Mack to help, OMG!!! I did not doubt that her plan was going to succeed.

Jade’s attackers were scum. I never go as far as to say that I hate book characters, but these I did. I was triumphant with Jade after each death. They deserved everything that was done to them and then some.

I have read reviews where Foul is Fair has been compared to Hamlet. I wholeheartedly agree with those. I also see a story about taking your life back after a devastating attack. I see a story where the need for revenge surpasses everything.

The end of Foul is Fair was nothing short of amazing. All I have to say is that what Jade did to the last two boys was too lenient. I wish that there was a leap in the future. I wanted to see what happened to Jade, her friends, and Mack.

[Inkslinger]

Full review at - https://www.betwixtthesheets.com/blog/foul-is-fair-by-hannah-capin

"Fair is foul, foul is fair" - an infamous phrase and recurring theme, not just in this novel, but originally from Shakespeare's Macbeth. And make no mistake, despite the fact this novel isn't presented as such, it IS a modern retelling of the classic - from the coven's prophecy.. to the new King and his escalation in violence to keep his secrets.. it's all there. The author even maintains most of the original character names, if somewhat modified for modern use.

Unfortunately for Hannah Capin, it's a lofty ambition to begin with, recreating one of Shakespeare's great tragedies, and while she's competent at stringing together the puzzle pieces of a story, she's no storyteller. At least, she doesn't show any real ability here..

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

If you are looking for a ruthless, black-hearted tale of dark revenge, then Foul is Fair is absolutely the book you need.

Before I go any further, I would like to reference the content warning page on Hannah Capin’s website. This book overflows with triggers and before you even consider picking it up, it is absolutely vital you read this page. I do not want anyone picking up this book on my recommendation, and end up feeling unsafe. Please do not take this lightly.

For the pure adrenaline of it, Foul is Fair will swallow its readers whole. Anger and malice flow evenly, and the pages drip with so much blood I almost expected to look down and see it on my hands. A horrible, unspeakable crime is committed against Jade at the beginning on the book, and the rest of the story is spent making sure everyone – everyone – with even the barest inkling of involvement pays the price.

While you’re reading it, Foul is Fair is perfect. The pacing is so quick and the rage so vibrant you don’t realize the flaws until you set it aside. So this is going to be a very successful book depending upon what you are looking to get from it. If not for the seriousness of the topics address, I’d call it an indulgent book. It’s not a literary masterpiece, but Foul is Fair is alive with so much hate… you can’t help but gobble it up.

Almost all of the following observations were realizations after I’d set the book aside for the day, or after I finished it. It seems important to emphasize that – you really don’t notice the flaws as you’re reading. Except, for me, there was one. The ease of which Jade was able to work her plan. In mere days she has matriculated into a new, prestigious private school. Her friends and even (it seems) her parents are immediately on board for murder. There’s severe manipulation involved at St. Andrew’s Prep, but outside that school… it’s like everyone came to their own simultaneous, very illegal conclusion and were able to make it happen with a snap of their fingers. There was a lot of suspension of disbelief required to push that aside, particularly with Jade’s parents.

The characters blend together, especially the boys. I had to keep reminding myself: who is Duffy? Which one is Malcolm? I actually think this was done intentionally, as o Jade, they’re all the same: targets in her quest for complete vengeance. But on the other hand, the girls blend together, too. Piper and Lilia stood out just fine, but Summer, Jenny, and Mads… I had to keep referencing. In maintaining the flow and heat of the story, Capin sacrificed character development. This also means we’re missing a lot of motives and you have to read between the lines a lot. Before writing this review, I actually went back and re-read some chapters because I wanted to make sure of my own facts. In reality, the details are there, but you have to dig for them. They’re all swept away with the momentum.

I wouldn’t say that, ultimately, I loved this book? Foul is Fair swept me up, but it wasn’t one of those warm, fuzzy books that made me want to read it again and again. BUT. That’s extremely personal – I don’t thrive off dark, vengeful books so there are others who will love this! I deeply appreciated it though – I think Hannah Capin did a wonderful job of bringing MacBeth to life in a contemporary setting.