Hannah Capin’s Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. 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 … 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.
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Wow. This book was stunning. Fierce, angry, and unrelenting, Hannah Capin’s lyrical prose absolutely floored me. The protagonist’s voice was unique and captivating — it was like this book demanded to be read. Even though this is a fast-paced page turner, I read this one slowly, wanting to savor every ounce of revenge, every haunting word. And although I haven’t read Macbeth since high school, I really enjoyed the parallels I recognized. I’d recommend putting this high on your preorder list.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the early read!
Woooow that was a wild ride! Set at a rich L.A. prep school, where Jade and her coven are on the warpath after a horrible sexual assault at a party, Foul Is Fair is a glittering and gory retelling of Shakespeare’s MacBeth (if MacBeth and Lady MacB were J.D. and Veronica from Heathers, and the Three Witches were the girls from The Craft). Capin’s writing is fabulous, sparing no detail, perfectly capturing the descent into madness – Jade’s, Mack’s, and the pack’s – and makes you root for every moment of terrible revenge.
This is the second Hannah Capin book I’ve read (the first was The Dead Queen’s Club), and both were hands-down 5 stars. Guess I have a new author to add to my short “read every last word they write” list.
“Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
Annnnd that’s what you’re getting with this one folks. It’s very cold and calculating. The level of violence we’re seeing is just sociopathic really. Personally, I am not a vengeful person, so perhaps that’s why this one just didn’t work for me. Or, maybe it’s the fact that this is all storyline and no character development. By that, I mean we’re just taken through the motions, the story continues to unfold, but there are very little opportunities to connect to our protagonist.
This is definitely not something I could, in good faith, recommend to a teenager, someone of the age of these characters (16). The teenage mind is a fragile thing. There are far greater novels out there on the subject matter of teenage rape, and the actions that follow.
I am going to break out of my norm just a little here because it is hard to stay out of first-person when I do not like a novel.
My first issue with the novel is the aesthetic. I was not thrilled with this cover at all. I felt like it was sloppy and did not fit the tone or plotline at all. The color choice is a little off-putting, and I’m sorry, but what is her chin on? This is probably my least professional review ever, and I apologize for that, but this cover, it really bothers me.
Then there is the plot. Once I read the plotline, I was instantly drawn in. I love historical retellings, and I love revenge stories, they are (usually) gritty and tension driven. However, honestly, once I started reading, I was almost immediately put off because I could not connect to the main characters.
Yes, this is supposed to be a retelling of Macbeth from the female perspective and Jade is the Queen while her best friends are the three witches. Nevertheless, the writing style it lost me. It is everything terrible about an unreliable narrator because Jade tells the story in a jarring and slightly unbelievable. It seems unrealistic, how accommodating everyone is, how easy it is for her to tell her parents and her friends, and then start at a new school. Yes, it is significant that she does not allow herself to be a victim. However, instead of coming out of the situation in an empowering way or gets her revenge in an empowering way, she just comes off as cruel and unrelatable. Yes, something unimaginably horrible was done to her, but she lets herself drown in that pain.
The character dynamics, again, they just were not believable. Starting at the new school, makes Mack fall in love with her instantly, gets involved with the in-crowd in a snap? Sorry, but as much as this is fiction, the reader should not have to suspend belief that much.
I wanted to like this book, the premise was everything I usually love, but it comes down to the writing, to the tone of the story, both of which are off-putting. It was a struggle to read this novel, and honestly, it almost made it to the DNF pile.
Foul is Fair, written by Hannah Capin, will push your boundaries, it certainly pushed mine in many ways. This story is savagely dark, ruthless at times but also shows the vulnerable side of young women and highlights the fantastic bond that women can have with each other. Vengeance is the central theme and is woven into every part of this story. Dark, manipulative revenge propels this book and keeps the reader on the proverbial cliff edge, wondering what will happen next. It did take me a while to gain my reading stride, the writing style being a mixture of prose and poetry. I found this style of writing a bit wordy and distracting at times, but it certainly added an artistic visual picture of what was going on in the book. I liked that the story is told using part dialogue from all the characters and part inner monologue from the main character Elle/Jade. I felt that it gave an authentic voice to all the characters.
The story is over the top and hugely exaggerated, but maybe it needed to be like that to highlight the real-world issues and taboos this book throws at the reader. Foul is Fair delves into some very dark subject matter, including, but not limited to, sexual assault, peer pressure, bullying, physical violence, substance abuse including drinking, and marijuana use, and other types of substance use. All set within the halls of the hierarchies of high school.
(This is the link for content advisory page from Hannah Capin http://hannahcapin.com/foulisfair)
Without going into too much of the story, Elle and her “coven,” which includes her three best friends, Mads, Jenny, and Summer, crash a St. Andrews party on Elle’s sixteenth birthday.
“Tonight Jenny and Summer and Mads and me, we’re four sirens…”
That night everything changes for Elle, the night she becomes Jade. These group of girls is so tightly bound together that they will do absolutely anything for each other, and I do mean anything. I do like that the author did not make these girls perfect. These girls are spoiled, rich, and intitled and, at times, are not the most admirable group of girls.
“…how to make boys think we want them, so then they want us, too. How to make them do anything we say.”
Now on to the most horrid evil group of boys on the planet. These boys, too, are rich, spoiled, and entitled. However, what makes them extremely dangerous is they know that no matter what they do, they are above the law. And their influential, affluent families will do anything they have to do to protect them.
“Duncan. Duffy. Connor. Banks. Four boys from the room with the white sheets and the spinning lights…”
Unfortunately, these boys didn’t recognize the storm they created that one fateful night. But they all came to realize that they picked the wrong girl.
Foul is Fair is a gritty unapologetic revenge story that will keep you turning the pages. This book is a fantasy portrayal of what a girl is willing to do when everything is taken away from her. I will say that this book is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
** Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published**
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
Capin’s writing will seduce you with its beauty and then, when you least suspect it, slice you to the bone ― just like Foul is Fair’s captivating, vicious, entirely unforgettable heroine, Jade.
Thank you Wednesday Books, St. Martins Press and Hannah Capin for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Foul is Fair
By: Hannah Capin
Note: This book contains possible triggers and sensitive material. Please visit hannahcapin.com/foulisfair for a more detailed description.
*REVIEW*
First, note that Foul is Fair is a feminist retelling of Macbeth, and it’s serious girl power all the way. Second, understand that this story requires a definite suspension of disbelief, and, as such, it’s not for everyone. I know some readers like stories grounded in nothing but truth and reality, but you won’t find that here-not completely, anyway. No-this is a tale of vengeance for each and every girl who has ever been drugged, duped, used or tossed aside like a worthless nothing. If a guy has ever made you feel small, this one is for you.
“Are we the villians?”
“No,” I say. “We’re fate.”
Foul is Fair is a story of revenge, of karma, of fate giving the wicked exactly what they deserve. Does seeking revenge for a horrible wrong a villian make? In this story, Jade is an avenging angel with black wings and righteousness on her side. Those whom she seeks deserve everything they will get for the acts committed against Jade. I am not going into detail because I don’t want to give anything away. In the overall picture, Jade and her “coven”, three best friends, devise a step by step plan to right this atrocity and carry out said plan with exacting perfection. Female bonds and the power of women is forefront here. It’s refreshing to read about a group of girls who believe in and will literally do anything for each other. Jade is a larger than life character. She is wild, determined, cunning, devious and strong. Jade is also a little on the crazy fearless side, but her flippant, unconventional out of the box personality and thought processes make her an authentic individual. Jade is very in your face jumping off the page. Her anger is a tangible force; her need for revenge is genuine and relatable. I believe every word she says. Despite her viscous nature, Jade is now one of my favorite characters ever. Jenny, Summer and Mads also have big personalities and make non conformist lifestyle choices which suit them well. High school dynamics and social hierarchies are depicted so accurately throughout the entire story, lending a feeling of authenticity that gave me flash backs to my own high school days. I love the writing style because it’s different from most things I’ve read. The pace has a feeling of urgency. The dialogue is conversational, subtle, normal-but ripe with meaning. The method by which the girls first reveal themselves to the guys is an eerie tableaux written with powerful simplicity, and I loved it. This story is brutal, and I do mean, in all seriousness, BRUTAL. Expect bad language, graphic scenes, violence, etc. I was utterly speechless and disbelieving, but secretly glad in an almost giddy way, numerous times. I kept thinking this or that wouldn’t or couldn’t possibly happen, then it actually did, and wow! Hannah Capin pushed the boundaries of young adult way out there with this one, and I’m so glad she did because it’s brilliant. Even so, this story is, sadly, centered around an exaggerated version of something horrible that happens to girls and women every day. I think it’s time for this type of story. The content could not be more important, timely and relevant for every female. The general idea and portrayal of such astounding girl power is a positive thing. I am not, however, condoning violence of any kind, rather I am suggesting a push toward standing up and standing strong together in a man’s world. There are numerous important lessons regarding sexual assault, bullying, drinking, partying, peer pressure, etc. to take away from this book. I love this story for so many reasons, and I hope other readers, especially girls, find it as enlightening as I did. You are not alone. You are not powerless. You are, probably, not a villain, either. Right?
This book I read in two days it was so spellbinding. The wrong girl was ruthlessly raped and now she is out for revenge. This book shows the damage and then the strength of a friendship between four girls that goes beyond normal boundaries. Elle has just turned sixteen and wants to party. She puts on a new persona and goes out with her three best friends to crash a party. Her life will never be the same however, was it normal before? Elle becomes Jade a girl bent on retribution to all involved. Her parents are rocks of support and will do anything to support her through this even let her decide for herself what needs to be done.
Thank you NetGalley, Hannah Capin, and Wednesday Books for allowing me to read and review this ARC. This opinion is all mine. The subject matter is brutal and real if you are faint of heart this might not be for you. It’s all about a burning need for revenge and how it’s done. I like this book for its depiction of how deeply someone feels and how shallowly another.
Fierce, vicious, and electric. If books had teeth, Foul Is Fair would have fangs. Capin’s language glitters dark and her writing cuts deep. Revenge is a dish best served by this deliciously unapologetic coven.
Inkslinger
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
“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. If the synopsis had been more honest about what it was, that also may have earned it more leniency. I might have enjoyed the way she reapplied certain aspects of the original work, such as the Inverness location, but going into a story expecting something fresh.. made me draw those contrasts much more strongly.
My biggest issue with this novel, is really the narrative point-of-view approach the author uses to tell the story. It’s often the weakest way to tell a story anyway. Authors intend to utilize it to immerse readers in their stories, but instead I feel.. it often alienates me. And our protagonist’s ‘voice’ reads like rambling, with little direction and less control.. despite all her claims of the opposite. The words seem to pour out in a constant rush, more like a spill than a careful pouring of information.
As far as the characters are concerned, the bulk of them are as designed.. thoroughly unlikable. However, I felt that also extended to our main character, Jade, and her friends. In fact, the only character I did like, was our new King. Our Mack(beth), and watching him fall to ruin was just unpleasant. Turning away from the original text in this case, might have been the only thing that would have won me over.
Overall, the book was a disappointment. There was potential there, but the author just failed to bring it to fruition.
I was first attracted to the cover of this book. It had a flair for the past. A little film noir. But the blurb was what really drew me in. It was going to be a perfect October read! I tend to go for the more dark and mysterious due to the month and thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press, I was able to dive right in.
Four girls set out on revenge. It gave me a little Heather’s vibes, although these are not the girls to be messed with. You mess with one of them and they will mess up your life in the most dark and insane ways. They will turn you against each other and against yourself. Beware. These four are out for blood and they will stop at nothing.
“Every teenage girl thinks she and her friends are the mean girls, the ice queens, the wicked witches, but Jenny and Summer and Mads and me-we’re what they wish they were…..Savage.”
With the fast paced story told in a very brutal yet poetic way, I was excited for what the story brought all in the first pages. It was simple, yet filled with revenge that did not hold back. I loved seeing the girls on a mission and the taking the lead. They could manipulate others without even blinking. They would break those boys that attempted to break others. It was ending with them.
A little fantasy, a little film noir, a little death and a whole lot of revenge will come your way. You in? Fast paced teenage blood lust with some strong female leads. I’ll take it. Just heed the trigger warnings as it won’t be a book for all.
When Jade is raped at a party by the St. Andrew’s lacrosse team. Jade and her best friends aka her coven vow to get revenge. This a young adult retelling of Macbeth. Sadly I haven’t read Macbeth yet so I can’t vouch for how faithful this book is to the original story.
Jade the main character is strong, vicious, cruel when needed, and willing to go to any length to get what is hers. I have always loved characters like Jade and she worked her way into my dark heart within the first few chapters. I have always been drawn to characters that are loyal and the coven is loyal as you get. I love how every member of the group is so different but willing to do anything for each other.
My favorite relationship in the book is between Jade and Mads her best friend. There is so much understanding and love between them. Jade’s revenge plan is brilliant and bloody. The book is written from Jade’s PoV and the scenes of her dealing with the trauma and flashbacks of the attack are heartbreaking. The writing is brutal, sharp, and powerful. It was like I could feel Jade’s thirst for revenge bleeding off the pages. I am going to miss Jade and her coven but am very happy with how it ended. I can’t wait for Hannah Capin’s next book.
Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault(not depicted but there are some flashbacks), rape culture, violence, an abusive relationship, suicide, and a brief scene of transphobic bullying
*I was given this book for an honest review by Wednesday Books through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
Rating: 5 stars
Rated 4.5 Stars
The main character, Jade is ruthless, brutal, cunning, devious and unapologetic. I loved her. I know those are supposed to be unlikable traits but on her they were perfection. I had issues with her as well but for the most part I was rooting for her. Foul Is Fair is about revenge, it does deal with other things but revenge is it’s main focus. The acts of revenge are not sugarcoated. I highly recommend this book.
Copy provided by publisher through Net Galley
A while back, I saw Foul is Fair pop up on NetGalley and was immediately drawn to the cover. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the cover has nothing on what is inside of this amazing novel. Described as a modern-day retelling of Macbeth, this also has a lot of Heathers in it mixed with a touch of Mean Girls and Quentin Tarrantino. It’s psychologically, emotionally, and physically violent – but, oh so good.
Elle and her powerful, beautiful friends (the coven) decide to crash a party thrown by the king of neighboring school St. Andres Prep the night of Elle’s sweet sixteen. Unfortunately, a group of over-privileged and over-indulged St. Andrews boys decide to make Elle their next target. By the next morning, Elle has cut and died her hair, decided to go by her middle name, Jane, and asks her parents to transfer her to St. Andrews Prep. Jade and her coven – Mads, Summer, & Jenny – have devised their plan to make each boy pay. And after looking at the pictures of the Lacrosse team (all of her attackers), she finds one unfamiliar face and decides that he will be the one to kill them all for her – Mack.
Foul is Fair is undoubtedly the bravest, most unashamed, and unique novel that I have read in a long time. To say that there are **trigger warnings** is the understatement of the year, which Capin addresses prior to the start of the novel, including rape/date rape, suicide, bullying, and murder. However, the main theme of the novel is rising above one’s trauma, power, control, and revenge. And because this is based on a tragedy, there are no signs of forgiveness.
Everything that happens to Jade and everything that she does eventually catches up with her and she certainly has some dark moments, but she chooses revenge and strength, united with her coven, over letting herself feel like a victim. Granted, the majority of events that occur once Jade transfers to St. Andrew certainly require some suspended belief, but I was so incredibly addicted to this book by that point that I easily overlooked some things that seemed just too far-fetched.
This was my first time reading author Hannah Capin and I cannot find enough words to praise her beautiful writing. It sounds sort of silly to use the word beautiful to describe a novel about repeated murders, but once you start reading, you will understand. She writes with a prose-like quality and uses enough imagery to make you squirm at times, while also leaving things intentionally vague at other times. The characterization is similar to where some characters you feel as if you know intimately and with others, you keep wondering if you are missing something. Mack was a difficult character for me because I initially loved him. I wanted to love him. But then I felt like I wasn’t allowed to love him anymore. Again, a tragedy.
Foul is Fair is a compilation of pain and violence wrapped up into a deliciously addicted package. I’m not sure that this is a book for just anyone, but it certainly blew me away and it is one that comes with my highest recommendation. Hannah Capin is an author to watch and I can easily see her becoming a screenwriter in the future. Her characters are uncomfortably honest, thinking and doing the things that we really think we shouldn’t think or do. Overall, this novel is absolutely brilliant and one that I know I will read again.
*Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
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.
Omigahhhhhhhhh!
This book is too much in all of the best ways. Vengeful, violent, over the top, and fabulous!!
I can TOTALLY imagine Quentin Tarantino rolling around in this book and sighing with pleasure.
Suspend disbelief and just get in there, this one is so much fun!!
Thank you to Hannah Capin, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“I stand up. My wings and my scream swallow up the sky.”
This is a book about revenge. And I love books about revenge.
It’s about a girl who knows there is no recourse for her rapist–she immediately abandons the idea of him being held responsible in an official capacity, and rightfully so. He’s part of a group of rich guys in private school Los Angeles, the elite of the elite, the kind of guy whose dad makes sure he never sees the inside of a courtroom. It’s not just him, either–it’s his friends who helped.
So Jade does what uncounted sexual assault survivors have dreamed of doing–she takes matters into her own hands. What ensues is part Buffalo Bill-style revenge fantasy, part diabolically well-planned manipulation, and it’s all done in this lyrical prose that feels dreamy and so much like Shakespeare.
A gorgeous, scorchingly emotional sophomore novel perfect for fans of The Female of the Species or All the Rage.
Think of all the darkest vengefests you’ve enjoyed in literature and film and you have the experience that is Foul is Fair, the latest novel by Hannah Capin.
MacBeth, Heathers, Mean Girls, Kill Bill, and AHS: Coven have all been used to describe elements and the tone of this new book, and they are all appropriately used.
Jade and her friends have fabled teen lives, they’re the “it” girls and the world is at their feet—until a group of boys from a wealthy prep school make the mistake of assaulting Jade. Now, Jade has sworn to get vengeance, and nobody will stand in her way.
Foul is Fair is a dark, unflinching journey into manipulation and vengeance. Capin’s writing is raw and intense, drawing you along and daring you to turn away while taunting you to turn another page. This is one of those books that is both horrifying and fantastic at the same time, and destined to create quite a buzz.
*I received a copy of Foul is Fair from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Elle, aka Jade, and her three friends Mads, Summer, and Jenny have the means to exact revenge when a situation calls for it. They aren’t new to retribution and when Elle is raped at a St. Andrew’s Prep party, she calls in her friends to make the golden boys pay. One call from her father and she’s the newest St. Andrew’s Prep attendee and the plan starts taking shape. She will make the boys pay and have a blast doing it.
Jade starts with Mack, the seemingly innocent guy. If she can take down his friends and have it pinned on him all the better. She doesn’t think he was at the party but he definitely knew they did something, so that makes him guilty, even if she thinks she’s starting to catch feelings for him.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this clicky, high school, drama mashup of classics, but I got sucked into the drama, the strength of the girl’s convictions, the support of Jade’s parents. It made it so hard to put down the book when it was time to go to bed. The level of dark in the girls is fantastic. You feel a bit on the outskirts of their conversations, sometimes stilted and short, you sense the evil in what they are planning without being completely privy to that plan.
I found myself cheering on the girls as things fell into place, I wanted them to get the revenge Jade needed to move on, and I highly praise Capin for putting me in such a position. I see other people comparing this to Macbeth, Kill Bill, and the Heathers, and I would say that is completely apt. It’s a wild ride that you won’t want to get off.