Foul is Fair is the Macbeth retelling I've been longing for all these years—giving the women of the story agency and power in a way that draws on the original text but does much, more more. Hannah Capin's writing is sharp and bright like the blades her heroines carry.

I knew I was in for a wild ride when I saw the disclaimer concerning sensitive content at the beginning of the book. This book is a modern day retelling of Macbeth in a prep school setting, filled with golden boys and valley girls—all of whom are disturbingly into various forms of bad behavior.

When something unspeakable happens to Elle on the night of her 16th birthday, she vows to get revenge. With the help of her three best friends, Elle plots out her plan and for the next several days unimaginable tragedy befalls the students who were involved.

This book is extremely disturbing, but readers can take solace in the fact that it is also unbelievable most of the time. Adults in the story are pretty much invisible or insignificant.
It has all the makings for a great teen horror movie.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

When Elle and her coven decide to crash a local Prep party, she is unknowingly chosen as the "golden boys'" next victim.

They chose the wrong girl.

It's MacBeth, it's Heathers, it's AHS Coven. It's twisted and dark and brutal. It's the book that you have no idea what is going on but you can't turn away from.

Honestly, I have no idea what this is....but I need more of it!

I do wish there had been a bit more of backstory with Elle and the Coven but I did enjoy this without it

TW: rape, murder, abuse, suicide, bullying

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this book to read and give my own, honest opinion

I tried but I just couldn't get into it. Not my thing at all. Mostly because I didn't really like the writing style, but also because I did not like any of the characters

What is this book about?
The premise is amazing. This is a story about a teenage girls enacting revenge on a group of prep boys after one of the girls was assaulted at a party. The book is a loose retelling of Macbeth, which happens to be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, with a little bit of inspiration from Heathers.

What did I like?
I really loved the Macbeth retelling angle. The nods to original play are subtle, but so extremely well done. I also really liked that Jade and her friends were unapologetically the mean girls and owned it. There was no apologies for their behavior and they didn’t have a holier than thou attitude.

What didn’t I like?
The first major issue I had with the book was the writing. To put it plainly: I couldn’t stand it. The scenes were very abrupt and the way the dialogue was written felt so stilted and unnatural. My other problem with the book was that a lot of the things that happened felt very far-fetched and unbelievable. I’m supposed to be believe that a group of (barely) sixteen-year-old girls were the mastermind behind multiple murders within the span of a week? That the main character would be able to successfully manipulate a boy into doing whatever she asked of him after one meeting? If the time frame had been extended or the criminal acts less severe, I think the story would have been more impactful to me. Yes, it’s fiction, however as a reader I can only suspend my belief to a limit.

Overall thoughts: The plot is a very clever retelling of Macbeth, but considering I almost DNF’d this like three times because I couldn’t stand the way it was written, I definitely did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped.

This is the kind of story that is hard to put down. And if you are forced to put it down you keep thinking about it.
Our story begins with a party. One of those parties that you see in shows like Gossip Girl. Beautiful people. Dancing, Drugs. Our heroine and her friends crash the party. The most popular guy and his friends choose her. Unfortunately.
When these young men decide to drug her and rape her she warns them they have chosen the wrong girl. As the story progresses she makes them truly regret what they did or allowed to happen.

Excellent story. There are some disturbing parts. There might be some triggers so tread carefully.

I tried really hard to read this one, but unfortunately could not get into it. Marking it as a DNF. It sounded like a really good book just didn't fit my tastes. I will eventually return to try again.

Foul is Fair is the Macbeth retelling I didn’t know I wanted/needed. This book is brutal. After being sexually assaulted at a prep school party, Elle and her friends swear to exact vengeance on the group of boys by destroying their lives.

The writing is drop dead gorgeous. I loved the way Hannah writes and I will definitely be checking out any other book she writes going forward. It just oozes with badassness and pure magic. The story is ruthless and absurd. I loved how supportive Elle’s girlfriends (otherwise called coven) were in her endeavor for revenge. The plot was a little silly at times, with characters just buying into things that I feel like normal people would’ve been like “wait a second there…this seems weird.” Those silly moments; however, were overshadowed by the beautiful writing and satisfaction of the boys getting what was coming to them. Definitely check this book out.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I buddy read this ARC with my favorite twinny, Alana @ The Bookish Chick.
I absolutely adored this story. It was dark and gritty, murderous and magical, fast-paced and captivating. I loved Elle (or Jade). She was vengeful and I freaking loved it. I don’t even know how to explain it. She’s clever and devious in all the best ways. But I liked even more that we still got to see her when she was vulnerable. She was drugged and raped, but won’t take anyone’s bullshit. She and her coven have a plan to get their revenge.
The coven. I adored them. They were magical and loyal. I loved the dynamic between these girls. They were some serious friend goals. I loved all the scenes with the coven doing their part to scare the boys of St. Andrews.
The writing in Foul is Fair was incredible. Even during the slow points of the story, it felt like I was flying through it because of the writing. The author sucked me into the story, chewed me up, and spit me out. The writing was beautiful and dark. Never quite clear about whether the coven was actually casting spells and flying with their wings. I adored it.
Overall, this book was incredible. I loved every single murderous page. I think this one will be a hit once it’s published and I know I will be shouting about it all year.

Three stars

The start of this novel is SO engaging. The initial scenes - rape, issues around consent, the representation of high school womyn who are not all white/cis/het, and especially the relationship between the m.c. and her coven - all make for a strong start. At first, I thought this was absolutely a work I'd recommend to my children's literature and YA students for further reading if not even consider assigning in class (where the real estate is especially precious in a 16-week semester).

All of this noted, I completely lost interest when the novel turned to the m.c.'s revenge killing spree. Rape is horrific and experienced by MANY people. I thought this was a truly strange way to represent handling the aftermath. The m.c. is also so privileged financially and socially. She has the means to switch to a private school at the drop of a hat, and mommy and daddy are willing to throw all of their money and power behind her to make sure everyone pays: not in a supportive/devastated parents way but in a "no one gets away with doing this to OUR daughter; we're above it!" kind of way.

The only character I loved throughout the work is Mads. A trans woman - who is in a piece of literature as a character just living her life - is unfortunately still anomalous. I loved that although she participated in some some untraditional activities with her friend group, her role was to be just another friend, not to be tokenized. To me, that is one of the greatest strengths of the work.

Though there is incredible potential here to build and highlight strong friendships between women-identifying characters and to handle a horrific issue WAY too many people of all ages experience, for me, this novel fell flat as soon as the m.c. transferred schools (which is very early on), and I could never regain interest or experience much else besides cringing at the ensuing dialogue and evolution of the plot.

Do you like your YA gleefully dark and violent, murderous even? Foul Is Fair is that and more. It's a dark and twisty girl power revenge story. It's a modern day Macbeth, narrated with sharp, biting metaphoric prose. It's wildly farfetched and grandiose, yet entirely readable to the last page. It's the mashup of Shakespeare and Heathers and Cruel Intentions you didn't know you needed. It's full of bad behavior and triggers galore. It would be awesome adapted for the screen. 3.5 stars.

This is a situation where I should have judged the book by its cover, rather than the marketing buzz about Macbeth. It's not the fault of the author that I went in expecting something heady and brilliant like Dorothy Dunnett's King Hereafter, but got something way, way different.

That cover suggests id-tastic comic-bookish angry female, and that's what you get. This is a revenge tale, beginning with gang rape. So there's that. Ordinarily I would have dropped the book as soon as I saw that coming, but it was a NetGalley release, and the implied contract is you read the book before responding as a swap for getting it free.

There's revenge. And more revenge. Lots of teenage killing right and left. After a while I began to skim. Those who like the book equivalent of screaming blood-metal will enjoy it--a quick glance shows a metric butt ton of reviews before the book is even out--but it was too one-note for me, the characters two-dimensional.

But for mainlining id crack, it's pedal to the metal.

"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."

When I heard that this was a Macbeth retelling, I was immediately hooked, and while it took me embarrassingly long to pick this up after getting approved on Netgalley (thank you to Wednesday Books), it was worth it. It's got all of the things I love about Macbeth: the manipulation, the murders, and the thrill. Elle is the counterpart to Lady Macbeth, and she convinces Mack to be this story's Macbeth. Because it's a thriller, there isn't a lot to say about character development, but the characters were engaging and well-adapted from their Macbeth counterparts. This book does a wonderful job of commenting on rape culture and the way that society supports so-called "golden boys." If you like Macbeth, and you enjoy thrillers, I highly recommend picking this up.

If you like books such as The Female of the Species or The Black Coats, you will love this book. It's like those, but on steroids. Completely over the top, impossible, dramatic action throughout the entire book. This was a very fast, very entertaining, very satisfying revenge fantasy gone wild.

No, it is not realistic, but that's not really the point of the book. It has been described as Macbeth meets Kill Bill, and I fully agree with that description.

The writing is excellent, the characters are diverse and well written, the plot is... crazy. In the absolute best way.

Lots of TWs, which the author writes on the very first page of the book, and which I believe are handled very well.

I highly recommend this if you want to lose yourself in a wildly fantastical feminist revenge fantasy. And really, who doesn't want/need that every now and then?

This book was truly a WILD ride from start to finish, and I was here for it every step of the way. It's dark, twisted, wicked, empowering, and so beautifully written. I was hooked from the very first page all the way until the end.

It was definitely unlike any other book I've read before and such a nice switch up. My only tiny issue with this one is that the ending felt a tad bit rushed, but it wasn't anything that would totally ruin the reading experience.

Also, kudos to the author and publisher for including a trigger warning page!

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.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book is sheer eloquence and rage. It's stunning and beautifully spiteful. When Jade is attacked at a party she decides that the rapists must die.

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.