Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
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. This book has teeth! Watch out for Hannah Capin, a rising YA star in the business of writing heroines who are kicking butt and taking names! I am seriously impressed by everything about this novel. Foul is Fair is everything I want to read: a Shakespeare retelling written for wronged girls with elements of the fantastical. I loved the unbridled violence of this story. The plot is over-the-top dramatic and owns it, and when I was reading I truly felt like it was a dream, which alludes to the episodes of “visions” seen in the original play. Readers must choose to imagine a world in which this story is possible, and I enjoyed the surreal aspects at play. The plot follows that of Macbeth, and the cast are the privileged students of an LA private school, especially the “golden boys” of the lacrosse team, who saunter around with unchecked power, taking advantage of whoever they choose. That is, until they hurt the wrong girl. Elle-turned-Jade is our masterful Lady Macbeth, and wow… those boys do not know what’s coming for them. She’s ruthless and hurt and bloodthirsty, with only one goal in mind. She’s going to take down their king, and his whole court too. The three witches also make an appearance, helping Elle along her bloody path. I thought it was funny that they simultaneously acted as Elle’s support system following her assault, but then aid her in committing even more violence. They often spoke semi-prophetically, and I loved them as the witches. Each girl had her own struggles, but the bonds they forged with each other and Elle were so clearly powerful. As much as this book is a scream of rage, it is also a testament to the grip of female friendship. Capin’s prose is where the novel truly shines. Poetic and striking, it will knock the air out of your lungs. Her rendering of incredibly violent events is raw, yet lyrical, and invites readers to suspend disbelief and live fully in the revenge fantasy of tired girls. I can’t stress enough how enthralling I found the novel. I could not put it down, and Capin kept me fully on the hook the whole way through. Each chapter brought something new to Jade’s character as well as the plot, and I so wanted to read more of the lovely quotes the book is filled with. All in all, I loved Foul is Fair. 5/5 stars. I’m glad to start off the new decade with this bloody novel, and I hope it’s an indicator that the world will do better by all women very soon. I highly recommend you pick up a copy today, and discover the magic yourself.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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