There are plot spoilers in this review.

I’ve seen this book described as a ‘feminist modern re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth’ and I’ll start by admitting that I’ve previously struggled with reading a book based entirely on re-using the plot of an existing book but changing the setting (I couldn’t get along with Jo Nesbo’s 'Macbeth' for that reason). It also made me think of Helen Zahavi’s 'Dirty Weekend', which was published many years ago and was also about a woman seeking revenge – but better done I thought at the time.

In 'Foul is Fair' the main character is raped at a party, having been given drugs to make her compliant/sleepy. She and her friends then decide to exact their murderous revenge on the boys involved – or even involved by dint of knowing but doing nothing.

To be honest, unlike some of the other readers who have reviewed this book very positively, I found the writing rather clunky and the prose more purple than poetic. When the first boy linked to the rape dies, it just seemed implausible to me – a) that he’d be murdered for his misdemeanour and b) the response to it from all concerned, particularly his friends and the school. The strength of the bond in the coven also seemed unlikely – there’s supporting your friends in troubled times but most would draw the line at planning to murder not just one person but several.

Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin, published by @penguinukbooks - digital arc courtesy of @netgalley

Foul is Fair will be released 16th Jan 2020.


Content and trigger warnings for this book for rape and sexual assault/violence.

This has been described as a ‘feminist modern re-imagining of Shakespeare's Macbeth...part Cruel Intentions and Kill Bill'. I can definitely feel the Shakespeare in this story, it has all the elements of a classic tragedy. More so than that though, this book is the perfect slasher movie. Unfurling over the course of one week, bloody gory murder reigns supreme over St Andrews Prep school in LA.

This was particularly brutal for a book that is considered YA/teen fiction - personally I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone younger than the protagonist Jade, who is 16. Due to the culture that we live in, the opening premise of this story a gang/date rape, was horrible, but not at all surprising. I’ve read quite a lot of books based around this (Nina is Not Okay by Shappi Khorsandi, Asking For It by Louise O’Neill etc) but Foul is Fair takes an interesting twist on the usual storyline.
This is the first time I’ve read a book like this, where the protagonist just says ‘I’ll murder them’. And then it starts, a story of justice and revenge, sociopathic teenagers and deceit.

This made me think of Ari Aster’s film ‘Midsommar’- at the end, all I could think was ‘Get it, girl’.

Sweet Revenge for the Modern Era

Loved how this book didn’t mess about and just got into the action. Straight off the bat, it gave me a whole Cruel Intentions vibe and added a touch of The Craft for good measure - all teen girl kick ass. In a world that gave us the Brock Turner farse, we deserve this over the top revenge book.

When a group of prep boys choose the wrong girl to target at a party we are taken along for an all-consuming journey of revenge and it’s a delightfully dark ride. For such a disturbing tale it’s beautifully written. I don’t tend to like things with any sort of retelling of Shakespeare hints (Macbeth in this case) or girly teen YA but this is in its own league of powerful storytelling that sets it apart. I had a strong feeling of where it was going but I wouldn’t have missed the ride for anything.

When 4 boys the"golden boys" of At Andrews School rape a 16 year old girl at Duncan's house the head of the pack or King as he prefers, little did they know they picked the wrong target. Take is always wrong always vile the courts may not feel with it very well but .... For Jade she is no normal girl she will not let it go and the following Monday its all change for Jade and her pack Mad's, Summer, & Jenny, loyal and strong no matter what they throw at each other..
Jade teams up with Mack and you will have to read to see who he is and how strong or weak he is but you will want to know because well I will let Jade explain
I'm guessing this is aimed at a younger audience than myself but the guts and blood may be not. But if you like thrillers that deal with suspence and some twists then this could be for you. There is plenty of 🔥 fire in Jade and feeling that will grab you and no matter how far she goes they made her the victim but little did they know that gates can swing both ways, special the beautiful green, no I won't say it gives too much away but yes get this and I'm guessing you could be hooked you will be engaged the rest will depend on you.

Edgy for edginess' sake; if you want a book with a diverse cast, good POC rep, beautiful writing, to be lost in the pure revenge fantasy and don't need stories to make much sense, you'll probably love this.

This book was like a fast-paced feminist revenge tale and retelling of Macbeth from the perspective of the Lady Macbeth character, the witches forming her coven. When Elle is assaulted at a posh, high school party in Los Angeles, she and her friends become vigilante angels of death to exact revenge on the people who hurt her.

I read this book in less than three days. The sentences are concise and sharp, the chapters short, and the story is well written and moves forward at a quick pace - I was never bored, I never skimmed ahead to see what was going to happen, I took the story as it came. The language has a beautiful, poetic quality, while always being clear and easy to understand.

This was definitely dark, and the author has a full-page of content advisory notes on her website, so it is not going to be for everyone. For me, it was love. I had such a hard time putting this book down. It was smart and entertaining, and just fed my need as a woman in the #metoo era to just burn everything down (metaphorically). I can't even think of ways to describe how much I love this book with slipping into cliches.

Recommended for any person who'd love to see the patriarchy destroyed.

Four LA girls. Queen bees.

Until one night Jade is attacked by four boys.

But Jade and her friends want revenge.

With the characters unrealistic and unsympathetic, the plot (such as it is) is overblown and ridiculous

Macbeth meets Cruel Intentions via Mean Girls. I mean, do I actually need to say any more than that? The plot follows Elle who goes to a St Andrews Prep party with her friends where she is roofied and raped. From that moment on, this is a book about revenge. It’s not that this book deals with the theme of rape lightly, it’s just that the focus is on destroying the popular, golden boys who did the awful deed. This is a breath of fresh air. There’s a place for books about healing from sexual assault but I’m at the point now where I have read enough of them. Give me stories about revenge, about taking matters into your own hands and striking back, about wresting power from your tormentors. Give me The Female of the Species or Exit Pursued By a Bear, not a story about a victim being saved by falling in love with a better sort of boy (yawn). Let’s see some blood. The original Shakespearean theme is very present and as with all Shakespeare, at times this borders on ridiculous in its pursuit for pure expression of emotion. As a huge Shakespeare nerd that really worked for me. I don’t especially like contemporary YA but when one works, it really works. This was brilliant.

Absolutely incredible. Filled with passion, revenge, and above all loyalty - who doesn't want a coven of their own?

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel!

I've genuinely never read anything like this. I think the only comparison I can even think of is the show Sweet/Vicious (which was cancelled waaaay too early). I think the concept of this novel is brilliant and the writing style is amazing. The book as a whole - characters, writing style, plot - gives me a crime noir kind of vibe which is something you don't see very often.

I thought it was interesting how Elle/Jade is portrayed. In a way, she is very empowering as a character rather than a victim. Jade is a badass and she knows it. I also loved her girl gang who would do absolutely anything for her - we all need a gang like that.

I just really enjoyed this book. It was great. Great writing, great plot, great characterizations.

Some parts did feel a bit dragged out but that is probably because there is such a large cast of characters involved. I would also say some scenes can be triggering as the book is quite visual.

YES, YES, YES!

for every girl that wanted revenge.
For every woman that had to bite her tongue.
For every person that suffered in silence,

This book is for you.
It is a battle cry, a warrior in word form.
It's delicious and raw and violent and perfect perfect perfect.

All the critics saying its feminism gone too far, are people that knew something but never said.

This should be a film, in every screen in Hollywood.
This book is for the survivors, and the avengers.

It made me feel too much and made me grin ear to ear when revenge came for the golden boys. Gleeful and revelling I read this book and loved every page.

Recommended for any survivor, anywhere. (with strong stomachs and awareness of major triggers)

Based on Macbeth, "Foul Is Fair" is a marvellously modern interpretation of Shakespeare's Scottish play. Despite this, the plot feels fresh and current. I thought it was brilliantly done. I also take great delight in the fact that the intersectional feminist themes within the novel are causing some consternation amongst the male contingent. Hat tip to the team responsible for marketing. Hannah Capin has played a blinder with "Foul Is Fair" and I very much look forward to reading her other work.

Wow... Just wow!!!

I was not expecting that and in fact for the first few chapters I wasn't sure I was going to get on with this book at all. The writing style is unique, it's heavy on imagery (lots of references to birds and talons and wings), and I'm still not sure I liked it (not a fan of imagery) but this wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful and original without it.

Despite the pretty big clue in the title I honestly didn't realise this was a YA retelling of Macbeth till I was around quarter of the way through. The story follows Elle/Jade, the Lady Macbeth, who with the help of her three best friends, vows to get revenge on the group of boys who drugged and sexually assaulted her at a party. She changes her appearance and sets about infiltrating their group with a view to destroying them from the inside.

Jade is an incredibly powerful, complex and unique character and one I don't think I'll forget any time soon. She's a popular, mean girl from a wealthy family who is determined to not let what happened to her change her. While she's downright nasty to those who are trying to help her and isn't necessarily that likeable you can't help but admire her determination to not let what happens change her. She refuses to be a victim or even a survivor.

As you can probably imagine this is not an easy read. The assault is off the page but it's referred to throughout. It's a violent and twisted story that even I found a little shocking at times.

It is however incredibly well done and once I got past my initial uncertainty about the writing style I couldn't put it down. It's one of those stories that invades your thoughts, that even when you're not reading keeps buzzing around your head.

As someone who studied Macbeth at school (many, many years ago). I loved all of the little references to the original. The naming of the characters does make it a little obvious who is in which part (Mack, Banks, Duffy, Duncan) but it's still fantastic to watch the drama unfold and there are so many other small references and quotes snuck in.

It probably doesn't matter if you don't know the play but I think you will get so much more out of it if you do.

Overall this is a stunning read and one that I think I'll remember.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

The 2019 Heathers/Craft mashup we never knew we needed but we definitely deserves. If you want to fuck with the eagles, you have to learn to fly

Foul is Fair is a gripping teenage revenge thriller based on Macbeth set in an elite LA world. Jade Khanjara and her three best friends Mads, Summer, and Jenny are powerful and dazzling, rich and always there for each other. When Jade's drink is spiked at a party and she is attacked by a group of boys from a different school, the four know that these boys will face no consequences unless they take matters into their own hands, and they scheme a plot to bring them down. Jade has to disguise herself, go into their school, and rip them apart from within, using their muddled conscience Mack to enact the violence.

This is a vicious and dark book, combining the danger of teenage horror and thriller books with the revenge violence of Kill Bill, and taking the control back from fate into the hands of teenage girls who know how to do damage. Jade and her best friends are the heart of the book, ruthless and clever, though the story is about what they do rather than focusing on who they are. The narrative is clearly Macbeth in many ways, but also Capin takes it in different directions, playing around with Jade's role in particular, and there's a lot of potential for people who study and love Macbeth to look at how Foul is Fair plays with the original. On the other hand, you don't necessarily need to know Shakespeare's play to get into the novel, which has been compared to a range of TV series based variously around revenge, violence, assault, and teenagers.

The writing style is unusual, giving Jade a specific voice and combining elements from different genres, and the use of character feels quite cinematic, where certain shorthands or details are shown to build character rather than more in-depth depictions. The pace of the narrative and events match the sense of time in the play, and bring a sense of unreality which suits the novel as a revenge fantasy. Foul is Fair could easily be adapted into a TV series or film (TV series would allow the space to give Jade's friends space for their characters too, and it would be good to see more of Mads, Summer, and Jenny and their privileged yet complex lives).

Foul is Fair is gleefully dark and vicious as it depicts teenage girls having the power to enact bloody revenge. Take heed of content warnings and be aware that some people are going to find the violence too much or too unrealistic, but this is a book worth picking up if you're interested in Macbeth meets Heathers with a scheming, diverse quartet enacting vengeance.

Foul is fair follows Elle/Jade and her ‘coven’ of 3 friends as they plot and seek revenge for the rape/sexual assault of Elle/Jade at a party.

I have to be honest, I hated this book. I hated everything about it but I did force myself to finish. The plot was ridiculous and every character was horrible with no likeable qualities at all but most of all I hated the author’s style of writing. I found it to be choppy, disjointed, confusing at times and just really hard to get through. Foul is Fair almost became a DNF every chapter for the entire book. I would give it 0 stars if I could, extremely disappointing!

<i>Jade Khanjara and her three best friends rule their glittering LA circle. They decide how the party ends - every night but one.</i>

What follows is a quest for revenge against every guy who wronged her that night, physically or through their complicity. Alongside her coven, she plots an intricate plan of death and mental manipulation and destruction and nothing will shift her from that path. The timescales and swift love are a tad bothersome but it's dark and bloodthirsty - a tale of pure anger and revenge. It's really messed up but once you start you kind of need to follow the full vengeful journey to the end.

This is an incredibly powerful novel. The writing is stark and unforgiving, its melodramatic and Shakespearean tone making it somehow even more real.
Jade, who is sexually assaulted at a party by a group of boys, vows revenge on each and every one, turning them against each other and exploiting their arrogance and selfishness to ensure her and her 'covens' success.
This book is STRONG, and makes unflinching and important statements about how sexual violence can impact people but also how our perceptions impact them as well. Jade's scene at the clinic is a perfect example of this, when she tells a woman who calls her a 'victim' “those boys didn’t turn me into anything", this bold ownership of her body was an empowering moment for me as a reader.
I would obviously offer this book to people with a word of caution, it could be very triggering. But I think it is too valuable not to be read.

With its focus on murder and a quest for power, Macbeth is an easy story to tap into. The determination to have sway over others, and the corrupting influence it has on you, is a feeling so many can understand - even if they wouldn’t act on it. While the supernatural element of the witches is a harder thing to transpose to the modern day, the influence these characters have is something we can fear.
With Capin’s ‘Foul is Fair’ we are brought straight into the modern era and given some very topical scenarios to wrestle with.
Our main character, Elle, starts the book heading out with her close group of friends to a party held by a student at a local school. The night of the party sets in motion a rapidly darkening series of events, that we just know is going to end badly. On the night of the party Elle is drugged and assaulted by a group of students. Their leader, Duncan, is the main person she blames but each and every one involved in the attack does - in Elle’s eyes - deserve to pay for their actions.
Intent on revenge, Elle enlists her friends (the coven) to research this group and find a way in. She enrols in St Andrews ( her parents’ willingness to transfer her to the school attended by the attackers is one of the main issues with this) and begins her campaign to bring down those responsible for her attack.
Elle picks out Mack, the boy who knew enough but wasn’t involved, to be the one to help her gain what she wants. She seems to fall for him, but it was clear he didn’t stand a chance. Elle wants payback, and the way she goes about it is ruthless and - maybe - just a little bit admirable.
This is graphic. Capin spares nothing and we see the demise of the group members in full glorious technicolour. While I didn’t like this, I definitely felt I was encouraged to sympathise with Elle and look beyond the callousness of her vendetta.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication, and I can’t wait to see how students who are studying Macbeth react to this once it’s out.