Reviews

Foe by Iain Reid

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bryw4nk's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

blakeaustin's review against another edition

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5.0

Surreal and dystopian, with psychological horror roots just like Reid’s previous book. Definitely one that stays with you once you’ve finished it.

I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to read whatever Iain Reid puts out next.

sabedra's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

its_zach's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

nannyofoz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

justinkhchen's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

Foe's central idea is just as thought-provoking, and equally well written, as I'm Thinking of Ending Things, but the stagnant middle portion and the overly familiar execution makes this mystery a slightly less impactful journey.

In many ways Foe is I'm Thinking of Ending Things 2.0, with the same hazy, but seductive writing style, limited cast, claustrophobic setting, and build up of minute anomalies. While the Black Mirror-esque story still ends up being completely readable and captivating, it does feel a bit 'samey' with diminished return. The story scope is expanded comparing to Iain's previous effort, involving a tech company specializing in space travel, yet the whole things actually feels more generic, as there has already been a saturated amount of media covering this similar topic.

Unlike some readers, I'm not as bothered by the less-than-surprising twist (the explicit synopsis really narrows down the possibility), and it's quite rewarding upon re-read, to experience all the events under the new context. But the 'ending part 2' (or maybe it counts as the epilogue) is quietly genius, leaving the viewer with some very chilling implication regarding the meaning of relationship, and what it takes to be happy with another individual.

With the strong setup and provocative ending, Foe really should've been a short story, or at most, a novella, rather a full-length novel (it's even slightly longer than I'm Thinking of Ending Things); Iain Reid remains as an author I'll keep an eye on, for ominous chamber horror story with emotional depth. Foe is still a good effort, but it's one where you can sense the author really 'tries', instead of an organic, seamless experience.