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lennie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Did i like the characters? I honestly don't know
Could i put it down? Also No
Something about this book dug its murderous lil fingers into my brain.
Think Haikyuu meets the Yakuza.
And for the love of god check the trigger warnings before reading this book because wow.
There are a lot of slurs used in the book, a lot of terrible things (past and present) that happen, a confusing made up sport and some very damaged and toxic characters but idk, something about it just makes me want to delve deeper into the story and characters.
I'm genuinely not sure of my rating for this and there were parts that were very uncomfortable for me to read.
CW: murder, physical abuse, child abuse, death, overdose, drug use, drug abuse, spiking, rape joke, use of the r slur and the f slur, death of a parent, burning a corpse, homophobia, violence, addiction, blood, injury, toxic relationship, mental illness,
state mandated drug use (this one is absolutely bizarre).
And probably more tbh
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Biphobia, and Acephobia/Arophobia
joseph_al's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
hannahalbregts's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
Minor: Vomit
riccii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
This does mean that I'm looking forward to the next book(s)!
I do have to say, that the writing definitely already picks up towards the end of the book, from
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury
emmilus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
claire_b322's review against another edition
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
_persephone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Acephobia/Arophobia
blubonby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
One of the characters, a Mexican man who is the only openly guy character and as far as I can remember the only POC, is shown to sexually harass other characters, at one point he kisses a character, who has been drugged, without their consent, and there's a sort of joke between other characters about how he's "scheming to rape" the MC, and it's just brushed off.
Literally the only reason I gave it 1.5 instead of 1 is because for some reason, that I truley can't pinpoint, I've come back to this series 3 times, even though it gets worse every time I read it.
Graphic: Ableism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Murder
deebauched's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
the all for the game series overall is one that i'll never be able to summarize or pitch to any of my friends easily. for one, there are a a lot of trigger warnings surrounding the books. for two, when i think about summing it up i have to realize that it's like a patchwork of different parts that should not exist in the same book. it's rather hard to explain to anyone how a runayway mc, gangs and mafia and a completely fictional hybrid sport league would work together on page, and at that point i haven't even mentioned the ragtag team of the foxes full of dysfunctional characters who somehow will weave their way into your brain to eat at your attention. it's just a crazy mix of themes for a setting and even after all these years i don't think i've ever read anything that resembled this series. by all means it should not work, and by all means it has its flaws - but this series is still. so. goddamn. gripping.
the foxhole court is the first book in the series, for me admittedly it's the weakest installation of the trilogy but only in comparison, not on its own. i'm personally among those people who instantly clicked with neil josten's character and pov narration. someone who also instantly clicked with the fictional sport that is exy and the pro league surrounding it. someone who was instantly hooked on the foxes' dysfunction and found each player intriguing. so it is a no brainer that to me the foxhole court, which is considered to be an introductory "putting the groundwork down for the rest to come" book in the trilogy, still worked wonderfully. i've been always hooked on it from first page and even after all these years that doesn't seem to be changing.
i always found neil interesting as a narrator, i just like how he thinks so even the mundane parts of the story don't feel like a bore to get through. his thoughts around survival and all the smarts he had to pick up on the run are interesting. then couple it with his "attitude problem" and the way where he just can't keep his mouth shut in some situations and you get a ridiculously engaging character to follow. once i saw a post where someone said neil's talks in comebacks one usually comes up in the shower only and YES. so much yes. this kid is so mouthy, i love him!
then you meet the foxes with all their problem children, most notorious among them being andrew's lot, and suddenly the story takes another interesting turn. to be honest in this first book they are insanely off-putting and most of the problematic content and divisive stuff that could put people off happen in here. you get explanations for it but i imagine some can't move past this first book to see what happens next and how the relationships progress from here, mostly because andrew's lot is by far the most antagonistic in this one. (a few lines and scenes mostly surrounding nicky's character still ring jarring and nope-y to this day.) you don't understand them, you don't see how this could work in the context of a team and around adults, etc. but all that being said it doesn't make it any less gripping to read. once you're hooked, you are on a ride for real.
being someone who read this book more than 5 times now and this is the first time i ever attempted to write a review for it, it's quite possible i could talk about it till my fingers fall asleep. but i'd rather not and spend my time on moving onto my binge with the 2nd book instead. i think what's most important to me is that i know this book is flawed, some lines aged, some parts need a certain level of suspension of disbelief, etc. but i still can't deny just how much fun and joy i get out of reading it. it still works somehow and that's admirable to me. that someone came up with a concept like this and made it work even if it's not perfect, but still to a point where even a decade after it has a strong following. i just love it as it is, and probably will forever. 4 stars.
ps.: the scene where neil
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Murder, and Sexual harassment
melani_e4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual harassment