Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Foxhole Court

Look up Trigger warnings before reading! It has many very dark themes in it that are potentially triggering.
The depiction of mental illness is a little iffy at times, and the way the author describes the effects of an anti-psychotic prescription drug doesn’t seem realistic to me (as I have never taken an anti-psychotic, I don’t know exactly what the effects are).
Its important to remember that this series is incredibly dramatic, and the content reflects that! It strays from realism a lot, and has elements that seem unrealistic, but if you view the series as a drama, it makes more sense!

Content Warnings

jbellomy's review against another edition

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2.5

ugh dnf. this reads like fan fiction and not in a fun way
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EDIT DEC 2023
I did it. I read the unhinged fake lacrosse yakuza book. Someone on tumblr said this is a sports anime in book form and it clicked (particularly the psychotic love interest, who speaks and behaves like one of the twins from Ouran). I don't know if I like it exactly but it is for sure entertaining. Check those content warnings -- impossible for it to not be entertaining.

Content Warnings

fiekesfiction's review against another edition

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sad tense

Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

(Many trigger warnings!)

I, once again, have mixed feelings.
The reason I read this is peer pressure and fomo (as always). And because I was interested in the “be gay do crime” and “found family” promise.

So did this meet those expectations?

In the foxhole court you follow Neil Josten. He plays the (fictional) sport Exy. Coach Whymarck recruits players to play in his team and live on campus. Specifically, he looks for young people in horrible family situations. When he asks Neil to join the team, it is the last thing Neil should do. He is the runaway son of a murderous crime lord. Getting involved in a high profile team and sports news broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation is dangerous and the truth will get him killed. But Neil’s not the only one on the team with secrets.

The idea of actually risking your life just to be able to sport is absolutely ridiculous to me. Also just playing such a violent sport. Also everything else that happened in this book. But it’s hard to not be interested in reading it.

My expectations were sort of met on the do crime part, yes. In fact, this book might present itself as being about sport but it’s mostly about maffia. It is insane and kind of unrealistic, but also really original and interesting. Part of the appeal of the story is the wild weirdness.
Unfortunately, part of the crimes were actually horrible and inexcusable and committed by characters who I think we’re supposed to like? Now that isn’t exactly sure, because the main character rightfully feels angry and (at least in this book) doesn’t forgive everyone easily.
It’s a complicated situation because we’re dealing with a bunch of very mentally unstable teenagers who are traumatised and also pretty terrible. Generally I feel like I might get over part of it (as the whole situation is insane and some of the flawed reasons are understandable) but I have a huge hatred towards Nicky and I will not get over it.
Then there’s the be gay part which…. Ehh I don’t see yet. But I feel okay because these people need more build up on their relationship and also their personality in general. (There’s just so many characters it’s hard to remember who everyone is.)

This obviously comes back in the found family theme. I like the moments where Neil reflects on how great it is to be part of a team and his jealousy and loneliness. Bút this is not the general happy lovely group of friends I expected. This is a bunch of horrible people who would probably die for each other but sometimes also would actually kill each other. They’re a mess and I love the idea, I think having fights within a friend group is normal and okay, but

drugging someone because you don’t trust him and then sexually assaulting him

is absolutely over the line and goes way over the “interesting dynamics” territory and into the “run and never interact with this person again” territory.

So it is complicated. I will say that I see a lot of potential for this to be heartwarming. I like that there’s this set up of Neil being lonely and having no one, because I feel like it might develop into him being part of this group and it being cute.
In general I think Neil is sometimes extremely idiotic, but also nice as a main character. As you’re seeing things from his perspective his actions are slightly more understandable. However, emphasis on SLIGHTLY. Because he is basically risking his life because he just can’t give up this sport. It’s to hard for him not to play, no matter the fact that it will draw the attention of people who are actively trying to kill him.

and then getting on tv and picking a fight with a world famous player and son of a maffia boss even as he was trying to stay under the radar.

If we would’ve gotten anyone else’s POV he would probably just look odd and suspicious, while in this POV he just looked like a very dramatic and lonely idiot.

The other characters were a lot harder to understand. Especially as you don’t know much about them and their backstories.
Generally I had some issues trying to remember everyone’s names because there’s like 10 people in the team and then even more other characters.
I specifically remember Nicky, because I hate him.
Kevin, because I respect his commitment to the sport especially his backstory. I like that we know more about him and everything you know about him makes sense with his behaviour. He is far from perfect and like everyone, he annoyed me at times, but I feel pretty positive towards him.
Matt, because I think he’s one of the most likeable ones. I liked his relationship with Neil and his vibe. So far he’s great.
Renee, because I want to know more about her (and about the other girls as well.)
Andrew, because I don’t like him. He was super annoying and weird a lot of times, straight up horrible at other times, but I just didn’t really get him. I hated the way his medications were handled because it did not seem like the author did any research on it at all. He is horrible to almost everyone, I didn’t like how possessive he was and generally… ugh. But I do want to know more about what’s going on with him and why.
Other than that I only have vague ideas who everyone is and what their story is. But I am curious about the rest.

This is like if teenwolf didn’t have supernatural stuff in it and was more dramatic.

This story is a great time if you want to read some INSANE INSANE things with a vague found family of horrible people. But if you’re looking for something happy or objectively “good” it’s not for you.

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