Review
It was one of those moments when I was desperately looking for a good read through Amazon’s “free books” that I saw this title. I didn’t pick it up the moment I got it for free because let’s be honest, the cover isn’t really enticing, but a lot of people in the book community vouched for how good this series was.
I have had my fair share of warning on the quality of this first instalment of the series in comparison with the others. I have seen (or read) it myself now and I can definitely say that it was, in a way, boring yet it packs something that makes you keep on reading it.
The method of perspective used in this book was perfect for the story. A third person limited provided the reading experience with that much needed pull of curiousity with the secluded perspective of a singular character. It tickles your mind as it is shrouded by the mysteries within the book, allowing the book a chance for that continuous reading despite the arduousness of details—as first books tend to be info dumps since they are an opener to the world being told.
If you like anime or mafia stories, I believe you’ll enjoy the plot of this book. The theme revolved around a runaway—hiding from a dangerous past created by his family. The main character, Neil, is a broken boy who has nothing but himself to trust; though he is beginning to find himself in a group of people that he might consider family in the story’s progression. That said, the theme could also attract people who enjoys found family books.
There should be a huge disclaimer on the face of this book before anyone picks it. Tone wise the story is pretty dark as each of the characters have personal issues—from unstable mental health to violence. I’m grateful for the people who told me to prep myself before starting this book, as it may cause quite a number of triggers when read without prior warning.
Despite their brokenness, or maybe because of it, I loved all the characters within the story. I think them complex and interesting, though I can still see some blank pages despite the entirety of the novel. I especially love Andrew as he is such a curious character. I want to know him more and what makes him tick. These people are intriguing and it is the biggest wheel that will aid in turning your engines.
Overall, The Foxhole Court was a good start for the series. I enjoyed the way Nora Sakavic did her first novel. True, it was quite boredom inducing as it focused more on the introduction of characters and conceptualization of the game [Exy], which I absolutely adored! But it contained so much complexity to it that you’ll just want nothing but to keep on going.
