Foe

In Iain Reid’s second novel—set in the near future and in an unspecified geographic location—a young childless couple, Junior and Henrietta (Hen), live in an isolated farmhouse surrounded by fields of canola. Their life is simple. They keep a few chickens. Both work regular jobs. One hot summer evening, with no prior warning, a polite, well-dressed young man named Terrance arrives at the front door—alarming enough in itself since they never get visitors. Terrance represents an organization called OuterMore and he is bearing wonderful news: Junior has been placed on the longlist of individuals selected to take part in a project that will require him to leave Earth and travel to the “Installation,” (the implication is that show more this is a space station), where he will live with other participants and work for a lengthy but unspecified period of time. Though the news is unexpected and certainly disconcerting for Junior and Hen, Terrance projects so much enthusiasm and sincerity that they resist voicing doubts and misgivings—especially considering that being longlisted is no guarantee that Junior will make the final cut. Eventually however it turns out that Junior does make the cut, and two years later, when Terrance arrives to deliver this piece of news, he also drops another crucial bit of information: that in Junior’s absence he will be replaced by a duplicate: an exact replica that will perform his duties and functions and provide companionship for Hen. The crux of Foe centres on this unsettling premise: that someday technology will have advanced to such a degree that it will be possible to build copies of ourselves that are not just physically precise, but also emotionally and intellectually identical to the original (The reader might well ask, Why would anyone want to do this?). Later, at a further stage in his prep work, Terrance moves into the farmhouse, armed with myriad gadgets and devices that record and harvest data, observes Junior and Hen going about their daily lives and conducts interviews with them. In the meantime, the reader detects fractures developing in Junior and Hen’s relationship—they no longer seem comfortable with each other, inexplicably Junior’s memories of his past are hazy, Hen reveals that she’s no longer so thrilled with life on the farm and might want to live in the city—and as the day of Junior’s departure draws near, the divide begins to seem unbridgeable. It would be unfair to give away more than this. Foe is a novel that depends for its effect on slowly building tensions and subtle intimations that more is happening behind the scenes than is immediately apparent. However, something about the withholding in this book comes across as calculated, unnatural and forced. (This is not meant as a criticism of authors who withhold information from the reader. The judicious withholding of information is a standard strategy in all fiction.) Important details—for instance, under whose authority is OuterMore empowered to rip citizens from their lives and send them into space?—are left unexplored and unexplained. Reid drops hints about what’s really going on, but it is done in a manner that, in retrospect, once you’ve finished the book, seems disingenuous. The finale creeps up on us, but it’s one that appears to defy logic. In the end, the reader of Foe is left with as many questions as answers. show less

Foe' was an astonishingly strong novel. It was so intense that I had to make myself take breaks from it. The sense of gathering darkness, deepening wrongness and oncoming but unknowable tragedy made that very hard to do.

From the beginning, the writing was focused, concise, quietly disturbing and completely engaging. There is a sense that something was off, that there was a gap between words and actions. That the most important things were being left unsaid and that there was a lie behind every smile. The more I searched for the truth in the novel, the more I realised how deeply it was hidden, which, of course, made me hungry to find out not just what was being hidden but why and by whom.

‘Foe’ is set in a near-future America where show more the technology has advanced, the gap between the rich and the rest has widened, and the best resources are being focused on colonising space. The novel is 275 pages long, structured into three acts, with most scenes featuring only three characters: Junior and Hen, a married couple who live on a remote farm, and Terrance, a stranger whose entry into their lives changes everything. Most of the ‘action’ of the novel takes place in the farmhouse in an atmosphere of forced, artificial intimacy with an undercurrent of menace and mistrust.

By the end of Act One, it was clear that none of the three characters was being honest, not even the apparently straightforward Junior, from whose point of view Act One was told. Junior comes across as odd, but in a way that’s hard to define, especially as he refuses to acknowledge anything unusual about himself,past or present. The mendacious atmosphere seemed to be masking malice, but I couldn’t even guess at anyone’s motives.

By the end of Act Two, the atmosphere between the three main characters was oppressive, disturbing, and emotionally claustrophobic. Like Junior, I can’t quite figure out what was going on except that it was wrong. Unlike Junior, I was filled with foreboding, knowing that things were going to get worse. I was fascinated by the threat emanating from the smiling, polite, physically non-threatening Terrance. His presence was not just disruptive; it was quietly, confidently, coercive. He had the slick assurance of someone shielded from consequences. It seemed to me that he was so focused on his mission that only it was real. Junior and Hen were just potentially volatile variables that he had to manage. Watching him manage was chilling.

I won’t spoil the novel by talking about the resolution in Act Three except to say that it was intense, surprising, complex and changed my understanding of everything that went before.

‘Foe’ was a deeply engaging, suspenseful read. I spent most of the novel in a state of conscious ignorance and anxious anticipation of that ignorance ending.

The uncertainty in the novel pushed me to think about bigger themes: the nature of identity, the reality of and restrictions on choice, the reciprocity needed to sustain a marriage and whether the interior world of an individual's experiences is unique or fungible. show less

I read this book because it is on the Canada Reads short list this year. I thought Iain Reid's book I'm Thinking of Ending Things was okay, but didn't much like We Spread. So, I was blown away by this book, which I think is definitely his best so far.

Set in the near future, Junior and Hen live a quiet, isolated life on a farm. In the broader world, technology is more advanced and space settlements are in experimental stages. Junior and Hen are visited by a government official, Terrence, who tells them Junior has been selected at random to spend two years at "the Installation" in space. But not to worry about Hen; she won't be alone as Junior will be "replaced" by an AI replicate.

The writing is masterful. It is tense, sparse, show more claustrophobic, creating a atmosphere where the reader can tell something is off. But what? Who is the villain? Terrence who comes from away with big plans for Junior's future -- a future Junior doesn't want? Hen who seems less than content in her marriage and closer to Terrence than she should be? Junior is our narrator, but how accurately is he portraying the other characters? This book is a thriller, but the character development is excellent as is the examination of what makes a marriage.

A great read. show less

Foe by Iain Reid is an intense, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. With a subtle but powerful science fiction twist, the story dives deep into themes of identity, isolation, and human connection. The atmosphere is hauntingly quiet, yet emotionally charged. Henrietta’s behavior throughout the novel had me second-guessing everything, adding to the book’s eerie tension. While the climax became slightly predictable as I approached the end, Reid quickly shattered my expectations with a final, shocking reveal. That twist completely redefined the story and left me stunned. What stood out most was the way the final scenes reshaped everything that came before. However, I show more would have loved a bit more insight into Junior—his background, his work, and his inner world. Still, the book’s gripping narrative and suspenseful execution make it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers with a sci-fi edge. The book deserves 4 stars. show less

I adored Iain Reid’s first novel, and I am happy to report that I enjoyed his second novel every bit as much as his first. I was not confident I was going to do so though. Mr. Reid immediately places you into the setting without any world-building, so you must infer all details at the same time as you watch the story unfold. It is offputting to a reader who may not want to do this because there are few specifics to anchor you to a time and place, leaving you adrift wondering what is happening.

However, for readers willing to infer from the smallest of details, Foe is a deliciously creepy futuristic story in which you are as much in the dark as the main character. You don’t know who the villain of the novel is, but you know there is show more one because of the way the story makes you feel. The feeling of dread creeps up on you, clawing its way under your skin and never relinquishing its hold, but you never understand why you think this way. There is nothing about Junior and Hen which would indicate a reason for the dread, and there is nothing about Terrence which would show the same. Sure, it is a bit odd to find out that an unknown entity selected you for space travel without your knowledge or permission. Sure, the idea of having a replacement you take your spot in your life is weird. There is nothing overly ominous about any of it, but it is there nonetheless.

Mr. Reid excels at creating suspense where none should seemingly exist. He has you seeing monsters when there are none and using sleight of hand to distract you from the truth. Then, when you least expect it, he smacks you across the face with that truth that rocks you to the core. There is not much in the way of action, but he makes up for that with plenty of atmosphere, again something at which Mr. Reid shines. I highly recommend you check out this incredible author. show less

Edit: *holds pillow over my face and screams* The title is pronouced like (SPOILER REDACTED)

For several years now I've been attempting to write a book. I can only hope that some day I finish it. And then it makes someone want to throw it at the wall, or tear it up with their teeth the way Ian Reid's books make me want to do.

Never before, and never again will quotation marks fill me with the same kind of dread.

I HATE the way his books make me feel, and I can't get enough of it.

Sometime in the future, Junior and his wife, Henrietta (Hen) live what seems a contented life on an isolated farm. They rarely get visitors but one day, a man, Terrance, shows up at their door unannounced. He tells them that he represents Outermuch, an organization dedicated to space settlement and that Junior has been selected by a lottery for a long list to travel to space.

Over the next two years, Terrance reappears always unannounced, first to tell Junior that he has been selected for this important mission, then to take Junior's physical measurements and record memories from both Junior and Hen. Eventually he moves in with them, constantly asking for more, and more intimate, information, doing chores around the farm, even taking show more Junior's job after he is injured.

His presence, not surprisingly, unsettles the couple's lives especially after he tells Junior he doesn't have to worry about Hen while he's gone because she will not be left alone - the company will ensure she has constant companionship. While Junior becomes increasingly more paranoid, questioning Terrance's meaning and motives but seemingingly unable to fight back, Hen seems to develop a friendship with the interloper. All of this leads to a denouement I, at least, did not see coming.

Foe by Iain Reid is one heck of dark and twisty psychological thriller that kept me guessing right up to the big reveal. It is told in the first person by Junior and it gives a very interesting view of the relationship between couples - Junior spends much of his time trying to understand his relationship with Hen whom he views as his anchor but often his analysis does not match his own description of her behaviour. As the publisher's blurb points out, it is a look at 'what it means to be (or not to be) a person' and, as Reid shows, this is much more complicated than most of us believe. This is a fairly short book but a fascinating, suspenseful, and often creepy look at how we see others and how it often doesn't match the reality.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less