Four colleagues just won £20 million and go live the life of their dreams. But dreams are just that, dreams, and these four individuals must learn that lesson the hard way. After they’ve won, anxiety and distrust consume them, and once they have their hands on the money, they decide to part ways. Until something terrible happens.
A Fool’s Game introduces readers to London life and proves how friends can quickly, almost too quickly, turn on each other. Although well-written with beautiful descriptions of scene and atmosphere, everything happened so quickly in the first chapter, and then slowed down for the following eight.
The very horrific event mentioned in the blurb only happens at the near end. This left me hanging for the entirety of the book waiting for something to happen. The dynamic between the four friends or colleagues in the first chapter made me wonder why they were even friends in the first place, which also left me wondering why they had decided to split the money if their relationship was this toxic.
The pace in the first chapter was simply too fast, and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. After that, the book slows down drastically and follows each character’s individual life. Despite the interesting arcs, I felt like I was reading short story after short story with little time to truly care about the characters and what happens to them. It is worth mentioning that the characters did have depth, the diversity was refreshing, but some of their choices didn’t make sense. They were either acting confident and vigilant, or stupid or naive. I didn’t feel like any of them learned a lesson, except for at the end when they finally realize that having each other is better for the four of them.
The book also dealt with the very serious issue of depression, but it was handled in a rather facile way, and it sadly did not dive deep into the complexity of the disorder. This was truly a pity, because the Paul Fellowes is obviously a skilled and descriptive writer.
The premise of the book is interesting, how four friends win the lottery and watch their lives change, with the clear message that money doesn’t bring happiness. I did find the blurb misleading in the sense that I expected the horrific event to be the initiating event of the plot. I give A Fool’s Game 3 out of 5 stars. The author can write captivating descriptions and interesting dialogues, but the core of the story felt rushed and simplified.
About the author
A former blogger and aspiring adult fiction author, Paul draws from the experiences of his own life and that of others around him to create compelling, realistic and gripping stories.
fabled ink 
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