Anna Freeman

Female bare-knuckle boxing, in Victorian England? That certainly, got my attention and the book delivered, on all accounts. My only issue is, why isn't this novel buzzing the book community, like an eardrum, after a nasty haymaker?

Ruth was born in a brothel. She is homely but stout and good-hearted. She makes the acquaintance of a wealthy, Bristol merchant, who convinces her to try her hand, in the boxing ring. She takes to fisticuffs, like a dog to a bone.

Ruth is also introduced to the show more merchant's wife, Charlotte, a bored, unfulfilled, housewife and she also takes interest in Ruth. The story shifts to her perspective and the tale deepens.

This is solid, historical fiction. Smartly written and nicely paced. The author seems to have done her homework, as she captures the tone and rhythms of late 1700s and early 1800s, with an authentic touch.

If this is ringing any of your bells, give it a try and, as a bonus, it worked very well, as an audiobook. show less

I had this title on my wishlist for YEARS, then bought the Kindle version without even recalling the blurb or why I wanted to read the thing in the first place. Welp, Peaky Blinders this is not, more like a rogue Tupperware party of catty housewives, but overall I enjoyed the writing, the pacing and even learning about the Great Smog of London in 1952, the titular five days. The author's descriptions of the suffocating fog, full of soot and pollution that reduced visibility, crept into show more houses and made people ill, killing an estimated 4,000 people, were truly atmospheric and clearly well-researched.

HOWEVER. I now know how reviewers of Wuthering Heights feel when they complain that there is not a single likeable character in the book. I hated every last inbred, nasty member of the 'Cutter' crew, supposedly a 'family' of female thieves who are lead by and loyal to one 'queen', but are really just a pack of spitting, fighting bitches. They inter-marry with a gang of piddling local thugs, have no formal education, and make money by shoplifting en masse and fencing the goods. Even Florrie, the youngest of the bunch who wants to go straight, is planning on marrying her cousin! So depressing. 'Can’t take two steps in London without tripping over a gang of petty little thieves, all thinking they’re Al Capone,' as a prison screw sums them up. The women are bullies fighting over the men, who are either spivs or cowards. I wanted them all to tear each other apart, especially tacky little Maggie, but the 'grass' is finally revealed, to no great effect, and - nothing happens.

Apart from the characters, also based on real life, and the dribble of an ending, I enjoyed the author's writing and might look up her first book about a female boxer! show less

After a very strange and unusual two weeks during which I couldn’t seem to get into a book, finally I’ve remembered how to read. Goodreads recommended me ‘The Fair Fight’ based on something else I’d read, quite possibly [b:Golden Hill|13732457|Golden Hill|Francis Spufford|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460907391s/13732457.jpg|19365758]. For once, the algorithms that recommended me [b:Extraordinary Chickens|1006590|Extraordinary Chickens|Stephen show more Green-Armytage|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442691719s/1006590.jpg|992716] because I’m reading [b:Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality|6448772|Quantum Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality|Manjit Kumar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347324955s/6448772.jpg|6638872] came up with a sensible suggestion. I enjoyed this novel immensely, as it combines a beautifully evoked late 18th century with a cast of angry, complicated characters. They are not unconvincing machiavellian plotters, but people frustrated by difficult circumstances. First among them is Ruth, a boxer brought up in a brothel. While all three narrators have strong voices, hers is the most strident, powerful, and memorable. I was delighted that the narrative respects her expertise at fighting, without minimising its difficulty and brutality. She is a fascinating and appealing character. Likewise Charlotte, although she is a stifled upper class woman of a type found more often. Ruth’s unapologetic cursing and toughness are much rarer to find in historical fiction. Undoubtedly my favourite part of the book was the friendship between Ruth and Charlotte, as they find common interests and mutual sympathy despite the class gulf.

In fact, the range of relationships in the novel is another great strength. Sibling and friendship bonds are given, if anything, more attention than romantic ones, which is refreshing. Where there is romance, it is always tempered with pragmatism. Indeed, the strongest and longest-lasting romantic bonds in the book aren’t traditional, or even that stable. Familial relationships are generally bad-tempered, often due to resentment about money. The darker sides of 18th century life are exposed: gambling, prostitution, drinking, violence, illness of various types. There is no sensationalism about this, though. Perhaps though clever use of slang and characterisation, these things just seem like facts of life at the time. The judicious use of violence is especially interesting, now that I think about it. The choice of narrators and themes results in a book with many fights inside and outside the ring. Notably, though, all the fights between men take place in or around boxing rings, while fights between men and women or women and women also occur in many other locales. ‘The Fair Fight’ is an ingenious title, as it both contains a neat pun and frames a central question in the narrative: whether the way to take control in a violent world is to fight back aggressively. This question is far more literal for the female characters, while also cropping up repeatedly in the men’s narratives.

In short, I was delighted by ‘The Fair Fight’ and impressed that it is a first novel. The writing, characterisation, and plot are all very involving. I think it's sufficiently original and thought-provoking to merit five stars. show less

I hadn't anticipated that the 18th-century would feel so alive and present in a novel about female boxers, but this book manages something like magic in creating a story that is both unlikely while also being gritty and real. Ruth is raised in a brothel and starts to box as a child, while Charlotte is brought up in comfort and later discovering boxing as part of a self-awakening. Both women are victimized by men who seek to use the women for their own gain, and Ruth and Charlotte must show more discover ways to survive and resist. Overall, an excellent book and one that is very rooted in history. show less