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Book Reviewed by:The Crimson Petal and the White meets Fight Club: A page-turning novel set in the world of female pugilists and their patrons in late eighteenth-century England.
Moving from a filthy brothel to a fine manor house, from the world of street fighters to the world of champions, The Fair Fight is a vivid, propulsive historical novel announcing the arrival of a dynamic new talent.
Born in a brothel, Ruth doesn't expect much for herself beyond abuse. While her sister's beauty affords a certain degree of comfort, Ruth's harsh looks set her on a path of drudgery. That is until she meets pugilist patron George Dryer and discovers her true calling - fighting bare knuckles in the prize rings of Bristol.
Manor-born Charlotte has a different cross to bear. Scarred by smallpox, stifled by her social and romantic options, and trapped in twisted power games with her wastrel brother, she is desperate for an escape.
After a disastrous, life-changing fight sidelines Ruth, the two women meet, and it alters the perspectives of both of them. When Charlotte presents Ruth with an extraordinary proposition, Ruth pushes dainty Charlotte to enter the ring herself and learn the power of her own strength.
A gripping, page-turning story about people struggling to transcend the circumstances into which they were born and fighting for their own places in society, The Fair Fight is a raucous, intoxicating tale of courage, reinvention, and fighting one's way to the top.
Chapter 1
Some folks call the prize-ring a nursery for vice. Boxing is talked against by all the magistrates and held up as unlawful and wild, even sometimes called unchristian. As I see it, those pious old smatchets are right, but what of it? Prize-fighting is all those things, but more, it's beautiful. The sight of two people—for it's not only men, you know, who take the ring— who've built their skills and their bodies, struggling together with nothing between them, no ball or stick, but only desperate force and the will to live—why, there's the root of all mankind, the stuff of our lives played out. Till you've seen one pug, bare chest steaming in the frosty air, half blinded by his own blood, drop the other to his knees on the frozen turf and turn to roar to the sky, well, if you ain't seen it, you can't know. It brings you to the base of yourself; just the sight brings a bellow to the throat. Prize-fighting is named "the noble ...
Here are some of the comments posted about The Fair Fight in our legacy forum.
You can see the full discussion here.
Compare the author to other historical fiction writers-
I have read Sarah Waters and I saw that she endorsed this book. How do you think this author compares to others writing in a similar era? - N*Starr
Even though the book is set two centuries ago it's easy to identify with the characters. Why do you think that is?
The characters have the same struggles as all "characters" do in real life. We are not always dealt with a good hand. What we do with the hand is defined as the courage it takes to change our lives. - JAKL1
Has The Fair Fight changed your ideas about what life must have been like in Georgian times?
Life certainly did not sound ideal. Has society changed do much or just the part that is observed? Perry's attraction to George and their need to hide it. The open brothels that were known by all. Prize fighting was popular with many. This was ... - Peggy H
How do you interpret the title of the novel?
"The Fair Fight" means that everyone is entitled to fight for their beliefs in a fair way. Sometimes the fight may not seem fair at the time. But in the end the fight will make you stronger for fighting the fight. - JAKL1
Were you surprised that women's boxing matches were held in the 18th century?
I had never really thought about it as I have never really had much interest in boxing or wrestling. However, I understand janen's point that men have always liked a "girl's fight." I think it is very sad that anyone had to live in the way that ... - ritah
The Fair Fight is an old-fashioned, well-written historical fiction novel that leaves you feeling good. Readers who enjoy historical fiction in general and England during this time period will find much to love here. The subject matter is unusual and entertaining and the richly drawn characters make this one a winner...continued
Full Review
(596 words)
(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
National-bestselling author of The Painted Girls, Cathy Marie Buchanan
In sensuous, evocative prose, The Fair Fight wholly captures the spirit of 18th century Bristol's female pugilists and their patrons... a fabulous piece of writing. New York Times-bestselling author Sarah Waters
The Fair Fight is a hugely exciting and entertaining novel, written with warmth, charm, authority and, above all, terrific flair. I loved it.Bare-knuckle fighting has probably existed ever since humanity learned to make a fist, and it has been practiced as a sport since at least the 3rd millennium BCE. The earliest records are found in Sumerian reliefs from that time period, and ancient Egyptian artwork from the 2nd millennium BCE depicts an audience watching barefisted contestants. The ancient Greeks believed that the gods on Mount Olympus boxed for sport, and consequently made it part of the Olympic Games in 688 BCE. Homer also makes reference to boxing in The Iliad - the earliest written version of which dates to roughly the same time period.
Boxing lost popularity as Rome declined and wasn't revived until the late 17th century in England. The first documented "boxing ...
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