Summary and Reviews of The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman

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 ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. How do you interpret the title of the novel?
   


2.  Did you find your sympathies with the characters shifting with the moves between the different narrators?
   


3. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from three different points of view?
   


4. Although the book is set in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, it is easy to identify with the characters. How has the author achieved this?
   


5. The author has said that she was fascinated by the fact that "women were out there beating one another up on stage whilst Jane Austen was sipping tea." Has The Fair Fight changed your ideas about what life must have been like in Georgian times?
   


6. &...

Please be aware that this discussion may contain spoilers!

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