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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
This book was pure joy. Fierce, funny, tough, unexpected joy. The child narrator is the perfect mix of irreverent and innocent, wise beyond her years yet still not sure of how the world works. Fight Night is a showcase of three generations of women who have learned to fight for themselves, who struggle and suffer but are never defeated. I'm glad a coworker recommended it to me, because I probably wouldn't have picked it up based on the cover.
This was an interesting tale about family. Kind of funny, kind of sad, kind of endearing, but mostly just weird. I think I liked it? I’m not entirely sure. The characters were unique, always finding strange, hilarious silver linings in otherwise not-so-laughable situations. There was something about the narration style that I didn’t enjoy that I can’t put a finger on. But I’d still recommend this to anyone who is looking for a contemporary read with a fresh twist.
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of january≫
╰┈➤ 1. all that's left in the world by erik j. brown
╰┈➤ 2. the female of the species by mindy mcginnis
╰┈➤ 3. the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 4. exit west by mohsin hamid
╰┈➤ 5. don't call us dead by danez smith
╰┈➤ 6. warm bodies by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 7. the other side of perfect by mariko turk
╰┈➤ 8. the last olympian by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 9. counting down with you by tashie bhuiyan
╰┈➤ 10. a matter of death and life by irvin d. yalom and marilyn yalom
╰┈➤ 11. the new hunger by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 12. dorothy must die by danielle paige
╰┈➤ 13. starfish by lisa fipps
╰┈➤ 14. one true loves by elise bryant
╰┈➤ 15. chlorine sky by mahogany l. browne
╰┈➤ 16. for every one by jason reynolds
╰┈➤ 17. fight night by miriam toews
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of january≫
╰┈➤ 1. all that's left in the world by erik j. brown
╰┈➤ 2. the female of the species by mindy mcginnis
╰┈➤ 3. the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 4. exit west by mohsin hamid
╰┈➤ 5. don't call us dead by danez smith
╰┈➤ 6. warm bodies by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 7. the other side of perfect by mariko turk
╰┈➤ 8. the last olympian by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 9. counting down with you by tashie bhuiyan
╰┈➤ 10. a matter of death and life by irvin d. yalom and marilyn yalom
╰┈➤ 11. the new hunger by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 12. dorothy must die by danielle paige
╰┈➤ 13. starfish by lisa fipps
╰┈➤ 14. one true loves by elise bryant
╰┈➤ 15. chlorine sky by mahogany l. browne
╰┈➤ 16. for every one by jason reynolds
╰┈➤ 17. fight night by miriam toews
This is Toews in full form—funny and poignant and real.
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was really delightful and funny. Swiv is the anxious child that I was years ago. As usual I’m a huge sucker for books set in Toronto, and a HUGE shoutout to Kyle Lowry and the Raptors!!!!!!
if miriam toews isn't in your top 20 writers of all time, you've got some reconfiguring to do. her genius is astounding. fight night is a call for embracing joy & saying 'no thank you' to a patriarchal world.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
3.5* I enjoyed this book and found the characters to be pretty wonderful. With that said, it didn’t knock my socks off especially after reading Women Talking. The narrating voice of the precocious nine year old isn’t quite believable. I had to go back and check the age of the girl a couple times to make sure it wasn’t a teenager talking in the first part of the book. The relationships between these three women really shine, though, and this is a story that I think would be even better adapted to the screen. The grandmother’s character makes the whole book worth reading. I LOVE HER.
Funny and bizarre. I didn’t realize Swiv was 9 until she says she’s around 100 months old. Ha!
Life is a mystery.
There are no real rules or patterns. We all just wander through without guidelines or parameters, just vibing and seeing what happens. Surprises around every corner.
In other words: I should have hated this book, and instead I loved it.
I hated the other book I've read by this author very much, and I expected to feel neutral at best about this one, and yet - I am stubborn. I refuse to not read books I have no chance of liking.
And look how well it works out for me!!!
I am so in love with the narrator of this book, an ornery funny smart nine year old. (2021 was the year of realizing I like child narrators even though I am not a huge fan of real-life children.) I am obsessed with her equally ornery grandmother, and her emotive and somewhat crazy mom, and even the absent dad and unborn child this is addressed to have soft spots in my book just for creating this story.
As soon as I finished this, I did two things:
- lent my mom my copy
- thought about rereading.
What higher praise could there be?
Bottom line: Miriam Toews, we remain in good graces.
Well, I can't speak for you. But good-ish.
------------------
pre-review
i give up on thinking i have any idea what books i'll like.
this was just wonderful.
review to come / 4.5 stars maybe 5
------------------
currently-reading updates
sure, i hated the first book i read by this author with a fiery passion. but life is about growth
clear ur sh*t book 60
no quest, just seeing how many more i can finish
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)
There are no real rules or patterns. We all just wander through without guidelines or parameters, just vibing and seeing what happens. Surprises around every corner.
In other words: I should have hated this book, and instead I loved it.
I hated the other book I've read by this author very much, and I expected to feel neutral at best about this one, and yet - I am stubborn. I refuse to not read books I have no chance of liking.
And look how well it works out for me!!!
I am so in love with the narrator of this book, an ornery funny smart nine year old. (2021 was the year of realizing I like child narrators even though I am not a huge fan of real-life children.) I am obsessed with her equally ornery grandmother, and her emotive and somewhat crazy mom, and even the absent dad and unborn child this is addressed to have soft spots in my book just for creating this story.
As soon as I finished this, I did two things:
- lent my mom my copy
- thought about rereading.
What higher praise could there be?
Bottom line: Miriam Toews, we remain in good graces.
Well, I can't speak for you. But good-ish.
------------------
pre-review
i give up on thinking i have any idea what books i'll like.
this was just wonderful.
review to come / 4.5 stars maybe 5
------------------
currently-reading updates
sure, i hated the first book i read by this author with a fiery passion. but life is about growth
clear ur sh*t book 60
no quest, just seeing how many more i can finish
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)