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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book felt just okay. Objectively, I can't really find anything wrong with it - I appreciated a lot of the issues discussed and found the perspective interesting - but there was some aspect of it that just didn't connect with me. This may work for you, especially if you don't mind reading from the perspective of a child, but I don't know who I would specifically recommend this to as it almost felt too universal.
2.5 stars
I went into Fight Night completely blind, and I can't decide if that helped or hindered. I started with the print version, only to discover the dialogue isn't set apart in any way: no quotation marks, no new paragraphs, no indentations. So, I switched very quickly to the audiobook to avoid the shenanigans set up with that decision.
Speaking of shenanigans, I think this novel is supposed to pivot on the charming relationship between the grandmother and her granddaughter, the narrator Swiv. Swiv's pregnant mother also plays a role, but the main component hinges on the strong generational bond between the bookended pair. However, Fight Night is one of those constantly quirky novels with a continual flow of shenanigans, tomfoolery, and ballyhoo. Only, my goodwill doesn't really love that level of pervasive silliness.
Perhaps it has to do with a healthy dose of that kind of person in my own family, when I just needed a constant grown-up in my life at Swiv's age? Or perhaps it's just my own tastes, but this one was hard to stay engaged with. The grandmother ended up being rather cartoonish and unbelievable. Swiv's age seemed to only play a part when it was funny that this rather intuitive nine-year-old doesn't understand something yet. Honestly, based on the name (and the cover), I expected something gritty. This was light-hearted eccentricities and playfulness that just doesn't speak to me.
Audiobook, as narrated by [a:Georgia Toews|21790659|Georgia Toews|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and the author: The Toewses did a fine job overall, but Georgia's performance for the nine-year-old Swiv, didn't help me remember that she's supposed to be a precocious nine-year-old. Instead, along with the writing, Georgia's voice leaned farther into Swiv being an ageless voice of the story — an extension of the author rather than a creation that can stand apart.
I went into Fight Night completely blind, and I can't decide if that helped or hindered. I started with the print version, only to discover the dialogue isn't set apart in any way: no quotation marks, no new paragraphs, no indentations. So, I switched very quickly to the audiobook to avoid the shenanigans set up with that decision.
Speaking of shenanigans, I think this novel is supposed to pivot on the charming relationship between the grandmother and her granddaughter, the narrator Swiv. Swiv's pregnant mother also plays a role, but the main component hinges on the strong generational bond between the bookended pair. However, Fight Night is one of those constantly quirky novels with a continual flow of shenanigans, tomfoolery, and ballyhoo. Only, my goodwill doesn't really love that level of pervasive silliness.
Perhaps it has to do with a healthy dose of that kind of person in my own family, when I just needed a constant grown-up in my life at Swiv's age? Or perhaps it's just my own tastes, but this one was hard to stay engaged with. The grandmother ended up being rather cartoonish and unbelievable. Swiv's age seemed to only play a part when it was funny that this rather intuitive nine-year-old doesn't understand something yet. Honestly, based on the name (and the cover), I expected something gritty. This was light-hearted eccentricities and playfulness that just doesn't speak to me.
Audiobook, as narrated by [a:Georgia Toews|21790659|Georgia Toews|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and the author: The Toewses did a fine job overall, but Georgia's performance for the nine-year-old Swiv, didn't help me remember that she's supposed to be a precocious nine-year-old. Instead, along with the writing, Georgia's voice leaned farther into Swiv being an ageless voice of the story — an extension of the author rather than a creation that can stand apart.
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.