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kaitlizcolby's review
5.0
I really loved this one. The writing is excellent, and the characters are wonderful. I was worried at first because it seemed like it was shaping up to be one of those literary novels that’s gritty for the sake of being gritty, but that wasn’t the case. Somehow Thorpe managed to make these characters larger than life, flawed in some pretty significant ways, but also relatable and so, so likable. I want to read more of her work!
godessoftrees's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vigilariana's review against another edition
3.0
This book was really difficult for me to get into. The characters just weren’t very likable/relatable. It took me a really long time to finish, but I overall enjoyed the book. It has a very raw depiction of personal relationships and the character’s flaws.
billymac1962's review against another edition
4.0
The Knockout Queen came off the heels of DNFing one of the highest touted books of 2020. My gripe about that one was that I found it more of an "Issue" novel, stunting character development somewhat.
The Knockout Queen couldn't have been more of a 180 turn. This is the story of a platonic high school friendship: Michael, a gay kid living with his aunt after his mother has been imprisoned, and his next door neighbour Bunny, an imposing 6+ foot tall athletic star. Told from Michael's perspective, the attention to his and Bunny's characters was exactly what I was looking for.
I found at times that Michael's musings tended to run on a little too long. In fact, I had posted an update about this as I was exasperated about him going on about homosapiens and the missing link and the nature of violence blah blah blah. After I posted that, I went back to reading and was immediately hit with one of the most powerful sections of narrative I've ever come across. Up until this point the novel had been humming along at a 4 star rating but this almost made the whole thing rate a 5.
That was a peak, though. I did find there were more musings that tried my patience (only a little), and I thought the final 20 pages or so seemed rushed compared to the rest of it.
Upon finishing it I was set giving this one a wobbly needle between 4 and 4.5 stars, but I'm having a hard time getting this story out of my head since finishing it yesterday (which usually pegs the needle at 5). This rating may bump up. We'll see...
Definitely recommended.
The Knockout Queen couldn't have been more of a 180 turn. This is the story of a platonic high school friendship: Michael, a gay kid living with his aunt after his mother has been imprisoned, and his next door neighbour Bunny, an imposing 6+ foot tall athletic star. Told from Michael's perspective, the attention to his and Bunny's characters was exactly what I was looking for.
I found at times that Michael's musings tended to run on a little too long. In fact, I had posted an update about this as I was exasperated about him going on about homosapiens and the missing link and the nature of violence blah blah blah. After I posted that, I went back to reading and was immediately hit with one of the most powerful sections of narrative I've ever come across. Up until this point the novel had been humming along at a 4 star rating but this almost made the whole thing rate a 5.
That was a peak, though. I did find there were more musings that tried my patience (only a little), and I thought the final 20 pages or so seemed rushed compared to the rest of it.
Upon finishing it I was set giving this one a wobbly needle between 4 and 4.5 stars, but I'm having a hard time getting this story out of my head since finishing it yesterday (which usually pegs the needle at 5). This rating may bump up. We'll see...
Definitely recommended.
emoody's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
novelvisits's review against another edition
3.0
Note: I received a copy of this book from Knopf (via Edelweiss) in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I would have to say that Rufi Thorpe is one of my very favorite authors. Her first book, The Girls From Corona Del Mar, is one of my all time favorite debuts. I also really liked her next book, Dear Fang, With Love (my review), so the bar was set high for The Knockout Queen. Unfortunately, for me, it didn’t quite reach the level of the other two. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it. I just wasn’t awed, as I was with her other books. The Knockout Queen is an intense, character-driven novel about Michael and Bunny, two teens with wildly different sets of problems, but who somehow connect, offering support and comfort to the other. I loved their unusual friendship and their uniquely different lives. The older they grew, the more troubled their lives and their friendship became. It fell a little short for me in that neither character ever came fully to life. Still, I’m in the minority in not adoring this book. It’s Goodreads ratings are off the charts!
Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/april-mini-reviews-a-half-dozen/
I would have to say that Rufi Thorpe is one of my very favorite authors. Her first book, The Girls From Corona Del Mar, is one of my all time favorite debuts. I also really liked her next book, Dear Fang, With Love (my review), so the bar was set high for The Knockout Queen. Unfortunately, for me, it didn’t quite reach the level of the other two. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it. I just wasn’t awed, as I was with her other books. The Knockout Queen is an intense, character-driven novel about Michael and Bunny, two teens with wildly different sets of problems, but who somehow connect, offering support and comfort to the other. I loved their unusual friendship and their uniquely different lives. The older they grew, the more troubled their lives and their friendship became. It fell a little short for me in that neither character ever came fully to life. Still, I’m in the minority in not adoring this book. It’s Goodreads ratings are off the charts!
Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/april-mini-reviews-a-half-dozen/