library_of_dreams_and_stories 's review for:

Fight Like a Girl by Sheena Kamal

4.0

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Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

I read this book in one sitting and I regret nothing.

I was really excited for this book, because it seemed like the kind of thing that I wouldn’t normally pick up but would also enjoy. Surprisingly enough, my first impression of the book was actually correct.

I loved the power and sass behind this book. Trisha’s narrative and story were so intense and fast-paced, but it was done beautifully and somewhat comedically.

The plot of this book follows Trisha, a fierce girl who trains in Muay Thai, as she navigates the aftermath of her abusive father’s death - at her hand, after he walks out in front of her car while drunk. Her mother, however, seems somewhat lighter after his death. So when Trisha’s mother gets another boyfriend - one who seems similar - she’s worried about what might happen.

The writing and narration style made me snort so many times. Trisha’s wit is so quick and her opinions are so informal, aggressive and yet passionate and beautiful that I don’t really know how to explain it. This book is sassy.

Just like Trisha.

The curse of my life. Trinidadian women. One in particular.

Trisha was such a dynamic main character. I loved her perspective, her power and her emotional experiences. Being in her head was a ride. She was so vivid and full of anger and confusion and passion that I couldn’t get bored of reading through her eyes.

Aunty K was great, even though she was a little bit annoying to me.

Ma was incredibly complex, especially with her relationship to Trisha. Their characters were so confusing together in a really realistic, well-written way.

Noor was a role model even though she was pretty minor. She and Amanda were just really cool and I would absolutely be terrified of them if I knew them in real life.

Jason was confusing but cool and I guess I was okay with him? I didn’t care about him that much but he was very interesting and added a lot to Trisha’s character.

Kru was an interesting character, but he wasn’t explored as much. The hints about his backstory were very vague and I think it would have been interesting to see more of him.

Columbus was okay. He felt kind of pointless at times, but he’s exactly the kind of supportive best friend that every girl needs.

Imelda was honestly a bit of a bitch and I stopped liking her pretty quickly. But character-wise she was okay.

There were a few more characters, but those were the ones I remembered the most. I think because of the amount of characters, none of them got a ton of personal development, but they were all represented well and I think if this turns out not to be a standalone, then I would love to get more of the others.

We call each other gladiators because we go out and fight for reasons beyond us. Reasons that nobody else can understand if you're not part of it. We don't even understand it, not really. Nobody is from here, or from Thailand, even, the birthplace of our sport, Muay Thai. ... Our origin stories are irrelevant here, because we all want the same thing.

The best thing about this book was probably the cultural representation for me. I loved that each character, even the minor ones, had such complex backstories that even though they weren’t told, they were implied in a way that made the diversity just so much more believable.

The narrative on racism was incredibly powerful. This book confronted stereotypes and diversity issues in an almost out-of-the-way style that felt really good. I loved how natural it felt.

Rule number one of being a woman from Trinidad: be hella fierce.
I'm not kidding, people. This is the rule. Not only will people expect you to be educated, have a job and provide, you must also have it in you to be an all-round queen.

The plot themes were very complex and harsh, balanced out with Trisha’s narration. This book went into abuse with Trisha’s parents. The whole concept of violence and fighting was written in so bluntly but in a way that just came out with so much strength.

The familial relationships in themselves were powerful. I loved how this book went into such confusing, harsh realities between people. Trisha’s parents and friends and family were written with so much truth and realism that it was honestly impressive. This book captured how weird families can be and how relationships can easily become or unbecome toxic.

It's the women that stay.
They're with you even when they're not around. They give you pieces of their souls, jagged pointy things, and you can never give them back, no matter how much you want to. No matter how much these pieces cut you and make you bleed for them, over and over.

Overall, this was a really strong book. The characters were intense, the plot was relevant and the themes were so beautifully done. I loved Trisha’s strength and vulnerability, I loved the messages that came across, and I loved how despite the straightforwardness of Trisha’s narration the book managed to be trippy and ominous where it needed to be.

I wasn’t absolutely blown away, but I really liked this book. The whole experience was just badass, and I couldn’t put it down until I finished.

I would absolutely recommend this book to people who like cultural narratives, contemporary books, and realistic but still badass teenage girls, because that is exactly what Trisha is. This book is hard-hitting (literally) but fun.

The Art of Eight Limbs, the Thai words that stutter off our tongues. They don't sound right, even to us, but none of that matters. Not really. As long as we pay our respects, we get a pass to train. To fight.