Review ⟶ The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman

[Sparrow]

TITLE: The Fair Fight

AUTHOR: Anna Freeman

RELEASE DATE: August 28th, 2014

GENRE: Historical Fiction

TAGS: Historical Fiction, 18th century, Georgian Era, England, Brothels, Pugilists, Boxing, Prostitution, Gambling

RATING (1-5): ★★★★★

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A copy of this book was provided to me, free of charge, by the Publisher. It has in no way impacted the content of this review.

Hell YES.

I very rarely give out five stars, because I think they're a little sacred; reserved for only the kind of books that leave an indelible impression on the brain and heart. This is a 5 star book. I admit that I cringed a bit when I saw the promotional blurb comparing it to the work of Michel Faber & Sarah Waters, both of whom I count among my favorite authors. They have set a sort of gold standard for gritty historical fiction set in London, & a lot of books have declared themselves similar, but very few live up to the promise. The Fair Fight is definitely one of those few.

The book is told in first person of three protagonists, splitting the book into sections. There is Ruth, the pugilist, who hails from the lower class & shares a room with her sister Dora, in their mother's brothel. George Bowden is a middle class, sometimes charming scamp, and other times, a narcissistic leech who fancies himself a dandy. Charlotte is from a very wealthy family of considerable lineage, but contracts smallpox, along with her entire family, save her brother Perry, who is spared, safe at boarding school. Charlotte is the only survivor, but she is covered in scars, and ultimately resigns herself to life as a bereft, reclusive spinster & an unwanted burden to her brother Perry, who is now the heir to the family's fortune.

Perry & George are friends and lovers, until Perry must return to his home; George quickly replaces him with Granville Dryer, a merchant class son who is quiet, but very sharp. He has no desire to remain a merchant class man, and he sees his future in managing boxers & betting. It is the boxing that brings George, Perry, Dryer & Ruth together, as Dryer invests in Ruth's future as a fighter at a local bar, & makes her sister Dora his mistress. At the time, Boxing was enjoying popularity as the noble man's sport, and it was one of the few places where merchant class men like Dryer, could mingle with the upper echelons of society, and discuss the “science” of boxing. As he grooms Ruth, he sets his eyes on a bigger prize; meanwhile, Bowden becomes bored with Perry & attaches himself to Dryer, whom he sees as a potentially better opportunity for the life of luxury as a despot he believes is his right.

A love triangle, an undesirable arranged marriage, betrayal, a happy marriage, along with broken hearts, black widows, & failed grifts ensue; all of it knotted up with addiction. Addiction to alcoholism, to gambling, to self-preservation, to hope, to co-dependency- and of course, to boxing.

The book itself is riveting- a female pugilist was a fresh and new take on historical fiction novel, but there is plenty more going on behind the scenes. Freeman lets the story unfold, & gives you the differing perspectives of three highly polarized protagonists. Each one is fleshed out fully, and I felt invested in all of them- even though I didn't especially like George Bowden as a person, he still was disarming, grasping, & entertaining to read about. Charlotte, who at first comes off like a painfully shy, somewhat dull introvert entirely willing to waste away her days letting her brother terrorize her, ultimately evolves into a woman of incredible grace, whose passions and intellect are finally given an opportunity to show themselves, & wrangle her a more desirable future. Ruth- scrappy, loyal, nearly toothless & weighted down with more integrity than everyone else combined is a diamond in the rough. It was Ruth I felt the most compassion for, if only because she was so fair to everyone, despite having had a life in which the word fair didn't exist. It is the building & evolution of her and Charlotte's friendship that truly steals the story.

Freeman essentially tells you the same story, three different ways, but it never feel repetitious. I also never felt like there was one she favored more- they each had their due, and each equally captivated. More importantly, Freeman never compromised on historical accuracy. Watching Charlotte's initial passiveness was, for me, frustrating at first- but the societal norms during Charlotte's time dictated what she could do. Even when she comes into her own, she is constrained by what is deemed acceptable for a woman of her class- yet also wholly revolutionized.

The story ends, not all sorted out with perfectly happy endings tied in a bow, but in a realistic fashion, where compromise exists. The loose ends are there, like they would be in the real world, but they aren't written in a way that makes you feel cheated, or the story unfinished. Between that, the language, and the settings, the Fair Fight really comes to life.

I think this is going to be a more accessible book than something written by Faber & Waters, both of whom are not afraid to expose the sometimes bawdy, crass & filthy reality of London, especially for the underclass. It's something I love about their books, but I know some people are put off by it- while Freeman never gilds the lily, the harsher realities of life are presented in a quiet, more subtle way. Ruth's story is the closest it comes to that level of grit, but between the other two protagonists there's really a bit of something for everyone- and it's precisely that which makes The Fair Fight stand out- the incredibly honest and realistic portrayal of three radically different people and social classes. Freeman does it with aplomb.

I devoured The Fair Fight in under three days- then kicked myself for not making it last longer. If you haven't read it, and you enjoy historical fiction, you absolutely should. I'm already hoping the BBC makes something with it. This is one of the best books I've read in this past year, and I anxiously await Freeman's next endeavor.