A review by mmccombs
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but the weird structure of it really kept me hooked! I loved how this was a character study, but specifically a character study in which characters were revealed in opposition to one another, like in a boxing match. There is no singular girl, but a collective who create and destroy each other. I liked that we saw glimpses of each boxer into the future, showing how boxing (and this specific moment) did and did not inform the rest of their lives. Sometimes the writing got a bit meandery and overly lofty, and the ending only kind of worked for me, but I can appreciate what she was trying to do there. This was a great, quick character driven bite of a novel that celebrates the stories we all hold within us from the beginning of time to its end.

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