The Fair Fight

By: Anna Freeman

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Justine Eyre, Steve West

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

The Crimson Petal and the White meets Fight Club in this pause-resistant novel set in the world of female pugilists and their patrons in late-18th-century England.

Moving from a filthy brothel to a fine manor house, from the world of street fighters to the world of champions, The Fair Fight is a vivid, propulsive historical novel announcing the arrival of a dynamic new talent.

Born in a brothel, Ruth doesn't expect much for herself beyond abuse. While her sister's beauty affords a certain degree of comfort, Ruth's harsh looks set her on a path of drudgery. That is until she meets pugilist patron Granville Dryer and discovers her true calling - fighting bare knuckles in the prize rings of Bristol.

Manor-born Charlotte has a different cross to bear. Scarred by smallpox, stifled by her social and romantic options, and trapped in twisted power games with her wastrel brother, she is desperate for an escape.

After a disastrous, life-changing fight sidelines Ruth, the two women meet, and it alters the perspectives of both of them. When Charlotte presents Ruth with an extraordinary proposition, Ruth pushes dainty Charlotte to enter the ring herself and learn the power of her own strength.

A gripping, page-turning story about people struggling to transcend the circumstances into which they were born and fighting for their own places in society, The Fair Fightis a raucous, intoxicating tale of courage, reinvention, and fighting one's way to the top.

©2015 Anna Freeman (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Engaging story, wonderful performance

I had trouble putting this book down, or pausing it I guess. Eager to find what happened next, enjoying the characters, and delighted by the exceptional narration I had trouble pacing myself. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for something fun and engaging to listen to.

Wonderful!

What a fascinating, thrilling, curious tale. I was enthralled and by the time I had gotten 1/3 through, I could barely stand to tear myself away. The audiobook performances were wonderful, and the story was like Sense & Sensibility meets Fight Club, which sounds crazy but it totally worked and was satisfying on so many levels. Just adored this novel, and was 100% invested in the characters. I'll be thinking about them, and this story, for a long while. I'll definitely revisit it again.

Loved This To Pieces

Fantastic book. A sprawling tale with 3 really wonderful narrators. The women especially were fun to listen to because they were great with the different accents and voices.

Loved it!

I absolutely loved this book. The story was very unique and engrossing. The 3 different narrators were terrific. I don't like to give a summary of the plot as that can be found on the Audible page for the book. I highly recommend this book.

A story of the British classes.

I loved the female readers who gave the characters life, from the raunchy Ruth to the socialite Charlotte. The dialect was excellent. Both women were scarred physically and emotionally. This story is a window into the culture of the times. This story is about the weak getting the best of the strong.. Sections of this story are hard to put down;;other sections are slow moving. Give me more stories like this.

A Wonderful Surprise

I listened to this book after a friend recommended the print version. The story sounded intriguing so I thought I'd give it a try, but, honestly, my expectations weren't really that high. I knew almost immediately, however, that this book was everything she said and so much more! First, the three narrators themselves were top-notch. Each gave life and breath to their character. Hearing the story from three perspectives enabled the listener to hear an event once from one character and then get a totally different perspective from another character. As a reader, I thought I had an understanding of the story, and then all of a sudden my understanding was completely upended.

The story itself was very intriguing - women boxing at the beginning of the 18th century. However, this book is so much more than a book about boxing, so don't let that stop you if boxing turns you off. This is a book about female empowerment in a society where women had very few options. I'd highly recommend this book!

Wonderful, imagination-invigorating story

The first narrator we hear has a bad habit of pausing unnecessarily, presumably at the end of a line of text rather than at a comma or period, but I love the story, and the various perspectives. I only wish there were even more! While part of me is glad to be able to simply use my imagination to envision how the lives of the characters continue after the end of the book, I do so wish we could learn more. I didn't want this book to end. Marvellous!

So much more than fighting

The writing of Anna Freeman brings to mind Sarah Waters and Bryce Courtenay. I couldn't stop listening to this book. It was told from three different characters, which were all narrated superiorly. It was not only about women fighting, but the struggles they faced in desperate times. It also interweaves the story of the men in their lives, which is just as fascinating as the women's. If you're a fan of The Potato Factory, Fingersmith, or Slammerkin, you will not be disappointed.

Charlotte and Ruth are wonderful

Would you listen to The Fair Fight again? Why?

Yes, very likely. It was a wonderful story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Charlotte was my favorite. She felt the most real with plenty of both negative and positive personality qualities.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I loved how they had three narrators for each POV character. They all did excellent jobs, especially's Ruth's narrator.

Any additional comments?

This was a very satisfying novel. I didn't like George's parts, but Charlotte's and Ruth's made up for it. I liked how the 'good' characters were rewarded and the 'bad' characters faced justice. I think this is a good book for someone (like myself) who insists on a satisfying resolution and a hopeful ending.

Try Something a Little Different

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. Sometimes after having finished a beautifully written and satisfying book, it seems especially hard to find one that I can settle into and be pleased with. I found myself in that situation after having listened and re-listened to Bryce Courtney's Potato Factory trilogy. The Fair Fight filled the bill. This is unlike anthing that I have read before. Lady pugilists? It sat in my Wish List for months. Finally in my desperation for something out of the ordinary, I gave in.

The authors descriptions are unique and her character building is quite good. The language and dialects are interesing, particularly Ruth's uneducated lower class accent and vernacular. I enjoyed the three character POV, and all three narrators did a very good job voicing their characters.