The Fair Fight

Quotes

“Steve West portrays the upper-class men…Fiona Hardingham uses a broad accent to portray Ruth, a lowborn bare-knuckle pugilist…[and] Justine Eyre portrays Charlotte’s parts with a smoky voice and crisp accents…Hardingham, Eyre, and West join forces to enthrall, repel, and horrify listeners.” AudioFile

“A hugely exciting and entertaining novel, written with warmth, charm, authority, and, above all, terrific flair.” Sarah Waters, New York Times bestselling author

“The Fair Fight breathes, shouts, and swears, confident in its form and bold as brass in its execution.” New York Times Book Review

“Freeman’s familiarity with this rough and raunchy period of history and her wonderfully imagined cast of characters, often down but never out, make this a brilliant debut novel.” Times (London)

“[A] cracking debut…A lively, rambunctious read.” Sunday Express (London)

“Outstanding…It is a nuanced portrayal of class and gender equality that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages…Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Great characters and wild turns of events make this book a knockout.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Fighting (literally) for their own place in the world, they discover a strength they never knew they had.” BookPage

“Freeman cleverly uses Ruth and Charlotte to show how nineteenth-century women, no matter their circumstances, had few choices in their lives. Her evocation of the seedier aspects of Georgian England is persuasive, even for readers who don’t know a cove from a cull.” Publishers Weekly

“In sensuous, evocative prose, The Fair Fight wholly captures the spirit of eighteenth century Bristol’s female pugilists and their patrons. An absorbing, bawdy tale of passion, class conflict, and surprising friendship, it’s a fabulous piece of writing.” Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of The Painted Girls

Awards

• BookPage Top Pick
• New York Times   Bestseller
• Kirkus Reviews Pick
• Library Journal Best Book