The Fair Fight

The cover of the library's edition.

A fantastic, debut historical novel about a female pugilist (prize fighter) raised in a brothel and the unlikely friendship she forms with an upper-class woman. The horrifying examination of living conditions and social stratification in late 18th century England never overshadows a plot that one reviews calls "a ripping good yarn."

The point-of-view shifts between pugilist Ruth, lady Charlotte, and George, a handsome young friend of Charlotte's brother. There's quite a bit of overlap with the characters telling their own versions of events, but these repetitions are always worthwhile, and all three voices are distinct and authentic. Ruth and Charlotte are both strong female characters despite circumstances that would overwhelm a lesser woman. Ruth's scrappiness saves her from a life of a maid in her mother's brothel and she manages to find true love on her own terms. Charlotte, scarred by a pox outbreak that killed two of her siblings and eventually her parents, is limited by the societal norms she must follow, but learns to take control of her life. George is a worthless fop, even if he aspires to be more, and serves as a foil to the two heroines.

My one complaint is about the cover. The library copy I read features a lovely, but somewhat bawdy woman -- so she is neither Ruth (who describes herself as quite unattractive even before brawling takes its toll on her physically) nor Charlotte (who is scarred and wouldn't dress so slatternly). Possibly it's supposed to be Ruth's older sister, who their madam mother puts to work at a shockingly young age. At any rate, this cover is more suitable, in my opinion:

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The winner, and still champeen.