magicofthepages's review
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
emiliakennedy's review
3.0
When I initially pick this book up I thought the plot sounded really interesting, thought us seemed to have a bit like a female peaky blinder + Romani traveler vibe. Unfortunately this book fell a bit short for me there was nothing the felt like the driving force for the plot and read as if someone were simply recounting there life story in a slightly bland way. There is a lot of potential in this book that I think the author didn't tap into sadly.
xnikkiheart's review
3.0
This was another book I contemplated DNF-ing. It had such great promise and then... just fell flat. I think the worst part was how slow it started, I didn't really get excited about anything until maybe 75% of the way through and it was just a push to get there. Not my cup of tea.
Thanks to #NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of #Featherweight in exchange for the honest review.
Thanks to #NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of #Featherweight in exchange for the honest review.
lory_enterenchanted's review
Reviews and more on my blog: Entering the Enchanted Castle
Really loved the atmosphere, characters, and voice of this one. The way it switched from Annie's first-person narration to third-person was a little jarring and unexplained, but I shrugged it off as I was enjoying the story overall. I think the plot could have used a boost, however; there is a love story with absolutely no tension, for example. Sweet but quite boring. It seemed the author wanted to bring in excitement through fistfights, but I started to skip the blow-by-blow descriptions as those also are dull for me. Others may differ!
More interesting was when Annie was first learning to fight and she described it as a process of reading. I would have appreciated more on that theme. She did learn to read, as well, but there was not much about that except her gushing about how lovely Burns and Wordsworth were.
Really loved the atmosphere, characters, and voice of this one. The way it switched from Annie's first-person narration to third-person was a little jarring and unexplained, but I shrugged it off as I was enjoying the story overall. I think the plot could have used a boost, however; there is a love story with absolutely no tension, for example. Sweet but quite boring. It seemed the author wanted to bring in excitement through fistfights, but I started to skip the blow-by-blow descriptions as those also are dull for me. Others may differ!
More interesting was when Annie was first learning to fight and she described it as a process of reading. I would have appreciated more on that theme. She did learn to read, as well, but there was not much about that except her gushing about how lovely Burns and Wordsworth were.
wordsaremything's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Fighting is all about watching and reading and knowing where they are gonna go next. It's about seeing where the space is before they fill it: the size of the space tells you how they are gonna fill it up with a shot. It is about hearing their breathing: in when they pull back, out when they let go.
I remember walking around a Barnes and Noble, months ago, and seeing this book in the New Fiction section. I picked it up because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, and the blurb sounded interesting, so I put it on my TBR. There it has sat since it was released last March. No more!
Annie, our protagonist, is a young Romi girl who is sold when she's about 10. Her mother is pregnant, newly widowed, and has several other children to look after. Annie is purchased (adopted, more like it) by a Romi man, Bill Perry, who is a retiring boxer. Bill essentially becomes Annie's father, and as she grows into a young woman, she learns all sorts of things about the world around her — how to run an alehouse, how to box, how to hold her ground, how to read, and how to navigate the world as a young woman pugilist in the mid 1800s.
There are some far-fetched adventures in this, I will admit. Especially in the latter part of the book. But I loved Annie and Jem, Bill and Janey. I found myself fairly invested in the boxing matches, even though I am not a fan of boxing — maybe I just need to time travel to the 1800s and watch bare-knuckle fights?
A cute read for anyone who wants something mostly light (note: potential triggers behind the spoiler [
But looking up at the sun glowing through the leaves, and hearing the scutter of sparrow wings, I saw the underside of everything and I knew I was going somewhere that day like them martins knew they was destined for a journey.
I remember walking around a Barnes and Noble, months ago, and seeing this book in the New Fiction section. I picked it up because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, and the blurb sounded interesting, so I put it on my TBR. There it has sat since it was released last March. No more!
Annie, our protagonist, is a young Romi girl who is sold when she's about 10. Her mother is pregnant, newly widowed, and has several other children to look after. Annie is purchased (adopted, more like it) by a Romi man, Bill Perry, who is a retiring boxer. Bill essentially becomes Annie's father, and as she grows into a young woman, she learns all sorts of things about the world around her — how to run an alehouse, how to box, how to hold her ground, how to read, and how to navigate the world as a young woman pugilist in the mid 1800s.
There are some far-fetched adventures in this, I will admit. Especially in the latter part of the book. But I loved Annie and Jem, Bill and Janey. I found myself fairly invested in the boxing matches, even though I am not a fan of boxing — maybe I just need to time travel to the 1800s and watch bare-knuckle fights?
A cute read for anyone who wants something mostly light (note: potential triggers behind the spoiler [
Spoiler
some racism again Romi people including use of the slur g*psy, time-appropriate sexism since women didn't yet have the right to vote, violence since they are boxers and there is always alcohol around, brief mention of parent death/child death/institutionalization/suicide</spoiler] and speedy!But looking up at the sun glowing through the leaves, and hearing the scutter of sparrow wings, I saw the underside of everything and I knew I was going somewhere that day like them martins knew they was destined for a journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Child death
marieke_du_pre's review
Sadly, I DNF this book at 21%. I hate it when I do, especially when it’s an ARC but I decided a couple of weeks ago that I want to enjoy reading and don’t want to struggle to finish a book.
The DNF is definitely on me. I shouldn’t have requested this book. I was too eager when I requested it, I think, and am regretting it now. I have been pushing it backwards on my TBR for a while now and that’s not the best way to start reading a book. And when I finally started reading I found it too slow.
So, please check out other reviews if you want to read this one!
I received an ARC from Canongate Books US and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The DNF is definitely on me. I shouldn’t have requested this book. I was too eager when I requested it, I think, and am regretting it now. I have been pushing it backwards on my TBR for a while now and that’s not the best way to start reading a book. And when I finally started reading I found it too slow.
So, please check out other reviews if you want to read this one!
I received an ARC from Canongate Books US and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
teveritt's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
_inge_'s review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is a fine read to me, but it didn't particularly grab me. It was interesting enough to hold my attention and it is written well, nothing annoyed me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Suicide