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kay_andy's review
It didn't flow very well, and it wasn't building with the plot it would jump around a bit. Also was getting quite religious and I was getting a bit bored of it.
georgiaahxo's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
theelderbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Featherweight is a historical fiction novel set in the Far West era. We follow Annie, a young Romani who is sold to famous fighter Bill Perry. As she grows, Annie observes the fight, until one day, she enters the boxing world herself, after she has to help Bill with a fight.
I must admit I struggled a bit with this book. Old English is the norm for the writing here, and it was sometimes difficult for me to read, as I'm not used to it. Still, it was understandable, and it probably is necessary to have this type of writing and speech for such a novel. I just need to get more used to it, but for now, it was not my thing.
Still, this did not prevent the book from being extremely entertaining. I really liked the concept of having a woman in a men's world in this era. The same thing had attracted me to another historical fiction " A betting woman " by Jenni Walsh. It is also a pretty fast paced story, with action always happening. I felt it was sometimes a little too much, as I wasn't too sure what was happening for what reason. That being said, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Annie, her newfound family, and the way fighting is perceived for women throughout the pages.
Annie and the makeshift family she finds in Bill and his companions is definitely one of the highlights of the novel. Although I thought there were A LOT of characters, and I sometimes had trouble remembering who's who, Annie's direct "family" is fabulous.
After being sold, Annie feels abandoned, and keeps wondering what happened to her birth family. However, Bill really takes her in as his daughter, proudly tells everyone about her, etc. Then, throughout the story, the family grows, especially with Jem, a young fistfighter who takes a keen interest in Annie. Their relationships are really well-woven, and my heart warmed a lot when reading Annie/Bill moments. It was a nice balance between action and emotion.
In the end, although I was not the biggest fan of the novel, mostly because of the "old" writing style, it objectively is a fantastic historical fiction that takes you on wild adventures with a perseverant young woman and her unlikely family.
I must admit I struggled a bit with this book. Old English is the norm for the writing here, and it was sometimes difficult for me to read, as I'm not used to it. Still, it was understandable, and it probably is necessary to have this type of writing and speech for such a novel. I just need to get more used to it, but for now, it was not my thing.
Still, this did not prevent the book from being extremely entertaining. I really liked the concept of having a woman in a men's world in this era. The same thing had attracted me to another historical fiction " A betting woman " by Jenni Walsh. It is also a pretty fast paced story, with action always happening. I felt it was sometimes a little too much, as I wasn't too sure what was happening for what reason. That being said, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Annie, her newfound family, and the way fighting is perceived for women throughout the pages.
Annie and the makeshift family she finds in Bill and his companions is definitely one of the highlights of the novel. Although I thought there were A LOT of characters, and I sometimes had trouble remembering who's who, Annie's direct "family" is fabulous.
After being sold, Annie feels abandoned, and keeps wondering what happened to her birth family. However, Bill really takes her in as his daughter, proudly tells everyone about her, etc. Then, throughout the story, the family grows, especially with Jem, a young fistfighter who takes a keen interest in Annie. Their relationships are really well-woven, and my heart warmed a lot when reading Annie/Bill moments. It was a nice balance between action and emotion.
In the end, although I was not the biggest fan of the novel, mostly because of the "old" writing style, it objectively is a fantastic historical fiction that takes you on wild adventures with a perseverant young woman and her unlikely family.