Fight Night tells the story of Swiv, a young girl living with her very pregnant mother and very elderly grandmother. A therapist suggested that Swiv write a letter to her absent father, and through that, we get Fight Night. Swiv tells the reader all about the quirks of her family: her livewire mother, and her quirky and freewheeling grandmother. 

I’m writing this almost a year after reading it, so I’m going to be a little vague. I’ve read three Toews novels in around a year now, and this one was my least favourite, but in no way did I not like it. I thought the start was a little slow, and I had mixed feelings about the mother, but their trip to California was hilarious, and the ending was beautiful. And really, thinking about the mother after having read The Honeyman Festival, I see her in a new light too. She’s loving, fierce, and independent, just like Minn. She just also has a lot on her plate, but we are seeing it from Swiv’s view instead of her mother’s. 

At the time I wasn’t a fan (and I felt very much alone in that assessment). But in retrospect, my feelings have mellowed, and I think it was overall a sweet novel about a family of women getting by in life with the cards they’ve been dealt. They each take a different strategy, and Swiv is just starting to figure her’s out. Whether her mother or grandmother have more of an impact is up for time to tell.

As this is Miriam Toews, its worth a read if you like her other books. Its full of spirit and keeps moving at a great pace for a quick read.