"Fight Night" by Miriam Toews is a remarkable and emotionally resonant novel that truly deserves a full five-star rating. This book effortlessly blends humor, heartache, and resilience as it explores the lives of two remarkable sisters, Swiv and Addy. The narrative takes the form of a letter from Swiv to Addy, written after Addy's tragic death, and through it, Toews masterfully delves into themes of sisterhood, mental health, and the complexities of family. The prose is beautifully crafted, capturing the unique voices of the characters and drawing readers into the intimate and heartbreaking world of these sisters. The book's ability to balance humor and tragedy is a testament to Toews' exceptional storytelling, making it an emotionally charged and unforgettable read. "Fight Night" is a powerful and touching exploration of love and loss, and it's a must-read for anyone seeking a deeply moving literary experience.

I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to read this advanced copy of "Fight Night." Miriam Toews has crafted a poignant masterpiece, and I highly recommend it to anyone in search of a profoundly moving and thought-provoking story that will linger in your heart long after you've turned the last page.

I began this book months and months ago now, and I kept intending to return to it. It focuses on a grandmother, mother, and granddaughter all living in the same Toronto home. The granddaughter has been suspended from school for her aggressiveness. She’s an all-around smart aleck, and I can’t say I was too convinced by her voice. Grandmother is a “character”, verging on caricature, and mum is just generally troubled. The family, like Toews’s own, has been through a lot. A family member, the mother’s sister, has died from suicide and the members left are still traumatized. I wasn’t crazy about the book but I really lost focus when the grandmother, with her jeeper-creepers, gee-golly-gosh cliché-ridden speech took over to tell her granddaughter the story of her troubled mum. I tried; I really tried, but I’d just had enough.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a digital copy. I’m sorry that I just couldn’t get on with this book.

This was a great, funny book! While the subject matter can be quite serious at times, the way it's written through the eyes of the narrator lends an air of lightness to heavy topics. Towes weaves together the story of many generations of women in a way that that keeps the reader so engaged that ending is a complete surprise.

I usually enjoy Miriam Toews’s works and while I did enjoy this one, I found it to be lacking compared to her last few novels. I did enjoy Swiv and her grandmothers characters.

I really found the perspective on this book as my favourite part. It was so u inquest to see everything from the kid’s point of view, and it made all the trials for the 3 generations of women that much more engaging. It was also really fun to read something set in Toronto; made the story hit harder being so close to home.

FIGHT NIGHT was one of the best books that I read last year.
The story is about three generations of women. Swiv, the narrator is a nine year old young girl who lives with her pregnant mother and her elderly grandmother. After being expelled from school Swiv’s education is being overseen by her Grandmother with whom she has a special bond.
I loved FIGHT NIGHT and was not surprised to see in on multiple short lists for literary awards. The characters are engaging. They provide many humorous and heart felt moments throughout the whole book. I am a huge fan of Miriam Toews’ work and FIGHT NIGHT is one of her best.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital edition of this book.

I did not like this book. No point to it. A lot of drivel about nothing. Very disappointing as i normally like her books but not this one
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This was such a good book! It was witty and sharp in terms of the dialogue and kept me constantly turning the page. Would definitely recommend this

Honestly hate to say it, but this felt sort of like a book produced by an AI that had been pre-fed four other Miriam Toews novels. Quick read but familiar and only tenuously held together.

Fight Night by Miriam Toews

This is an extremely fun book to read and it is all from the point of view of a nine year old girl called, Swiv. She lives with her pregnant mother and her grandmother.

This whole book is a letter that Swiv is writing to her father, who had taken off to places unknown. It is a detailed account of her life and that of her family. Some of the scenes are hilarious and make you realize you should always live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

I normally love Miriam Toews books, but I was not enamoured by this one. I thought it was very good and well written but I was disappointed in it. My preference, though, as all my friends to whom I have recommended it,, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Unfortunately I did not manage to finish this book despite having enjoyed previous novels by Miriam Toews. I found the rambling of the young girl annoying and the story seemed to be going nowhere.

I just love Miriam Toews’ writing style. This is a compelling multi-generational story told in the voice of 9 year old Swiv. Swiv lives with her pregnant mother and health-challenged grandmother. Mysteriously, it seems Swiv is her grandmother’s primary caretaker, and she seems much more mature than your average nine year old. I kept envisioning her as more in the 12-13 year old age range. Despite this, I quite enjoyed this book. Definitely recommended for fans of Toews.

Contemporary Fiction | Adult
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I will read anything and everything by award-winning Canadian author Miriam Toews, and she never lets me down. In this hilarious and moving novel she has created the amazing Swiv, a feisty, terrified, curious, and tenacious nine-year-old writing to her absent father. Swiv lives in Toronto with her very pregnant mum and frail but spirited Grandma Elvira, who shows her granddaughter how to live life joyfully, with love and determination. Best described as lapsed Mennonites who follow their own version of their faith, this family sticks together no matter what. Suspended from school for “one too many fights” (“if I knew the exact number of fights I was supposed to have then there wouldn’t be this bullshit,” Swiv fumes to Elvira), Swiv spends her days helping her grandmother bathe, get dressed, take her pills and avoid accidents, and doing homeschool lessons that range from writing letters to her unborn sibling to comically odd arithmetic: “This can be today’s math class, said Grandma. If it takes five years to kill a guy with prayer, and it takes six people a day to pray, how many prayers of pissed off women praying every day for five years does it take to pray a guy to death?” No surprise this is also a scathing criticism of misogyny and organized religion, a theme common in Toews’ work. Back to this novel. Mum, an actor, is busy being pregnant while rehearsing for a play, leading to a series of spats with the stage manager. Swiv is a child of the 21st century – she is riddled with anxiety, a situation made worse by her heavy load of responsibilities (she gives Grandma her nitro puffer; if she needs three puffs it’s time to call the ambulance). Despite this, this tender tale is both charming and laugh-out-loud funny, a call to living life fearlessly and without apology, to never stop challenging those who try to put you down, “all night long” (hence the title Fight Night). While Swiv is the narrator, it’s Elvira who steals the show, singing, laughing, and dancing until she literally falls to the floor. This is another stellar contribution by Toews – it’s already been shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and I’m sure more accolades are on the way. My thanks to Knopf Canada for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks pals will find a copy on the adult fiction shelves at the Grand Forks & District Public Library.

AN innovative and captivating story, told in beautiful prose. I ultimately loved the perspective of the narrator, although it took me a while to get into. The story moves at a brisk pace but allows plenty of room for characters to breathe. This was a spectacular book.

I really enjoy Miriam Toews writing style and I have enjoyed one of her previous books Women Talking. I found this book to be powerful and bold. The main character Swiv just pulled on my heart strings. Her character was beautifully written. I loved that for a deep book it had humour in it. This book got me out of a really slump and I definitely recommend it!

Fight Night by Miriam Toews. Published in 2021. Thanks to NetGalley @netgalley for letting me read a digital copy.
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The novel is told in the form of a letter written by a precocious nine-year old named Swiv to her absent father. Swiv lives in Toronto with her pregnant actress mother and her feisty grandmother. When Swiv is expelled from school for fighting, her grandmother takes over her education. The book is heartwarming, exuberant, and absurd in a cartoonish way. Toews has such a knack for creating imperfect, eccentric, and lovable characters who struggle and triumph in their everyday lives. Reading about Swiv and her family was just delightful.
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What a unique reading experience! This novel is told from the perspective of nine-year-old Swiv, in a lengthy letter to her father. The voice was spot on and made for some hilarious moments, seeing the world through nine-year-old eyes. It was also really cool to read a story that takes place mostly in Toronto - close to home!

The background of my photo may be confusing to some, but if you've read the novel, you'll get it! It represents the adoration I have for the character of Swiv's Grandma. She brings so much humour, light-heartedness and fun to the story. If I've learned anything from this novel, it's to be a fighter, no matter what you're facing. There's always a silver lining.

As a fan of Miriam Toews other work, I was going into this book expecting good things. I ended up loving it, even more than I was anticipating. I loved the characters, and their relationships, which are the main focus of this story. I was a little bit nervous to read from the perspective of a child character, but I was pleasantly surprised that Swiv was a funny and interesting character. It is not often that a book truly makes me both laugh aloud and cry within one page, but this book managed that. I would highly recommend picking it up! The only thing that didn't fully work for me was that the book was supposed to be structured as a letter that Swiv was writing to her father, and I felt like that format often felt like it was getting lost.

Absolutely loved the narrator and style of this novel. I did find it hard to get into at first but it’s worth pursing if you also find that! Fresh inventive voice.