Jack has grown up as a fighter; he lives and breathes the boxing ring. Hardened by his abusive father, distant mother and the tragic tale of his only love, he can never stop fighting. Will he ever taste success? Emily Bullock’s debut novel is captivating in its beautiful portrayal of grief and love. The reader is drawn into 1950s East London and immediately thrown into the sweat, passion and desperation of the boxing ring. Bullock’s intricacy and originality of theme complement the complex yet endearing protagonist and from the opening of the novel, the reader is rooting for Jack’s success. Page by page, Jack and his life become all the more real, until he fills the reader’s imagination and the novel can’t be put down. Brilliantly written, genuinely engaging: a great read.
