Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of Michael Farris Smith’s latest work of literary fiction, The Fighter, now available from Little, Brown and Company.
My Thoughts:
My first book by Michael Farris Smith, The Fighter, is a gift in the form of a new author to love.
Jack has lost it all many times over. This time it’s the land and historic antebellum home he inherited from his beloved foster mother, Maryann.
Jack is a fighter. For decades he has fought bare-handed and has incurred multiple concussions, which are starting to affect his cognition. On top of that, he self-medicates with painkillers. He keeps a notebook of names to help him remember who is a friend or an enemy; that’s how difficult life is for him right now.
Jack is working hard to reclaim his property when he is knocked to the ground again by a gambler who takes all his stashed money. He then is introduced to Annette, a free spirit, who promises to help him make things right again.
At this point, Jack is losing his mind and is hardly standing on his own two feet- literally and figuratively…but he has no choice but to fight one more time to earn back what is rightfully his. He is absolutely fighting for his life.
The Fighter is gritty, dark, brutal, and violent with a threadbare honesty and authenticity that brings Jack’s story to life. There is a strong sense of time and place in Jack’s world, seeing things how he experiences them. The writing is powerful and full of suffering and utter sacrifice juxtaposed with redemption. Chock-full of interesting characters, Michael Farris Smith is a born storyteller, and I was wholeheartedly invested in Jack as a character and wishing for positive outcome for him. The harsh brutality was matched with a tenderness to the emotions, and that, in my opinion, cannot be beat.
Thank you to Little, Brown for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis:
Critically acclaimed novelist Michael Farris Smith, “one of the best writers of his generation” (Tom Franklin), delivers a blistering novel of violence and deliverance, set against the mythic backdrop of the Mississippi Delta.
The acres and acres of fertile soil, the two-hundred-year-old antebellum house, all gone. And so is the woman who gave it to Jack, the foster mother only days away from dying, her mind eroded by dementia, the family legacy she entrusted to Jack now owned by banks and strangers. And Jack’s mind has begun to fail, too. The decades of bare-knuckle fighting are now taking their toll, as concussion after concussion forces him to carry around a stash of illegal painkillers and a notebook of names that separate friend from foe and remind him of dangerous haunts to avoid.
But in a single twisted night, he is derailed. Hijacked by a sleazy gambler out to settle a score, Jack loses the money that will clear his debt with Big Momma Sweet, the queen of Delta vice, whose deep backwoods playground offers sin to all those willing to pay. This same chain of events introduces an unlikely savior in the form of a sultry, tattooed carnival worker. Guided by what she calls her “church of coincidence,” Annette pushes Jack toward redemption in her own free-spirited way, only to discover that the world of Big Momma Sweet is filled with savage danger.
Damaged by regret, crippled by twenty-five years of fists and elbows, heartbroken by his own betrayals, Jack is forced to step into the fighting pit one last time, the stakes nothing less than life or death. With the raw power and poetry of a young Larry Brown and the mysticism of Cormac McCarthy, Michael Farris Smith cements his place as one of the finest writers in the American literary landscape.
Fantastic review, Jennifer. I have not read any books by this author. This sounds like a thriller. Happy Reading to you 💗🌺📚
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Thank you, Virginia! It did have some thrilling and intense moments to it for sure. Happy Thursday! 💗 xoxo
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I haven’t read any books by this author before. It sounds like a very compelling read, Jennifer! Wonderful review.
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Thanks, Chrissi! This author knows how to write, and I will definitely read more from them. I’m wondering if the others are this dark.
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wow! Amazing review, Jennifer. and such an intriguing novel!
” He keeps a notebook of names to help him remember who a friend or an enemy.” This sounds so clever and yet so pitiful. I would not want to have a notebook to remind me I have enemies. And if I need to write down the names of my friends, they are probably not friends who care about me and check on me daily. But, I don’t know what it means to have foggy thoughts related to concussions and painkillers. What a sad life though…with no control over our thoughts and with only a notebook to remind us of who we are.
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Thanks, Ink! Yes, his memory was pretty zapped because of the concussions. He was trying to cope, and I think the lists helped him. It was a definite survival mode strategy. You nailed it with that last sentence. It was like having the worst kind of dementia, at an earlier age, and with other significant physical ailments, too.
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Wonderful review Jen! Happy Thursday my friend! Are you freezing down there like I am up here??🤔🎃💕
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Thanks, Sus! Today was in the 60s (a little colder than normal), but tomorrow that storm is moving through and we are going to get a bunch of rain, a little wind, and not get above the 40s! It sounds very cold! Stay warm, my sweet friend. ♥️
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Well now this looks quite fabulous! I’ve never read anything from this author either , thank you for sharing!
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It was wonderful, Berit! You may have heard of his book Desperation Road? About 1.5 years ago, it was hugely popular. I have it but I haven’t read it yet.
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Thank you for an excellent review about a gritty book with a lot riding on his ability to keep it together for one more fight… I love the fact that this author isn’t afraid to show that repeated fighting takes its toll – something Hollywood and many other writers omit from their action adventure tales…
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Thanks so much, Sarah. I agree with what you said about Hollywood, and this author is definitely not afraid to address to gritty, dark side. It was a tough read for that reason, but the emotions present and my feelings about the main character propelled me forward.
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Not an author I’ve come across but it sounds intriguing – very gritty! Great review! 😀
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Thanks, FF! It is super gritty! I have another of his books that is referred to as his best, and I wonder if it’s this gritty and dark. It reminded me some of John Hart, and I LOVE John Hart.
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Wonderful review, Jen! 💜 I’ll check this one out. 😘 xoxo
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Thanks so much, favorite M! This author is famous for his Desperation Road. I bought it, but haven’t read it. This one is terrific, too. ♥️ xoxo
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Wow! I have Desperation Road too and haven’t read it. If only I could read faster lol. I’ll have to add this one too. 💜 Thanks, Jenn. ☺
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Great review, Jennifer. This one sounds intense but also quite compelling and different too. Glad it was a good read for you. Love the pic! It kinda fits in with the book and the MCs story.
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Thanks, Diana! It was definitely intense but emotional, too. Thanks for your compliment on the pic. I tried to reflect some of the images in the cover, which I felt fits with the story well. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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Lovely review Jennifer! Sounds like an interesting title. 🙂
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Thanks, Carrie! I enjoyed it!
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This was also my first Ferris book and I thought it was great. Won’t be my last one…..super review, Jennifer!
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Thanks, Marialyce! I love hearing that! I hope we love this other book, too!
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Gritty and brutal defintitely sound like good descriptors for this one!! I don’t think it’s my type of book, but it definitely sounds dramatic!!
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It was, Nicole! I can understand – the brutality pushed the envelope for me a bit. I wanted to cover my eyes! 😂
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That’s the tough thing about books! Ha ha! You can’t cover your eyes through the rough bits!!… Well, you can.. But, they’ll still be there when you open them back up!
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Ooh looks good Jenni, never heard of it before so thank you so much for bringing it to my attention! 🤗😘
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Thanks, Beth, and you’re welcome, too! My book yesterday and today could not be more different. 😂 ♥️
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Inspiring review, Jennifer! I sense a certain nobility in Jack. Really glad ou enjoyed it.
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I’m always a bit wary when i hear “literary fiction”. I’m not even sure why. To me that phrase goes hand in hand with pretentious.
But i do like the sound of this story and it might just be sort of book i actually enjoy with all the violence and grit 😀
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I understand, Norrie. I don’t think it’s too pretentious. Definitely approachable. The quality of the writing is outstanding, so that’s probably why it’s listed as literary. It’s definitely gritty, violent, and dark! Another author you might try is David Joy for similar type reads. ♥️
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I’ve been staring at the cover trying to figure out what it reminds me of. It’s so different! And the story sounds so compelling! I love dark, gritty stories and I *really* love redemption arcs, so thank you for the share, Jennifer! ❤
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You’re welcome, Kathy! I stared at it, too, for that same reason. Something is familiar, but I never could figure it out. If this is your kind of story, the author excels with it. ♥️
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Wonderful review Jennifer. I have not read anything by this author, but you have made this one sound like a must read. Glad you found an author you want to read more from. This book sounds really good, I will have to check it out.
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Thanks so much, Carla! He is definitely a skilled author. I need to make sure I read Desperation Road now. He is a wonderful storyteller.
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