Tuesday, April 27, 2010

REVIEW: Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak

Fighting Ruben Wolfe is the first book I've read by Markus Zusak. I believe it's the first book he wrote (but I could very well be mistaken!). And honestly, I loved it to bits. Everyone will probably say 'you liked this, you should DEFINITELY read The Book Thief' - yes, I know this. I do. And after reading this, I am that little more excited to read The Book Thief, but books are all about timing, and I'm not ready yet. Enough of that, back to Fighting Ruben Wolfe!

Like I said, I loved Fighting Ruben Wolfe. The Wolfe family are kind of struggling. The dad's out of work, the mom (adorably referred to as 'Mrs. Wolfe') is tired and worn down just trying to get by. The youngest two brothers in the family of four children, Ruben and Cam pass the time by going to the dog races and playing One Punch in the back yard. Until things start to go badly, with people saying bad things about their sister, and their dad going door-to-door to find any kind of work. Which is when the boys start boxing in this sleazy boxing circuit to regain some of their pride and make a little money.

In the end, it's not really about boxing (though I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading the boxing bits!) but about brothers and family and pride and getting back up after you get knocked down, whether it be in the ring or in life. I absolutely adored the relationship between Ruben and Cam. Where Ruben is good looking and wise cracking, Cam is sort of sensitive and cares too much. But they both have such loyalty to each other, to their family. It was sort of heart-wrenching to read. And while everything in the book is so gritty and tough with these two boys and their not-so-great living conditions and the boxing, it's filled with so much emotion and relateable characters.

I was a bit sad that I finished it so quickly, that it wasn't longer. I will be absolutely relieved when I get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Getting the Girl. And yes, other books by Markus Zusak as well.

I don't normally write down notable passages (even though I usually feel bad that I don't) but I did while reading this book. Like this on page 80:

I'm ready now. I'm ready to keep standing up, no matter what. I'm ready to believe that I welcome the pain and that I want it so much that I will look for it. I will seek it out. I'll run to it and throw myself into it. I'll stand in front of it in blind terror and let it beat me down and down till my courage hangs off me in rage. Then it will dismantle me and stand me up naked and beat me some more and my slaughter-blood will fly from my mouth and the pain will drink, feel it, steal it and conceal in it in the pockets of its gut and it will taste me. It will just keep standing me up, and I won't let it know. I won't tell it that I feel it. I won't give it the satisfaction. No, the pain will have to kill me. That's what I want right now as I stand in the ring, waiting for the doors to open again. I want the pain to kill me before I give in...

11 comments:

  1. Great review. The boxing-thing alone would usually keep me miles away from this book + the non-recommendation of The Book Thief one of my non-blogging friends gave me (she absolutely hated it) has kept me away from this author. The boxing-things apart (which really is off putting to me, although I like gritty books) this sounds like a great read. Thanks for a well written review.

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  2. I don't think this would be a book for me but I love the passage. I adore it when passages/quotes can convey so much and be interpreted by individual experience :)

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  3. I have read his other three books and like them all a lot-I read them in the reverse order he wrote them in-your excellent review of this book makes me realize I should read it also-

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  4. A lot of people I know hated The Book Thief so it has put me off even looking at any of his books. However, I do trust your judgement, so I will look out for one of his to read.

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  5. I loved The Book Thief, but haven't heard of this one before. I was planning to read I am Messenger next, but this one sounds like it might be a good choice instead - thanks for bringing it to my attention!

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  6. I didn't know there was a prequel to Getting the Girl! I have Getting the Girl but not this one. SIGH.

    I also really liked I am the Messenger. The Book Thief is really quite different than the other books Zusak has written, I think. I think you'd really enjoy I am the Messenger, too.

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  7. I was surprised at how much I loved this book - very, very moving, I thought. And as predictable as this is, I have to say that The Book Thief has all the wonderful qualities that Fighting Ruben Wolfe has, only dialed up by a good bit.

    Aarti, not to stress you out, but there's another book even before Fighting Ruben Wolfe, called The Underdog. It's hard to get in the US, my big sister ordered it for me from Australia, I think. But if it cheers you up any, it's not as good.

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  8. Though I hear about The Book Thief more often, I preferred I Am the Messenger. Maybe it was the timing, but it changed my view of the world and my place in it -- a wonderful book.

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  9. Charley - what a wonderful recommendating for I Am the Messenger! Life altering? That's just been bumped up to the top of my TBR pile!

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  10. Jenny - Oh no, The Underdog comes BEFORE this book? What a shame. Sigh. And yes, the people who rave about The Book Thief do their raving enthusiastically! I hear you :)

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  11. Louise - thanks for the comment! I get that books aren't for everyone.

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