A review by anusha_reads
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel

adventurous informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

BOOK #4 HEADSHOT, RITA BULLWINKLE, LONGLISTED FOR #BOOKERPRIZE2024

I was a little sceptical about picking up this book, as I thought it would be savage. I'm not a person who enjoys watching such harsh sports. I detest violence, but to my surprise, it turned out to be a very pleasant read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author has packed a punch in this short book Although it centres around a boxing tournament, the author skilfully portrays the thoughts and feelings of the eight contestants while exploring their pasts and futures.

It feels like watching a stunning act performed by each boxer, with outstanding performances throughout.

Every chapter is a match. In each one, I would predict a particular boxer to win, but my assumptions were always wrong. I couldn’t guess the final winner either. The outcome was unpredictable.

 

Eight girls from different walks of life come together to fight in the ‘Daughters of America’ tournament. One thing I noticed is that the author refers to the characters by their full names throughout the book. This was something new.

 

The book paints a vivid picture of how the players work and fight assiduously to win the title, undeterred by the injuries that might render them useless later in life.

These teenage girls are caring; they play hand-clapping games and braid each other's hair. Some are well-trained and come from families of boxers, while others haven't put in as many hours of practice. Some wear makeup and dress well; others don’t bother with their appearance, and some even dress strangely. Despite these differences, they are all energetic, competitive, athletic, focused, and ambitious. One girl has a remarkable memory and can recite the value of pi (π) up to 15 digits. Some are good at defence, some are mobile, some strategize, and some yell when they lose. They are all determined to win the tournament.

It was a great read, contrary to my fears.