The Boxer

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Featuring friendship dynamics, family relationships, racial slurs, far-right radicalisation, and the power to fight for what you feel is right and what truly matters in life, this YA story set over ten rounds of boxing is an interesting, powerful and motivational read for all ages. Although there is some violence and racial abuse, everything is handled with diplomacy but still manages to convey the genuine feelings of teenagers living in an ethnic society and how relationships suffer due to peer pressure and attitudes. This really captured the feeling of what it's like to be a minority ethnicity in the UK right now, to sometimes feel like you're surrounded by people who want to make you feel unwelcome and singled out, who don't want to understand you. Four Kings: The intoxicating and captivating tale of four men who changed the face of boxing from award-winning sports writer George Kimball Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla | Hachette Childrens UK The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla | Hachette Childrens UK

Nikesh Shukla’s latest novel, The Boxer , is out now. For more information, visit https://www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/titles/nikesh-shukla-3/the-boxer/9781444940695/ But racial tensions are rising in the city, and when a Far Right march through Bristol turns violent, Sunny is faced with losing his new best friend to radicalisation. It’s where he also befriends Keir, rising star at the gym, and Sunny’s mentor. As the two become closer, Sunny is confronted with the escalating racism in Keir’s family, as it destroys their bond.

Nikesh Shukla Press Reviews

The novel is told in ten chapters, each opening with a round-by-round description of Sunny’s first fight, a showdown against Keir. As in Shukla’s other work, food, and the preparation of it, is used as a healing and calming presence with great effect. Family, too, is central to the novel: “all that is left when everything is done”. There are many Bristol locations that readers will recognise and the book abounds with a moving sense of humanity. Ultimately there’s a lot that’s good in this book and I think that it’s worth a few hours of your time but the central theme of racism and white extremism didn’t come together for me and that is a disappointment. In March of 2019 It was reported by The Independent that “Racially and religiously aggravated offences recorded by police in England and Wales reached a record high of more than 57,600 in the 12 months to September, after jumping by 7 per cent in a year.” Now Keir and Sunny are facing each other in the ring over 10 rounds, each with a score to settle. The next ten rounds will see Sunny confront what brought him and Keir to this point and who he really wants to be … I got this from my library as part of a 'Blind Date with a Book' challenge and I did not expect to like it as much as i did!

The Boxer | WEBTOON The Boxer | WEBTOON

Like in The Boxer, racists are feeling more confident and less afraid to spew their garbage in public places. Boxer believes everything that Napoleon tells him. The language is simple and reflects Boxer's naivety, he is the strongest animal on the farm but does nothing when conditions get worse. To see him toiling up the slope inch by inch, his breath coming fast, the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground, and his great sides matted with sweat, filled everyone with admiration. The narrative device of telling the story through the course of the ten rounds of a fight is clever and works well for the most part and the way Shukla chooses to end it works for Sunny and his character, even though I wanted a bit more of a resolution with Keir.When racial tensions rise in the city and a Far Right march turns violent, Sunny is forced to make the hardest choice of all. But at the same time, The Boxer is also an optimistic work. Sunny finds a supportive community which feels like a new family, and Shukla’s masterstroke is showing these extremes side by side – the hideous racism and Sunny’s new extended family – the latter enabling Sunny to “feel like myself” and be “no longer afraid”.

Boxer - Characters - CCEA - GCSE English Literature - BBC Boxer - Characters - CCEA - GCSE English Literature - BBC

Sometimes your rating for a book depends more on how much you’re in the mood for a particular book than the book itself, and I definitely feel like that’s partly what happened here. For some reason, I was just not in the right frame of mind to read this one and that probably did have a bit of an impact on how much I enjoyed it. But don’t get me wrong – I did still like this book. I could have liked it more, is what I’m saying. The Boxer is a penetrating look at the dangers of the rise in racism in post-Brexit Britain, where right-wing extremists feel validated in their fear and dislike of anyone they see as different to themselves...Shukla has an enviable ability to get under the skins of his characters, showing life through Sunny's eyes in a way that doesn't pull any punches...The Boxer is a book that may well challenge your perceptions about the sport, if - like me - it's something you've never favoured. But seeing the world, and boxing, through Sunny's eyes did make me rethink the appeal of the sport, particularly for youngsters such as Sunny. And if it's able to help teenagers and young men like him to be more comfortable and confident in their own skins, and help them to cope better with the unhealthy tide of racist abuse that seems to be sweeping through this country, then I'm happy to have my own prejudice against the sport challenged. The Boxer, while it is a about a novice boxer, could have more accurately been titled The Anti-Racist. You’ve got the raw talent. Or you’re the underdog. But do you have the heart? Do you have what it takes? Let’s see what you’re made of. The real fight starts now! Latest ChaptersHello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Free The Boxer Worksheets and Literature Unit for Teachers - activities, vocabulary, and quizzes | edHelper.com The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever Nikesh Shukla writes nuanced books with realistic characters, and always provides heartstopping moments. - Sarah Shaffi However, this book does redeem itself in the fact I personally really enjoyed it towards the end. I know next to nothing about boxing, nor have any interest in it but I still found it entertaining. Sunny's character arc is fairly good. I would suggest this as a book to read when you have no others you desperately want to. it's okay, but not *that* okay.