The Knockout Queen

I love the unconventional duo of Bunny and Michael, though it's difficult for me to believe that the powerful and wealthy Bunny would have so quickly adopted Michael. In some ways, these characters and their actions aren't always believable, yet they are at other times. Despite issues of plausibility, they bring this story to life.

Rufi Thorpe tackles so many subjects in such a small space: abuse, addiction, sexuality, violence, class, ethics... Even though the book asks all the right questions, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room for emotion. Most telling to me was the lack of empathy for Bunny's victim. These characters gloss over any substantial remorse for this girl while the author shows constant empathy for Bunny and Michael. Despite their status as outsiders, Bunny and Michael are incredibly selfish, and I never got the impression that this was what the reader was supposed to learn from their characters. A broader understanding of compassion would've given this novel a deeper well of affect to draw from.