The Boxer and the Blacksmith (When the Blood Is Up)
“The best lady boxer in London” is an odd accolade to see in Regency-era England (1811-1820). Yet, one of the protagonists of Edie Cay’s second of a planned trilogy is exactly that. Following upon her successful initial novel, A Lady’s Revenge, this tale centers on two “misfit” characters who—much like fighters in a ring—are bobbing, grappling, and weaving to arrive at a satisfactory outcome.
The reader follows the adventures of a blacksmith named Os Worley (noted to be a “person of color”) along with notable champion female boxer Bess Abbott. This is not a simple “who-done-it”; rather, the author twists a complex and layered narrative with a host of supporting individuals often struggling on the fringe of contemporary society.
Drawn together, both Bess and Os are searching for personal resolution to a basic human need: Os desires to find his long-lost mother in a teeming London, while Bess questions her very existence and what might the future hold for a woman such as herself.
The author provides an enthralling story that illustrates life in Regency London. Her dialogue is crisp and pointed and not overly complicated. Life is hard for those not of the social elite, and everyday trials and tribulations are explored, often in exquisite detail. Cay embraces the linguistic oddities of the period and highlights specific words and terms to emphasize reality: bosky, chit, doxy, kinchin, nugging-house, pugilist, and whapper, along with a plethora of other past and lost linguistic curiosities that add an authentic tone to many descriptions.
This is not a straightforward tale. Numerous twists and turns engage the reader and offer insight into the lives of Londoners of the time. There is indeed a somewhat satisfactory resolution, but storm clouds are foreshadowed.
