The Shadow Boxer

Steven Heighton's book is like something written in the 1940s, with all the passion, turmoil and poetry of that era. It's hard to recconcile this overwhelming impression with the chronology of the storyline that places the action in a different era. I wish Otto Preminger were still around, it would take a film-maker of his magnitude, unafraid of the corny and the obvious, to tackle this novel and whip it into a sprawling film. Heighton is loaded with talent and the relationship between Sevigne Torrins and his father is magnificently drawn. Like Michael Ondaatje, Heighton is a Canadian poet of repute but the parallels stop there. I liked "The Shadow Boxer" a lot and I wonder why it wasn't more of a success in the USA. Indeed I wonder how it did in Canada, where it might be considered a book sort of in the vein of Leonard Cohen's turbulent novel "Beautiful Losers" from the 1960s.

I've read all of Heightons work and found SHADOW BOXER to be the 'can't put down book' of the year. The book is full of emotion a real man vs nature / man vs himself reflection. Men of all ages should read this book it makes you think and then makes you pause and evaluate where and what your battles may be.

Great impression I got since first pages of this surprising and eminent work of Steven Highton an author still unknown for me. The history, the atmosphere, the rithm and superb quality of writing has touched and troubled me. I found in this book the remote and always powerful world of images, sounds and architecture I received when I met the great authors of universal literature of all the times. I even was obliged to stop some times the reading because of the excessive charge of emotion and toughts the book comunicates with the strenght of an immense river. The Shadow Boxer has been a capital experience I wouln't hope to meet again in a young author og these days and I recommend this book to everyone is looking to find in books the supreme and rare deed of beauty and truth. Hoping Steven Highton will come to Italy and meet his italian readers.

THE SHADOW BOXER is a great coming of age story that becomes a love story, adventure story, and, at the end, a meditation on what really matters in life. I've not read any of Heighton's other books, but his romantic style and deeply feeling narrative make me want to -- I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for something to curl up with on a rainy day.

Steve Heighton writes like an angel. This novel is very atmospheric, and his prose is truly lovely. Although set in Canada, I could relate easily to the struggle for love and maturity in the modern world. I really look forward to reading more by this gifted writer- I can easily see how he is a poet, too.Good writing, good story- highy recommended.