Some the observations made are bang on and further show that Kevin has far from forgotten where he is from I particularly like the c##t comment and irony about the westend. The more deeper observations about the male mental health struggle, the social mobility in our society, the moral issues of crime and general state of Scotland are subtle but make the point clear, this for me a real skill and is hard to achieve for even well established authors. An unexpectedly down-beat read. Not at all what I was expecting. Given it’s the author’s first proper novel, it gets the benefit of the doubt as being OK, as it had a few decent parts. However, I suspect if his name wasn’t already so well known, this wouldn’t have got published as it also had many flaws, and wasn’t much fun to read.

Kevin Bridges on The Black Dog: Drug deaths no laughing Kevin Bridges on The Black Dog: Drug deaths no laughing

I have read quite a few books recently from celebrities, particularly comedians. It seems to be an assumption that someone who is funny in a stand-up routine can seamlessly transfer those skills to paper. I don't know where I stand on this phenomenon - part of me thinks its unfair on writers who must have an eternal struggle to get anything published. People who have worked and grafted tirelessly for years must be so frustrated to see someone famous come along and get their novel published on name recognition alone. Publishers must know that the name alone will sell books and it is much lower risk for them than taking a punt on someone unknown. The main challenge with the book is that this is about 80% of what actually happens. There’s so little action, that it really drags a lot.

Also, the final scene is beyond words. An absolutely, unexpected but hilarious ending which is just what the book required. A truly brilliant book, the best ARC I’ve read this year, a sure in for my top 10 books of the year. This book was written, like many from people who are not considered novelists, during the pandemic when many people had nothing else to whilst at home so I am not sure whether we will get any more from Mr Bridges but I certainly hope we do and I would love to follow Declan on his journey ahead.

The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of

Kevin Bridges has made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian and grew up in Clydebank - so not technically Glasgow , but close enough to have a good understanding of the kindof lives described in this story. The are elements of humour but very much from the darker end of the spectrum, and some of the language and behaviour reflects the toxic masculinity and misogyny that can be rife in small town communities in the west of Scotland. I love this book. Brilliantly drawn, believable characters of raw heart and honesty. Cannot recommend enough.' Matt Coyne This book is a character lead novel,for sure, although the story/plot itself would still be good even without such well written characters the fact the characters are so well developed is a added bonus.And although I was eager to find out the fate of our characters, the plot sometimes felt as though it dragged along without purpose. A strong start and an excellent ending, but somewhere in the middle I began to lose concentration. However, people like Richard Osman and now Kevin Bridges have convinced me that it is not always a bad thing. That some people's talents can move away from their day job into a new field and can be a success.

The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of

Yet another UK comedian tries their hand at writing a novel and the good news is that Kevin Bridges can actually write. The downside for me is that parts of it are somewhat overwritten as some passages just go on and on. Both Declan's and James's lives are in trouble but maybe a chance meeting will give them both an opportunity to inspire each other to greatness..... He has his pet Labrador for companionship and his best friend-turned-mentor, a pseudo-intellectual who works as a greenskeeper at the local municipal golf course, both of which help keep the worst of his anxieties at bay. But following a drunken row with local gangsters, Declan's worries threaten to spiral out of control. Anyway, after delivering it, he is mortified and gets drunk and does something stupid to the wrong person in the pub which sets off a chain of events which kinda spirals out of his control. Kevin Bridges is a comedian I find absolutely hilarious and this book isn’t actually what I expected. It was a very touching story that of course had funny moments but it had so much heart and soul to it.Declan was just a wee lamb! Trying to hold it all together but struggling with anxiety and doubt. I loved his character growth. His mum and sister were amazing too. Doof Doof was the friend that everybody needs! He was just such an amazing character and supportive friend. I know he was more of a side character but he was my favourite character and I want only amazing things for him. Even the ‘baddies’ felt realistic. It would have been so easy to make them caricature gangsters. I’m a huge fan of Kevin Bridges’ comedy, which tends to feature comedic tales. Based on his stand up, I viewed him as a gifted storyteller. So I was beyond excited to read his first work of fiction and I was not disappointed! There’s nothing I love more than reading a book written by a comic as they are (99% of the time) incredible storytellers. This book was no exception to that. Though his comedy shined through in this book, the story of a young man trying to find his place in the world is not lost or drowned in comedic wit. The characters in this book are raw, they’re honest, and they’re relatable to readers. I especially loved Declan, as I’m also living with anxiety on the daily and I love seeing this rep in books, I just wanted to give Declan a big cuddle and try to quiet his doubts and anxieties. This was a highly enjoyable read and should definitely be on your reading lists this summer/autumn. As I said, there is a focus on mental health, and especially the kind of poor mental health that comes out of modern life – I will leave you with the quote from the book that I felt most distilled what I’ve often tried to articulate: MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window)

The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges - REVIEW - The Coycaterpillar The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges - REVIEW - The Coycaterpillar

A life-affirming debut novel from one of Britain’s most-loved comedians, Kevin Bridges – exploring dysfunctional friendships, family, and how to face your problems head on. This was such an enjoyable book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was a bit hesitant coming into this book. With Scottish authors, particularly those from Glasgow, there can often be a tendency towards being overly reliant on Scottish vernacular. Whilst this can add to the authenticity of the story, ah hate when some wee writers hink its awrite tae write like this aw ra time. It can make a good story difficult to read, even those who have lived and worked in Glasgow. This is not a comedy novel by a comedian - Kevin has been candid in the past around his own struggles with mental health and his debut novel reflects this. It is a sensitive portrayal with both main characters struggling in their own ways to survive and working to find their way through the challenges they are faced with. Love Kev IN but this book is terrible. People want to like it because he is funny and likeable but it has virtually no plot.And you don’t have to look too far to see parallels with this fiction and Bridges’ own life, from his own working-class roots in Clydebank to fame and acclaim in stand-up. Indeed, he’s spoken about his mental health struggles as part of the pre-publication publicity for this title. Declan dreams of becoming a writer. He knows he has it in him, he’s even signed up to a local art centre to take a writing course. His version of writing isn’t well received by his peers, it’s too visceral and leaves him feeling downtrodden. So, in typical Scottish fashion, he gets completely wasted. This leads to dire consequences and like all Scottish people the morning after – they vow to never drink again. But I kinda hated the fact that there were no chapters which made it hard to break. There are obvious natural breaks but it still made it hard to work out reading time and when to stop. I just LOVED this book – it’s written in large chunks, from each of the main characters’ points of view, rather than in shorter chapters and this works really well. There’s an openness in the characters that an alternative format might not have allowed.