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.

Book review: The Black Dog, by Kevin Bridges - The Scotsman

It makes it surprisingly boring. The 2 main characters were just about OK, but felt a bit cliched. Plus, there’s a whole load of secondary characters who other than maybe Declan’s mate Doof Doof (great name) and his mum, don’t really add much to the story. For example, we mostly hear about James’s wife and his sister through his inner thoughts. Neither ever really feel like very fleshed out characters. 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. 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. And this bit is important. The beginning is written in strong Scottish vernacular. But, apart from the odd word here and there later on in the book, that is it for that stuff. It's a bit hard work to get through - and I do advise you take yourself off somewhere private and read it aloud - but it is only the beginning that's like this. James Cavani - Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame - is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped.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. The plot is incited when Declan, keen to impress a barmaid he has his eye on, gets into a drunken row with some gangsters which, ultimately, ends with him in hospital. There, his path crosses Cavani’s, as the star is visiting his sister, who struggles with drug addiction. 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.

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

Nor is it a gangster novel, even though it’s partially set in the world of ne’er-do-wells. Instead it’s a multiple character study, conveyed with warmth, understanding and an optimism that even if circumstances seem bad, no conclusion is inevitable in life (even if Bridges does deploy coincidence to resolve things, it is at least credible coincidence). I'm clearly in the minority here with my star rating for this book - but I absolutely hated this book. 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. So, Declan wants to become a writer. He attends a writing course and, when we first catch up with him he is delivering a piece he has written to his fellow wannabes.

Currently Reading

The book is full of pointless waffle - dragging the plot out, making the pacing super slow. In fact, was there even much of a plot in the first place?!