The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians

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The opening paragraphs are very much like that, and I was initially hesitant, however I found out the reason why and breathed a sigh of relief when I realised this was not throughout the whole book. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of f***ing b******s and c***s in this book however it did not come across as gratuitous but in line with typical Glaswegian humour and language. This may not translate well further than our shores but it worked for me. 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. Then, we jump to James getting on a flight from New York to London. He’s supposed to be doing film promotion work in London, but on arrival gets a call from his wife saying his recovering addict sister has taken an overdose, so he dumps the promo work and flies straight to Glasgow. It is all about searching within yourself to find out who you really are and the trials of living in a working class world. Kevin doesn’t add any glamour to it and it is quite raw storytelling.

The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges | Hachette UK

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. 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. A truly brilliant book, the best ARC I’ve read this year, a sure in for my top 10 books of the year. 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. The language used is very Glasgow but not over done, it is one the few books set Glasgow that uses language that is widely spoken in Glasgow.

Vulnerable and raw - this is a beautiful debut novel from the king of comedic storytelling.' Tom Allen

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

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.

The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges | Hachette UK The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges | Hachette UK

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: 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. On the surface, Declan and James have little in common – they grew up in the same town, sure, but one is an internationally known writer/director/actor, and the other is cruising through college and nights in the pub. They are both at crossroads in their lives, but whether they are taking the right path remains to be seen. Declan and James meet outside the hospital and to cut a very long and slow story short, they start to work together on a writing project.

The characters in this are relatable, realistic and honest. Declan feels like everything is on top of him and he has no meaning to his life. His life feels mundane and he is desperate to do more. Kevin writes about Declan’s pain and feelings so vividly and I loved how he portrayed James and how the celebrity life isn’t for everyone. I really hope he writes more books like this as he certainly is a talented writer as well as a brilliant comedian. 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. There’s been a lot about Kevin Bridges in the press at the moment, thanks to the release of this, his debut novel, and he has been very upfront in talking about his own struggles with poor mental health, so that perhaps gives you an indication that this book features mental health very heavily as the motivation behind much of what the main characters do. It’s understandable he might want to try a different persona as a writer. But the one he’s used comes across as self-indulgent and kinda dull. Like he’s trying too hard to show off his literary skills, and forgetting it’s story that readers want.