Watching Kevin, I was sure he was born to be a stand-up comic, but reading his book it is clear he can do absolutely anything he sets his mind to. I look forward to visiting his Michelin starred restaurant and living on his self-built space community. Everything that is great about Kevin's stand up - the characters he creates, the unapologetic root in working class life, the straddling of worlds - is what's great about this book.' Jon Richardson This was such an enjoyable book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Creating stories is an organic process for Levi. Sometimes he does a drawing and then the story might come afterwards which is common with people who write and illustrate. He likes to get the text finalised before he starts on illustrations. 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. Overall, we thought this was a very humorous tale and we enjoyed reading it together. I liked it even more when I read it a second time the next morning. There are so many details in the pictures that I simply overlooked when I read it the first time. Such a charming little story.

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.

Christmas Gifts

Wonderful story about how fear can cause something to grow out of proportion and about confronting fears. The name of the heroine, Small Hope, is a little obvious but works nonetheless. Also, the final scene is beyond words. An absolutely, unexpected but hilarious ending which is just what the book required. 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.

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 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. This book is funny, heartwarming, touching, moving, smart and just brilliant in both terms of the plot and characters. I am still laughing at the ending, a true laugh out loud read. 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. Immensely readable, fast moving and an insight into two sides of Kevin Bridges, I really enjoyed it. Kevin's warmth and wit shine through in his first novel. Never a dull moment and an array of engaging, quirky characters. A funny and absorbing read with some great insights into the world of negotiating being famous.' Jo Brand

More in Books

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. One of Glasgow’s most strongly held opinions is that Kevin Bridges is an excellent storyteller. As you sit in the audience at one of his shows, you are being taken on a journey through Kevin’s mind as he weaves hilarious tales for you, bringing you along with him to familiar places and introducing you to people who you would come across anywhere in Scotland. 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.

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.For me Glasgow is captured perfect in this book, it is not over the top with the no mean city stereotype or doesn’t romanticise places he just writes like it is, your slightly overbearing maw who loves you dearly but would boot your arse gladly.

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. Without a doubt, the story-line itself is perhaps the book's greatest triumph. Panic and anxiety can be so easy to spread, especially when (as it was in the Hope family) the true circumstances have been distorted. It's great for children to know that there are times when someone has to just stop the madness and see what all the fuss is about. Truth, whether harsh or forgiving, is more restful than any propaganda. The idea for the book was scribbled shortly after the tragic event of 9/11, while living in New York. I didn’t wake up on Sept 12 th and think ‘I’m going to change my life!’ It was more a period of osmosis. I realised that life can be intrinsically short and that I’d been doing life, not living it. This was in many thanks to the unwanted companion trotting along beside me for many years.

I felt that the whole thing was very visual – perhaps intentionally because of James’ occupation and Declan’s ambitions – but for every bit of part 6, I could see it all being played out on screen in all its sad and hilarious glory. It’s definitely something that would work well on TV.