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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn. What a wonderful debut novel!! This book is about a father and son who are struggling after their wife/mom passed away from a car wreck. Danny is struggling to help his son who has not spoken since the accident, struggling keeping his landlord off his back so he can work and pay the rent, and then Danny loses his job. What happens next will make you laugh out loud, cry, tug at your heart strings and cheer for them both! Each character plays an integral part of the story and best of all this story has redemption. It may not be the redemption you think, but it is definitely worth the read! I adored this book!!
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I chose this book because I liked the cover, the synopsis seemed simple but meaningful, and a quick search online showed positive reviews. After reading this, I have some mixed feelings. Bear Necessity certainly had its good points (likeable characters, clear distinction in point of view, emphasis on friends and family, feel-good ending) but I had some issues with it. As a whole, I felt like the author lost control of the well-established story arc presented in the first few chapters and synopsis. The over-the-top characters, quick resolutions to apparent difficult issues, and frequent plot changes left me wondering what the author was intending for the overall direction and tone of the book. In short, I’d recommend this for a quick and easy, feel-good read but not if you are looking for much depth or meaning.
So I mentioned some issues…here are my thoughts below. Like the ideas in this book, they are all over the place.
WHAT IS THE POINT?
I don’t think Gould-Bourn accomplished what he was trying to achieve. After finishing, I have concluded that the main point of the book is Danny’s personal growth by discovering what is important to him and making an effort to achieve and appreciate it. The problem is, I wouldn’t say that Danny has grown as a character throughout the story. He has indeed reconnected with his son and found a way to make money that he enjoys but these seem more circumstantial rather than based on his growth as a character. I don’t believe that he learned from his experiences enough that if he were to be confronted with another difficult situation, he would react any differently than he would have at the beginning of the book.
OVERALL TONE
The synopsis eludes to a meaningful and uplifting story of a father and a son reconnecting and discovering what is important in life. While that did happen, the tone of the book felt neither meaningful nor uplifting. The overenthusiastic characters and unrealistic plot twists resulting in quick and random resolutions made the driving struggles of the characters seem irrelevant and easily fixable.
SIDE CHARACTERS
I genuinely liked all the characters that Gould-Bourn brought in (Ivan, Mo, and Tim are just lovely) but WOW were they ever over-the-top in their interactions. It seemed like the dialogue was pushed to the extreme. There was definitely some Abbott and Costello’s Who’s on First vibes there with the security guards. Although the side characters had big personalities, they lacked the depth for me to believe that they could exist any way outside of their interactions with Danny and Will to further the plot. Mr. Coleman, for example, was introduced as a dynamic and empathetic teacher that encouraged Will to open up but disappeared from the storyline right after Will started interacting with Danny in the park.
WHERE IS THIS DANCE PRODIGY COMING FROM?
Okay, I can believe that the mother was a great dancer. And maybe Will had some inborn rhythm plus time spent dancing with his mom growing up. Danny’s skill however, I can’t get behind. How can someone with literally no sense of rhythm progress to the point of being offered a job where people pay to watch him dance in a matter of weeks? Stamina and skill don’t just happen! I know he practiced but that needs A LOT of practice. I DID really like how dance was used as a tool for Danny to reconnect with his son and his wife and to inspire him to create a life for himself that he enjoys. I am still behind the thought that it is all coincidental that he is doing something that he likes and not because of some great personal growth…
HAPPY ENDING OVERLOAD
All the loose ends were tied. Mo and Will are now friends with their former bully, the threat of violence from Dent completely reversed onto Reg because of a coincidental familial relationship, and Danny is now financially stable with a lucrative dancing job that was just offered to him out of nowhere. All was well. The only thing missing was the classic pairing of literally every available heterosexual couple that frequent holiday romcoms. I felt annoyed that in the last pages, Mark and Mr. Coleman were brought back in as if they had some major role in the story other than coincidently showing up to move the plot/drama along. I’m all for happy endings, but I feel like a lot of the meaning behind the struggles of the main characters are overshadowed when they are quickly resolved and forgotten like that. The only unhappy ending in the book was the fate of Derek the rabbit. Can someone please tell me why the author chose to bring a random bunny in then have it go missing to chew up a wire and die all within two chapters?
I WILL CONCLUDE NOW
This review was hard to write. It was difficult to organize the many thoughts I jotted down while reading. During reading, I wondered what the point of the book was but now I question the same thing about this review. A discussion point perhaps? Given the amount of rambling I gave on my issues with it, it seems contradictory that I give it 3 stars. However, I DID still enjoy the quick read. I would recommend it to people I know so that we can talk about it. I think it’s a good book to discuss.
So I mentioned some issues…here are my thoughts below. Like the ideas in this book, they are all over the place.
WHAT IS THE POINT?
I don’t think Gould-Bourn accomplished what he was trying to achieve. After finishing, I have concluded that the main point of the book is Danny’s personal growth by discovering what is important to him and making an effort to achieve and appreciate it. The problem is, I wouldn’t say that Danny has grown as a character throughout the story. He has indeed reconnected with his son and found a way to make money that he enjoys but these seem more circumstantial rather than based on his growth as a character. I don’t believe that he learned from his experiences enough that if he were to be confronted with another difficult situation, he would react any differently than he would have at the beginning of the book.
OVERALL TONE
The synopsis eludes to a meaningful and uplifting story of a father and a son reconnecting and discovering what is important in life. While that did happen, the tone of the book felt neither meaningful nor uplifting. The overenthusiastic characters and unrealistic plot twists resulting in quick and random resolutions made the driving struggles of the characters seem irrelevant and easily fixable.
SIDE CHARACTERS
I genuinely liked all the characters that Gould-Bourn brought in (Ivan, Mo, and Tim are just lovely) but WOW were they ever over-the-top in their interactions. It seemed like the dialogue was pushed to the extreme. There was definitely some Abbott and Costello’s Who’s on First vibes there with the security guards. Although the side characters had big personalities, they lacked the depth for me to believe that they could exist any way outside of their interactions with Danny and Will to further the plot. Mr. Coleman, for example, was introduced as a dynamic and empathetic teacher that encouraged Will to open up but disappeared from the storyline right after Will started interacting with Danny in the park.
WHERE IS THIS DANCE PRODIGY COMING FROM?
Okay, I can believe that the mother was a great dancer. And maybe Will had some inborn rhythm plus time spent dancing with his mom growing up. Danny’s skill however, I can’t get behind. How can someone with literally no sense of rhythm progress to the point of being offered a job where people pay to watch him dance in a matter of weeks? Stamina and skill don’t just happen! I know he practiced but that needs A LOT of practice. I DID really like how dance was used as a tool for Danny to reconnect with his son and his wife and to inspire him to create a life for himself that he enjoys. I am still behind the thought that it is all coincidental that he is doing something that he likes and not because of some great personal growth…
HAPPY ENDING OVERLOAD
All the loose ends were tied. Mo and Will are now friends with their former bully, the threat of violence from Dent completely reversed onto Reg because of a coincidental familial relationship, and Danny is now financially stable with a lucrative dancing job that was just offered to him out of nowhere. All was well. The only thing missing was the classic pairing of literally every available heterosexual couple that frequent holiday romcoms. I felt annoyed that in the last pages, Mark and Mr. Coleman were brought back in as if they had some major role in the story other than coincidently showing up to move the plot/drama along. I’m all for happy endings, but I feel like a lot of the meaning behind the struggles of the main characters are overshadowed when they are quickly resolved and forgotten like that. The only unhappy ending in the book was the fate of Derek the rabbit. Can someone please tell me why the author chose to bring a random bunny in then have it go missing to chew up a wire and die all within two chapters?
I WILL CONCLUDE NOW
This review was hard to write. It was difficult to organize the many thoughts I jotted down while reading. During reading, I wondered what the point of the book was but now I question the same thing about this review. A discussion point perhaps? Given the amount of rambling I gave on my issues with it, it seems contradictory that I give it 3 stars. However, I DID still enjoy the quick read. I would recommend it to people I know so that we can talk about it. I think it’s a good book to discuss.
A cute light comedy about a dad just trying to keep his son happy and give him a stable life after his wife dies, so.... he decides to try making money by dancing in a panda costume.
It is an easy and fast read with comedic randomness.
It is an easy and fast read with comedic randomness.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
