Publishers Weekly
06/01/2020
Gould-Bourn’s promising if contrived comic debut finds Londoner Danny Malooley grieving his wife, Liz, who died in a car accident more than a year earlier. He is also distressed that his son Will, 11, who is bullied at school, has “selective mutism” and refuses to speak. Adding to his troubles, Danny loses his construction job, which prevents him from paying his angry, vicious landlord several months of back rent. Sad-sack Danny has few skills, so he comes up with a foolhardy plan to work as a dancing panda street performer. While Danny can’t dance, his new “career” has one benefit: Will talks to the panda, unaware he is talking to his dad. Gould-Bourn generates humor from his clever supporting characters, including mouthy pole dancer Krystal (“Why you dressed like a skunk anyway?” she asks, after they meet on a bus). Krystal teaches Danny some dance moves, while his Ukrainian friend Ivan gets some of the best lines. The plot feels a bit flimsy, with things turning out almost too well for Danny, but Gould-Bourn pulls off sweet scenes of Danny becoming a more attentive dad. The story climaxes with a Battle of the Street Performers contest that provides some amusement, but this feel-good story about coping with grief ultimately feels too lightweight. Agent: Joanna Swainson, Hardman & Swainson. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
"James Gould-Bourn’s novel is a comedy of sadness and dancing bears. That alone should convince you to pick up a copy, but I’ll add that it’s a delightful story about fatherhood and childhood. And dancing bears."
—Owen King, author of Double Feature
"Fast, fresh and very very funny. Moving effortlessly from comedy to poignancy, it's a story of joy, of connection and of the overwhelming resilience of the human spirit. Reading it made me want to dance. An absolute gem of a book."
—Katie Marsh, author of The Rest of Me
"A deeply comforting story... heartfelt themes and wit further elevate charming plot twists and a well-tuned cast of quirky, supporting characters who prove that the spirit of friendship can build bridges to greater understanding and brighter days. Gould-Bourn is a beautiful, perceptive writer who has crafted a moving, sensitive story that is also very funny. Bear Necessity is a perfect literary antidote to anxious, troubled times."
—Shelf Awareness
"Refreshing.... a well-written, speedy read that focuses on the love between a dad and his son and how it can lead to friendship."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Promising, sweet... a feel-good story about coping with grief."
—Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2020-05-18
A London widower who is having trouble supporting his son turns to dancing as a panda in the park.
With the unexpected death of his wife in her late 20s, Danny Malooley has been slowly falling further and further behind on his rent. Young parents at 17, Danny and Liz were very much in love and delighted in their son, Will, even though they struggled to make ends meet as he grew up. Fourteen months after Liz’s death, however, Danny finds himself with an 11-year-old son who hasn’t spoken since the accident, so far behind on his rent that his landlord has threatened to break his legs if he doesn’t pay up, unfairly fired from his construction job, and grasping at any opportunity to make money. The realization that street performers in the park earn enough to cover his rent spurs his decision to buy a deeply discounted panda costume all but destroyed by the hard-partying college student who last rented it. Standing in the park in a smelly costume does not garner the money he’d hoped—though, shock of shocks, his son actually starts talking after Danny saves him from bullies—so he decides to start dancing in the costume. And after a chance encounter with Krystal, a pole-dancer (a near-naked performer, not a stripper, she is keen to make clear), who subsequently makes fun of his lack of skills, Danny convinces her to teach him to dance so he can try to win a street performance competition with a purse so large he’ll be able to pay off his evil landlord. The platonic relationship between Danny and Krystal is refreshing. The story hinges on the fast friendships formed on construction sites, between street performers, and in strip clubs—the latter reminiscent of the movie Magic Mike but without even a hint of voyeurism.
A well-written, speedy read that focuses on the love between a dad and his son and how it can lead to friendship.
