Bow Grip by Ivan E. Coyote

Bow Grip Reviews

• 
  Nancy

  Posted at
  Shelf Inflicted
  
  Joey Cooper is a 40-something mechanic from a small town in Alberta, Canada who must pick up the pieces of his shattered life after his wife, Allyson, moved to the big city with another woman. Joey’s journey to self-discovery and fulfillment begins with some time away from work to return his ex-wife’s possessions, solve the mysterious disappearance of the stranger who bought a used car from Joey’s shop, and learn to play the exquisite hand-made cello he received from the stranger in exchange for the car.
  
  I loved this spare, engaging, and elegantly written story with its cast of quirky and colorful characters that help Joey discover life can be full of joy and wonder. The characters were so well drawn and interesting that I felt like I was leaving old friends behind when I closed the book. I also loved the vivid descriptions of small-town Alberta.
  
  My only gripe is the story was a little short, and everyone was so nice. I would have liked a lengthier story with more drama and conflict.
  
  While there were a few sad and touching moments, reading this story made me happy and gave me a slight warm and fuzzy feeling toward humanity.
  
  This is the author's first novel. I’m looking forward to Ivan's short story collections.
  
• 
  Bev

  Bow Grip is a heartwarming and captivating novel that I read in a couple of sittings, and not because I was under pressure to finish it for a fast approaching book club meeting.
  
  It is the story of Joey, a mechanic residing in Drumheller, Alberta, who finds himself drifting aimlessly after his wife leaves him and moves to Calgary with another woman. His mother and sister are troubled by his state and encourage him to take up a hobby before he ends up on Prozac. Coincidentally he ends up trading an old beat up Volvo for a beautiful handmade cello. With a new hobby and a desire for change in his life, Joey embarks on a getaway to Calgary where he intends to drop off the last of his wife's possessions, search out a cello teacher and perhaps learn more about the new Volvo owner. Joey checks into a rundown motel and upon realizing that he is momentarily free from the rumour mill of small community living, opens up to a couple of characters about his life, his wife leaving him for another woman, his sperm count and other matters that he considers private and best kept to himself.
  
  I found the main character likeable and growing up in Alberta, recognized the backdrop and landscape descriptions. I was also able to appreciate the author's interesting observation of Calgary; a city where there are more artistically painted cows than pay phones.
  
  I highly recommend this book.
• 
  Tobias Wiggins

  What shook me most about this novel was Ivan's portrayal of a gentle, loving and anti-oppressive masculinity. Living in rural Alberta, working in a small town car garage, being surrounded by misogyny, and having you wife leave you for another woman is more than enough to leave the protagonist, Joey, acting like your typical racist, sexist dude. Ivan breaks down many stereotypes with such elegance, it left me breathless. Bow Grip is a spectacular read, showcasing Ivan's gift for storytelling.
• 
  Melly

  I guess it was Okay, but listen, if ever it should come to your attention that I've tried to kill myself and then skipped town, and if you then take it upon yourself to go looking for my family to give them the heads-up, if it turns out that you're the kind of person who'll spend several days in my family's town just such as eating crepes and taking cello lessons and babysitting for strangers and even having sex with my family before you ever even think about telling anybody what's happened to me... maybe delegate that job, man.
  
  Maybe.
• 
  DanSk

  This was a surprise, chosen because of the rainbow sticker attached to the spine by the librarian. This tells the story of a series of unexpectedly warm friendships, new opportunities, and a beautiful - and rare - glimpse into what masculinity can be.
• 
  Jacob

  This book was so delightfully bittersweet, and by the end, just sweet. I grabbed my heartstrings from the get-go in all the right ways.
  
  Bow Grip is the story of a 40-year-old mechanic from rural Alberta whose wife has left him for another woman, and who's been in a slump for about a year since she left, but then a stranger trades him a cello for a volvo he's fixed up, and that starts him on a small and quiet but life-changing adventure. This is the first of Coyote's books I've read and their writing reminds me a little of Farzana Doctor, permeated with a feeling of hope, and focusing around chosen-family in unexpected places. It was also really refreshing to read a straight working class male character who was socially progressive, and queer-friendly, even if he doesn't always know the words to express his acceptance.
  
  There were parts of the plot that I didn't quite buy - like someone with a minor mental health problem being able to get in to see a psychologist within 24 hours - even in Alberta where the health care system is speedier than in other provinces. A few of the relationships felt a little rushed and contrived, with too many backstories shoved into too little space. But ultimately, the story still gets five stars from me because it has so much heart.
• 
  Alicja

  rating: 5/5
  
  What I absolutely loved about this novel was the wonderful character exploration. They seemed real, like people that I actually could have known. They were vividly drawn, complete down to every virtue and fault, and Joe had an amazing inner dialogue.
  
  It is so easy to sympathize with Joe Cooper, a man who a year after his wife left him for a woman is still trying to put his life together. His mom and sister are pushing for him to get a hobby. Into his mechanic shop walks in the town hermit who offers to trade a cello for a car. Joe decides he needs a hobby anyway so what the hell. This spur of the moment trade sets off a series of events that will lead him to self-rediscovery and finding his balance again.
  
  There isn't much plot, it is also slow to progress at times, but the characters completely take over this novel with their personalities. There is also some drama and a few touching, feel good moments leaving us on a positive note. I guess the down side is that its just too short! Coyote needs to write more novels, I love her short stories and life observations but this was so much better!
• 
  Tim

  A sweet story of a super-nice guy who finds his way back from the loss of his idyllic small-town life by venturing briefly into the big city. It isn't totally believable (at least for a cynical American guy) but it's a quick, fun read for those who want a contemporary fairy tale.
• 
  Rachel

  This had been on my to-read list for ages and I had no memory of what it was about or why I wanted to read it. And in the middle I was worried about a possible path that I really didn't want it to go down so I put it aside for ages (it didn't go there). But wow, what a great book that left me feeling drained but joyful.
• 
  James Brown

  This felt like a story written by one of my peers during my creative writing degree but it was actually good
• 
  Jessica Bowering

  I really loved this book. All of the characters are likable and it was nice - and somewhat rare - to read something that had no dark edge.
• 
  Erin

  I didn’t want to read Bow Grip. It had a tough spine, and I hate books with a tough spine. But it was a Christmas gift from my brother, and I like to read books that are given to me so I can thank the person and mean it. So I read it. And I owe my brother. Owe him something awesome, because Ivan E. Coyote hooked me from page one and held me the whole way through, and has me still I think.
  
  Bow River, Coyote’s first novel, introduces the reader to Joey a year after his wife has left him for another woman. He is forced to take a vacation because his mother is threatening him with Prozac and he has a car that belongs to another man and he needs to return it. The novel covers a week in Joey’s life, and a week is not - not nearly - enough. He is a character so endearing and so honest that I’ve spent the last few days wondering whether by moving to a small town in Alberta I might find my own Joey. And it’s not just him! The characters that surround him are delightful and so perfectly drawn that I could imagine both exactly who they are and somehow still think of a dozen people they remind me of.
  
  Let me now say something about short stories. I don’t read short stories. Not unless I have to. But I put down Bow River and immediately picked up Coyote’s 2000 collection, Close to Spider Man. My problem with short stories is that you just get a snippet. Just a little tease of a character or a plot, and then you’re cut off. I fall in love in that I really and truly care about well written characters, but with short stories I’m constantly being separated from the characters I have been introduced to. Happily, Coyote’s collection follows one woman and uses one (more or less) consistent narrative voice. I have every intention of going to the library tomorrow to check out the remaining three collections. Those I suppose I’d be wise to ration them, as there’s a good chance I’ll be sulky and sad when my available Coyote stock disappears. Or maybe I’ll take a break, read something else, and just let these two stunning works roll around in my head for awhile. In any event, let’s hope my string of excellent reads continues.
• 
  Robert Davis

  Ivan Coyote is a true and legitimate "storyteller." She has the unique ability to capture ordinary characters lives and make them compelling for their simple human truths. This is an honest, down to earth story, about the journey on the long road between love and loneliness.
  
  When his wife unexpectedly leaves him for another woman, Joey Cooper, a lonely middle aged mechanic begins to question his life and existence. Following his desire for changes in his condition, he trades an old car for a fine cello and travels to Calgary where he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and personal redemption. Along the way, he meets the prerequisite odd characters. This supporting cast feels as real as the bleak background landscape of Alberta, and adds to the authenticity of Coyotes story.
  
  This is a true gem of a first novel by an author best known for her short stories and spoken word performance. Her follow up is eagerly anticipated and long overdue.
  
  
• 
  Teddy

  Bow Grip takes place in present tense, in around Drumheller and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Joseph is a 40-something divorced auto mechanic, trying to move on with his life. His wife Allyson left him for his hockey buddy's wife, Kathleen and moved from Drumheller to Calgary.
  
  The story opens with Joseph trying to sell his car for cash but James Carson doesn't have any money. He does however have a cello and talks Joseph into a trade. Joseph figure that he can sell the cello but from the moment he opens the case he wants to learn how to play it. Besides, his mom has been after him to get some kind of hobbies to take his mind off his problems.
  
  James calls him back a couple of days later and said that the car wouldn't start and that he needs to go out of town. Joseph goes to take a look and finds more than he bargains for...Read the rest of my review
  here
• 
  Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!}

  I loved watching Ivan E Coyote's open mics on youtube, and reading her novel was no exception. I enjoyed the plot and I liked how she wrote the characters. It made me super nostalgic about Alberta, and I think she did an excellent job of capturing the Alberta vibes. -le sigh- I also liked how she handled the main character's attitude of his ex leaving him for a woman, it was handled in a way that showed his pain but with no homophobic slurs. My one little nit-pick was that it felt like he got better too soon in the end of the novel. I think a more ambiguous ending would have fitted better.
• 
  Maggie M

  It seems to me that this could have been a much better story than what it was. The characters all seem half-evolved to me. I got about fifty pages away from the end and felt like this would be the beginning of a good long novel. I was surprised and disappointed that it ended so early, before any of the characters had a chance to really grow on me.
• 
  Janet Bristeir

  Great writer
• 
  Audrey Trecasse

  J’ai tellement aimé ce livre! Je ne sais même pas comment en parler. C’est une surprise, un hasard, un coup de chance.
  On suit un gars qui s’est fait laissé par sa femme car elle se rend compte qu’elle est homosexuelle et se met un couple avec la femme d’un autre gars qu’il ne supporte pas. Il est propriétaire d’un garage, et sa vie se met à changer complètement suite à un transaction très particulier qu’il fait avec un autre gars de son village. Il accepte la proposition de celui-ci d’échanger une voiture qu’il vend contre…un violoncelle!
  Ca parle de pardon, d’ouverture, de comment se relever et prendre la main qui nous est tendue. Du bonbon, ca m’a fait du bien cette lecture. J’ai versé une petite larme à un moment donné, non pas parce que le passage était triste, mais parce que c’était trop beau.
• 
  Sarah

  Tried passively to track this down in used book stores for years, finally just bought it through thriftbooks, and I am SO GLAD I have my own copy, to re-read as necessary. The most Alberta book I could ask for, as queer as it can be, and still be about a straight guy. Gentle, insistent, made me homesick as hell. Endearingly dated in its references to flip phones, bar bans for smoking, and VCR's, but in a nostalgic rural kind of way. A reflection on family and healing and masculinity from Ivan Coyote, who is becoming my favourite author at breakneck speed. Recommend for anyone feeling Rural Queer, Tender Masc, or Soft Alberta Nostalgia.
• 
  capricornreader

  CW: drug use (smoking, alcohol), death (including death of a child off page), cheating/adultery
  
  This book was a gentle 5, a 5 I never saw coming. It took my hand and led me through a slow and quiet journey of one man's grief and loss after an unexpected divorce, and how he finds his way through it.
  
  This journey involves our main character Joey learning to come out of his shell, learning how to make real connections with others, getting in touch with his emotions, picking up the cello as a hobby, and finding a family in a different way than what he thought possible.
  
  Reading this book felt like a hug on a cold day, acknowledging the cold but giving a brief respite from it.
• 
  Stephanie

  3.5/5. Read it for school; it's a nice and short story of self-discovery after our MC loses his wife to another woman and ends up living day by day through the motions. However, novels like Bow Grip aren't my personal taste, so I found it boring, especially in the beginning when the MC lacks a lot of life (understandable). A few proofreading errors here and there especially at the beginning as well.
• 
  Mia

  A really quick sweet read with great characters! I grabbed it off an LGBTQ shelf so it ended up rather different from what I was really expecting but i loved it nonetheless. A great balance of dry wit and heartwarming stuff thats not spelled out in a condescending self help book kinda way. If I were to complain, all I can say is I’d appreciate a little sequel since this really only covers about a week and lots of interesting stuff had just started happening.
• 
  Cassie

  Book #24 completed for Book Riot Challenge 2019: "A novel by a trans or nonbinary author"
  For as ordinary as the characters and plot was, it was touching and made for a good read. It was as if I were looking through any one of the people I pass by everyday's life. The emotions were real, the setting was real. It was refreshing.
• 
  Larae

  This book was alright, it was like stepping into a random part of a man's life and then taking a little journey with him. It didn't grab too much of my attention, but it wasn't completely miserable to get through either.
• 
  Heather

  Bow Grip felt like a long sigh of relief shared with an old friend. I was sad to finish it as I will miss the gruff sweetness of Joseph’s narrative. Will definitely be checking out more of Ivan Coyote’s writing.
• 
  litost

  Wow. Good story, great writing. Very sympathetic protagonist, and interesting cast of side-characters. How many novels have a mechanic as the protagonist? Coyote is now one of my favourite novelists. I’m only disappointed to learn that this is their only novel. Ivan, please write more.
• 
  Alison Jacques

  I didn't love every sentence in this book, but I really did like a lot of them, and at the end I felt good. It's not often that I read a book about nice people being nice to one another, and it was really... nice!