“Bowne’s debut is a triumph… almost impossible to put down.”

— Daily Express on Cows Can’t Jump

Awards & Shortlists

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Awards & Shortlists 〰️

 

Winner of the Spotlight
First Novel Prize

— Adventures in Fiction

Not the Booker
Prize longlist 2020

— The Guardian

The People’s Book Prize

— Shortlisted, 2021

  • “Innovative, punchy and tender, Cows Can’t Jump maintains a balance of tone, a trueness of voice, laugh-out-loud humour and stiletto-sharp wit. Bowne’s debut is a performance of real originality and extraordinary promise. I can’t wait to see what he does next.”

  • “Cows Can’t Jump announces a major talent. Bowne’s touch is light, but his themes resonate: faith, family, race, and (whisper it) Brexit. The prose sparkles like sunshine hitting the English Channel. Philip Bowne is going to be a superstar.”

  • “Part coming-of-age story, part European travel adventure, Phil Bowne’s debut novel deftly mixes laugh-out-loud hijinx with moments of true poignancy, and is filled with memorable scenes and a cast of eclectic, authentic characters. Billy is a brilliant narrator-pilgrim for the next generation.”  

“Cows Can’t Jump is lively, it's funny, its style is bold and fearless. A joy to read.”

— The Lancashire Times

  • “Cows Can’t Jump leapt out for its boldness, confidence and humour. Philip is a gifted and perceptive writer with a fine eye for detail, dialogue and characterisation...a fresh take on the classic rite-of-passage, in the mould of The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi and Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin.”

  • “Sharply observed, well-paced, funny, and has a poignancy that is at times surprising. One can easily imagine the book as a movie. It’s incredibly visual, Bowne deftly sketching his characters and landscape with the ease of a seasoned pro. Bowne’s humour and lightness of touch turns this book into the unexpected, a gem. Recommended.”

  • “As a reader, the switches between the humour and tragedy are unnerving. One minute, you can be laughing out loud and the next shocked at the poignancy of what is being related. This makes the novel an absolutely compelling read, although it is not always a comfortable experience […]  I genuinely loved this book and look forward to seeing what Bowne produces next.”

“I loved the humour in the book, I loved it from page one. Cows Can’t Jump is joyous.”

— OneMoreWord.uk