An insightful and topical read bringing us crashing onto the comedy circuit and the dark behaviours of so-called funny men. We get up close and personal with the abusive behaviour of a beloved comedian thought to be a gem, but who turns out to be insidious. A sharp, revealing, and timely novel. #dontmakemelaugh #juliaraeside #netgalley

Ali, a radio producer, is given the task of finding a co-host for a new radio show. Initially, Don't Make Me Laugh is light and humorous, drawing you into Ali's world as she navigates comedy clubs and radio production. The characters are relatable and the dialogue quite witty, making it an easy and enjoyable read at the start.

Power dynamics and the nuances of abuse

However, as the plot unfolds, it takes a darker turn. Ali finds herself in a complex situation involving manipulation and control, and the narrative begins to tackle some serious themes. The book explores the darker side of the entertainment industry, notably toxic men on the [British] comedy circuit. It focuses on issues such as coercive control and how people can be subtly manipulated. This shift is handled well, and it's clear that Raeside is passionate about these topics and themes. The story becomes a gripping exploration of power dynamics and the value of friendship and support.

Don't Make Me Laugh addresses important themes, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations as a truly outstanding read.

One of the book's strengths is that it addresses the Me Too movement from the perspective of coercive control. Ali is not particularly naive but she is a bit starstruck. The abuse she becomes victim to is not a celebrity's 'grab them by the pussy' moment; rather she gradually falls into a manipulator's trap. The story is thought-provoking and will likely resonate with many readers, especially those interested in exploring the nuances of abuse.

The relationship between Ali and Ed highlights our tendency to [mis]interpret celebrities (or minor celebrities) by attributing personal characteristics to them based on their professional work. We all do it! We don’t see – and often don’t want to see – the hidden darker sides of actors, comedians, etc. who we’ve learned to love onstage.

The characters, especially Ali, are well developed, and you can't help but cheer for her as she navigates this challenging world. Most women will no doubt appreciate how Ali pulls herself out of her predicament, in part thanks to a group of female characters who come together to support her; the empowerment they find in each other is inspiring.

While all of this is laudable and met my expectations, as a novel Don't Make Me Laugh isn't perfect. I found it a bit heavy handed, and the pacing rather inconsistent. It starts slowly, and builds to a compelling climax, but there were moments where the narrative kind of lost me. The attempt at broader social commentary is commendable, but it sometimes got in the way of the flow of the storytelling.

And given its setting in the comedy world, I really was expecting to get more laughs out of this. Don't Make Me Laugh indeed.

But overall, Don't Make Me Laugh is a thought-provoking and significant novel. It tackles serious issues from a unique perspective and it’s certain to spark conversations. It would make an excellent book club read. And it will definitely have you looking closer at every comedian you see and wondering if….

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing an ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest no matter how I acquire the book.

A brilliant debut about the dark side of the comedy industry. A funny yet sharp story that centers Ali, a radio producer, who ends up discovering some distrusting things about a well establish comedian.
This is a book that gets better the more you read on, I initially found this a slow build but then suddenly I was hooked.
A feminist debut that you should read!

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. I found the writing style confusing and disjointed. The format of the book was also very distracting.

Great novel, enjoyed reading this so much on a recent trip.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my feedback.

Ali, a forty year old radio presenter, is tasked with bagging a comedian for a radio show. The one her boss originally wants is embroiled in some sort of scandal, but Ali meets nice guy Ed, and feels something for him which makes her want to work with him. As she (and we) get to know him better, it seems that maybe Ed is not nice after all.
This book starts off quite slowly, and builds to a denouement which had me cheering. Alive and the right women who know Ed join a collective group called The Scolds Bridle, which takes action at the Edinburgh fringe to expose poor behaviour towards women, which I very much enjoyed. This book had an alarmingly plausible premise, and the way I got drawn in as a reader echoed the way Alice got drawn in by Ed.
Clever- and I’m wondering who might be a real-life Ed!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to read this book on NetGalley. Main character Ali is a radio producer who is drawn into the world of comedy clubs whilst liaising with a comedian about an idea for a new radio show. What follows gives an interesting insight into both worlds, radio and comedy.
The book covers the important themes of coercive control and the subtle ways that this control is achieved, so subtle that the person involved is in denial and doesn’t really believe anything has actually happened to them. It’s a ‘me too’ story written from the perspective of the ‘victim’ from the start of the relationship and we can see her fall into the traps laid by an expert manipulator. From halfway through the story I was completely gripped and willing her to break free.
If you’ve seen the ‘me too’ headlines and wondered how people can get into the situation, if you’ve thought that it couldn’t happen to you, if you’ve ever wondered why people don’t just walk away, or if you’ve wondered if there is a way out for people then read this book. It’s shocking, it’s unsettling and it’s uplifting! An impressive and important debut novel.

Don’t Make Me Laugh is a book which follows radio producer Ali as she encounters a comedian who is a “nice guy” within the world of creepy comics.

It’s not that I don’t believe that stories like this need to be shared and discussed, this just didn’t particularly pack any punches in my opinion. Meandering yet lacking depth, Don’t Make Me Laugh felt a little half-baked for me - maybe I just expected to feel more sympathy for the characters, which was difficult as they weren’t very fleshed out. A “good for her” kind of story, the tale does have a rather satisfying ending, however the build-up fell flat for me. Frankly, I was bored!

Shoutout to Liverpool featuring in the book though, even Bootle got a mention! #represent

2 stars⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

This was such a gripping read, it brings you to see a beneath the surface view of stand up comedy / comedians. It presented a very important topic that I hope is read by the masses.

I liked the premise of this book. Women have long been treated badly by men, and uprisings happen on a regular basis historically. But compare Scold's Bridle to the Suffragettes, and they are a little disappointing. I had hoped for some really strong female characters, but Ali, Sid and Summer were a little wishy washy for my liking.
The final scenes with Ed left me wondering if he had learned anything.

Don't Make Me Laugh
By Julia Raeside

This book didn't make me laugh. It deals with difficult issues which are important to address, however I find the writing style aggravating. The pacing is uneven and the trains of thought bounce around making it a frustrating read.

There's a good story in here, and we need these stories so that those who are victims of manipulation and power imbalances can feel seen and understand it's not OK, and those who witness it or are complicit in it feel called out. However the execution is letting this one down.

Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review purposes, these opinions are written in honesty.

This is a book that shouldn't just be a book. As if we can only dare brace for these themes because it is what, fiction? Because these are real. They are dark. And in today's society seemingly are getting more pervasive and dark.
It's shows what woman go through. How they react and also how they are conditioned to.react which comes across as awful in itself.
This was a discussion stealer but one I fear we won't outside a book anytimes soon.
Ali was bright and brilliant character with her own foibles. The other woman eqch has their own flaws but they were all grouped by being woman together in the industry...in the world. Being treated appallingly far too often.

I can’t believe this is a debut. The writing is so good. I really rooted and felt a connection to Ali. It’s a story that needs to be told. It’s a powerful story and I’m thankful that I got the chance to read it.

‘Don’t Make Me Laugh’ by Julia Raeside is a rage inducing and mortifyingly realistic tale about Ali, a radio producer who meets charismatic ageing comedian Ed and soon becomes acquainted with the misogyny of the dark underbelly of the entertainment circuit. It’s a novel that’s simultaneously empowering and frustrating, funny and depressing.

Ali is an interesting woman, and we get a deep insight into her inner thoughts - which are very relatable. I also appreciated some of the other female cast - Bethan, Sid and Summer - who were varied and flawed but united by being women in an industry favouring mediocre men. Ed felt more like a caricature and a mechanism for raising important issues than a carefully constructed and well-developed character, but that didn’t really bother me.

I did find that the novel took some effort to wade through as it wasn’t exactly a fun read… but it gets a thought-provoking 3.5 stars and I’m glad I read it!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Bedford Square Publishers via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2.5/5 - rounded up to 3 because there was certainly potential here. The few chapters told from Ed's point of view were a great addition, and Rae really captured insidious nature of abuse from a narcissist.

But ultimately, the book was...boring. It took a long time for story to get going, but even then not much really happened. I also struggled to tell who was speaking at times - I think part of that is layout issues due to being an advanced copy, but mostly it was the writing style not being clear and the characters not really having distinct voices.

I found Ali's copying of Ed's collection of personal photos problematic. I can understand wanting to have evidence, but copying photos of other women and uploading them to a shared drive (which it seems Ali did share with some of the other victims) is problematic and morally wrong at best, if not flat out criminal in its own right.

Ultimately, I wanted to like this book. It's the #metoo story for the comedy world. But unfortunately it was just too bland and slow.

Unfortunately I found this really hard to engage with, which is unusual for me to say and I hate to write it! Just not my cup of tea. As there’s no archive date I may come back and re-read to give it another chance, perhaps it was just the wrong time for me…

Stand up comedy.

Women, and how they're treated.

And it's always the "good guys", that you need to watch...

Creeps up on you: dark, disturbing and discussion-worthy.

Taking one industry in its sights, radio producer Ali is trying to find comics for a new show, and is immediately drawn to Ed Catchpole, who is charming, funny (of course) and interested in her. Other possible candidates for the radio are flagged to her as... problematic.

A slow and steady build up gives the reader time to see a snippet of behind the scenes in the comedy industry as Ali and Ed ratchet up their texts and sexual tension, until a bomb lands in Ali's lap and she has to question not just other people but herself.

I feel I have to leave the synopsis there, as I wouldn't want to give away too many details. This did feel ponderous for a while, but as soon as revelations hit, then BAM, definitely wanted to keep on.

The rabbit-hole went deep with this one, with some psychological insights, a lot of upsetting scenarios and all-too-realistic characters that meant this became a book I hope makes it into a lot of hands.

One small issue I had with the writing though - most of the time we are inside Ali's head, but a few scenes rotate and we confusingly are inside multiple points of view successively, which didn't feel right as this was not the trend for most of the book. It made me re-read to work out who I was meant to be 'reading'.

Definitely reminds you that saying nothing is not helping. That there are more forms of harm than merely physical. That many people are hiding problems and trauma.

Ultimately this was a book I won't easily forget. The coda was unexpected but fitting, and the resolution a welcome one.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

It didn't make me laugh.

I don't get why this is advertised as a comedy, dark or otherwise. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't expecting it to be funny.

This is the sort of book I feel I'm supposed to like because it's about an Important Topic, but I just... don't. It's well written, but I found the lead character annoying rather than sympathetic and the plot too slow to engage.

#metoo in the comedy industry. From fan girl to discovering the real nature of an apparently perfect specimen of a comedian. Eye opening and relatable.