Ali becomes involved with the edges of the stand-up scene while being ambiguously involved with Ed, and those readers involved in comedy or theatre will enjoy its well-grounded settings in comedy venues and the Edinburgh fringe. But this is not so much a book about stand-up as a novel about manipulative men in a deeply problematic industry — which does not punish its perpetrators, but survives on the whisper network of women.
I found this engaging and compulsive to read, with the reader always suspecting the awful things that will occur. It saddened me a little that the plot felt like it went quite extreme in some character’s pathological behaviour, and it felt almost in desire to have the reader take the women’s stories seriously there had to be a death — (I also felt uncomfortable that in describing a character’s villainy a lot of attention was given to his weight and this body being revolting, I understand this is a very ingrained trope in fiction but it is a shame to rely on fat shaming when this is something the character does with such violence too?). The most compelling parts for me were the complicated and nuanced depiction of one of the ‘other’ women involved with a manipulative man, and exploring the questions of ‘why did you stay’ with an abuser.
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy Mae Martin’s FEEL GOOD tv show, which explores addiction and manipulation in the stand-up world from a different angle.
Don't Make Me Laugh balances anger and humour with the deftest of touches. It is a story about power and control and manipulation, about gendered roles in both the workplace and our personal lives, and about how women are set up in competition with each other. And ultimately - satisfyingly - it's a story about fighting back.
'A great book, an important book that will start a discussion that needs to be had…my heart was in my mouth' Marian Keyes
'Exhilarating, viscerally thrilling and SO timely - an ambitious dark comedy that really delivers. Hugely smart, with so much emotional depth and resonance' Daisy Buchanan
'Sharp, dark and outrageously funny,' Marianne Levy
'This is an honest, funny, devastating and timely book' Jenny Colgan
Author
About Julia Raeside
Julia Raeside is a journalist and broadcaster who has written for the Guardian, Times, Observer and The Big Issue among others. She makes regular contributions to BBC Radio, including review spots on Radio 4's Front Row and Lauren Laverne's 6 Music show. She lives in London with her husband, kid and cat. Her first novel, Don't Make Me Laugh, will be published in 2025.
