Thanks to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for my invitation and the gifted ebook to join the tour.
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.
My Review
Radio producer, Ali, is given the role of producing comedian Ed Catchpole for a new show. She finds him charming, charismatic, and funny. The only issue is he isn’t just these things. He also has a much more negative and darker side. Ali only discovers this while working with him.
It was an amazing debut by Julia Raeside. It is the #MeToo movement of the comedy world. The characters are so lifelike and feel like they could jump out of the pages. Julia Raeside so cleverly shows how easy it is to be coercively controlled and not even realise it until it is too late.
Written so skilfully, it’s funny, witty while at the same time the darkness is there, like falling down the rabbit hole. You dont even see it. This is such a relevant topic and a book that should be read by everyone. I found myself thinking of this book long after I had finished reading it. A book of the times.
Author Bio
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 6Music show. She lives in London with her husband, kid and cat.
Her first novel, Don’t Make Me Laugh, will be published in 2025.
Follow the tour here:
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 