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katewilkins's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Animal death, Transphobia, Suicide, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders
tiahnaparis's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked up a copy of Straight Man after seeing Stan advertise the at the time upcoming series Lucky Hank based on the novel. I love comparing adaptations, so despite reviews labelling it hit or miss, and the main character unlikeable, I pressed on. I’m glad I did because I instantly fell for Russo’s writing style and the resulting book was so charming, funny, and enrapturing, it reminded me of all the things I love about reading (and made me subsequently nervous about the TV adaptation living up to its predecessor!)
The wit was right up my alley and I'm not sure if it's a clash in senses of humor or cultural (shit stirring/ gentle ribbing is very common in Aussie cultures) but I did not agree at all with the reviews describing the main character as so unlikable it distracted from the rest of the book. TO each their own, though.
The wit was right up my alley and I'm not sure if it's a clash in senses of humor or cultural (shit stirring/ gentle ribbing is very common in Aussie cultures) but I did not agree at all with the reviews describing the main character as so unlikable it distracted from the rest of the book. TO each their own, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Alcohol
sarahbythebook's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
I am not the target audience for this book. If I were a cishet white man, maybe I would have enjoyed the humor more.
The main character is an ass, there’s some fat phobia, gross references to academic abuse of power (college), animal death, and way too much focus on one guy’s penis.
I’m a little squigged out by the fact that a (white male) former professor of mine recommended this to me, but I think it has more to do with my experience and dislike of higher education—there were parts that were genuinely funny, and I can see some of the truth in the satire of a college department with an unwilling head. The sexual humor was just too off base for me personally.
The main character is an ass, there’s some fat phobia, gross references to academic abuse of power (college), animal death, and way too much focus on one guy’s penis.
I’m a little squigged out by the fact that a (white male) former professor of mine recommended this to me, but I think it has more to do with my experience and dislike of higher education—there were parts that were genuinely funny, and I can see some of the truth in the satire of a college department with an unwilling head. The sexual humor was just too off base for me personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Minor: Animal death
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