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sidharthan 's review for:
Just by Looking at Him
by Ryan O'Connell
Having been thoroughly impressed by Ryan O’Connell’s Netflix series Special, I went into this book with a little trepidation. Would Ryan’s obvious skill as a screenwriter translate to novel form? The answer to that is perhaps a yes and a no. Ryan manages to create a narrative that works well as a book, but some of the plot felt like it would work better visually.
I absolutely loved how this book started. What a great way to start a book and succinctly put across how gay the narrative is going to be! And the book does keep this promise as it goes – Ryan fills it up with great observational humour about the gay community. These are also often very insightful and give you pause. I feel like I understood the machinations of the gay world a wee bit better after reading this book!
The main protagonist Elliott is similar to Ryan (a disillusioned screenwriter), but fictionalized enough for it to not feel autobiographical. I loved how grey-shaded this character is and how we still kinda root for him. It’s easy to root for characters who are stereotypically good, but making you root for someone who’s obviously doing bad and hurting others is hard. Ryan O’Connell pulls it off with style. There are times when you are frustrated with the character, but it doesn’t mar the essence of Elliott, in fact these times actually aid the understanding of the character.
I also loved that there is nothing seemingly wrong with his boyfriend Gus, but we still realize that they aren’t meant to be. It does feel a little convenient that Jonas is into men and into Ethan, but their chemistry feels authentic enough for you to forgive it.
I was afraid to compare this book to his Netflix special; I didn’t want to compare the only two narratives I’ve experienced about queer disabled people. But thinking back to the book and the series, I can say that there are some plot similarities. This book does feel like a variation of the series. It doesn’t take away from either narrative and I feel like each don’t deter the enjoyment of the other. But it’s hard not to compare them. I would suggest giving a break between the two to truly enjoy them.
Overall, an engrossing read!
I absolutely loved how this book started. What a great way to start a book and succinctly put across how gay the narrative is going to be! And the book does keep this promise as it goes – Ryan fills it up with great observational humour about the gay community. These are also often very insightful and give you pause. I feel like I understood the machinations of the gay world a wee bit better after reading this book!
The main protagonist Elliott is similar to Ryan (a disillusioned screenwriter), but fictionalized enough for it to not feel autobiographical. I loved how grey-shaded this character is and how we still kinda root for him. It’s easy to root for characters who are stereotypically good, but making you root for someone who’s obviously doing bad and hurting others is hard. Ryan O’Connell pulls it off with style. There are times when you are frustrated with the character, but it doesn’t mar the essence of Elliott, in fact these times actually aid the understanding of the character.
I also loved that there is nothing seemingly wrong with his boyfriend Gus, but we still realize that they aren’t meant to be. It does feel a little convenient that Jonas is into men and into Ethan, but their chemistry feels authentic enough for you to forgive it.
I was afraid to compare this book to his Netflix special; I didn’t want to compare the only two narratives I’ve experienced about queer disabled people. But thinking back to the book and the series, I can say that there are some plot similarities. This book does feel like a variation of the series. It doesn’t take away from either narrative and I feel like each don’t deter the enjoyment of the other. But it’s hard not to compare them. I would suggest giving a break between the two to truly enjoy them.
Overall, an engrossing read!