You Crushed It by Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard, translated by Neil Smith

With the caustic daring of Brett Easton Ellis and the offbeat, psychological insight of Douglas Coupland, You Crushed It is a captivating exploration of love and the corroding nature of power in creative industries.

Raph Massi is crushing it. A young up-and-coming comedian, he’s successfully navigating the internal cosmos of the stand-up industry and burying long-borne insecurities with each successful gig. He does so with the support of his girlfriend, Laurie, who narrates the book, sharing their sensual, mundane moments of new love and the creative collaborations that follow.

But, when Laurie dumps him, Raph’s heartbreak metastasizes into paranoia, cruelty, and a path that is as lonely as it is destructive. Baril Guérard shares an exacting portrayal of the innermost thoughts we hide from the world and from ourselves. The result is a devastating critique of the soft underbelly of toxic masculinity and the complicated ferocity of those who protect it.

You Crushed It is an eminently readable, witty reflection on artistic prowess, community, and the intoxication of success.

Praise for You Crushed It

“Heartache, psychic tailspins, so-hip-it-hurts scenesters, and the pursuit of the ever-elusive punchline—You Crushed It has all the makings of a future classic. Baril Guérard and Smith are a literary pairing destined for greatness.” —Jean Marc Ah-Sen, author of Kilworthy Tanner

“Despite being a story set in the world of stand-up comedy, You Crushed It is melancholy in the best way. A page-turner fairy tale for grown-ups—told from the most unique perspective and in full control of its brilliantly ambitious timeline—it is a tale of love, success, and betrayal. What I liked the most about it, however, was its intimacy that turned us, readers, into witnesses of an incredibly nuanced portrayal of a heartbreak.” —Jowita Bydlowska, author of Monster and Possessed