The Simp: A hilarious and wild ride – Vanity Fair set in contemporary Hollywood

by Roshan Sethi

A novel without a hero. Hellscape with an infinity pool.

Raj Ladlani is one of thousands in an unemployable actor. He has reasons to believe he is spectacularly talented (his beloved acting coach Anthony says so), a legend in every way but for the success.

His anonymous life working at Yogurtland, obsessively reading Vanity Fair, and fantasizing about stardom, comes to an end when he answers a job ad detailing a relentless, laughable parade of menial responsibilities for a 'Hollywood Family'. So begins the astonishing decline and fall of Raj Ladlani.

The Simp tells the story of Raj's momentous employment and the destruction that follows in the wake of his time with the with the H Jim, a macho director determined to prove himself as an artist; and Anna, his much younger wife who has ambitions of her own.

And when the job reveals itself to be an absurdist walk through affluent domestic chaos and misguided engagements with identity politics, Raj might be about to lose it - on a very public stage.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 7, 2026

Reviews

[alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE SIMP a riot of a book. incisive and acerbic, this is a brutal reckoning with celebrity culture and the West Coast film industry studded with themes of desperate proximity to power and modern race relations in a post-2020 United States

our main character, so deeply embedded in his own lies, is pitiful, complex, and nigh unredeemable. Sethi is utterly damning of his characters but every time he softens just enough to let the sympathy pierce through. no character escaped this treatment and i gleefully hated one character then another, before finishing the book with a sigh — privilege is privilege. this is a very funny book but it’s also really quite depressing!

THE SIMP is an upturned Vanity Fair for the Instagram activism generation. highly enjoyed!

thank you to Sceptre and NetGalley for the arc <3

[Stroop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious story of a wannabe actor and adept liar who finagles his way into a job assisting a famous director and his younger wife. This is a fun read that is full of delusional characters and unreliable narration. If you are in the mood for a sharp satire of celebrity culture, give this a read.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

(ARC - out 07/07/26 via Simon & Schuster) (4.5 rounded down) Spiky and sharp satire that touches on racism, celebrity culture, and identity among other topical themes, The Simp follows Raj (or Ray) as he begins a job as an assistant for a wealthy Hollywood power couple. The job, with copious responsibilities and a $45,000 payday, is treated as important and necessary as someone defusing a bomb. Raj himself is an extremely unreliable character (he’s the focal point, but the novel is written in third person). Raj is written as a pathetic liar, someone who sits on the periphery of fame and desperately imagines himself on the other side. The people he works for are vacuous and self-serving and living in a false reality that only Hollywood can provide. This is definitely satire (I think if you like Paul Beatty, you’d vibe hard with this) and it is frequently funny while also making you cringe. I really enjoyed it. It’s a novel with bad people that is fun to read and has something to say. My kind of fiction.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is about Raj, an actor in training who stumbles across a job posting by an absurdly wealthy and just absurd couple. Raj does everything in his power, and then some, to get the job. However, Raj is always preoccupied with something dark from his past that he hopes never arises for him again.
This is a well written, captivating story about power, racism and how it reaches internally, and emotions all in the meantime. Raj and how he navigates all this explores accountability, the limits of compassion, and what can happen the world makes clear to you that your existence and emotions are too threatening to those in power.
I was hooked right away and excited to turn the page. I've never read anything from this author before but now I will look out for him.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this novel. I thought it was well written and found the character of Raj interesting to follow. I liked how he was building a character and performing as an actor, while also performing around famous people. The portrayal of the culture of fame and performance in Los Angeles felt incisive and authentic. The anxieties of people in hollywood were represented with dynamic characters in a witty way. The only reason I am not giving it four stars is because it did not leave much of an impression. I forgot most of what happened after I finished the book. If the premise sounds interesting to you, you should definitely read this book. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Thank you to #netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Kaavya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I enjoyed reading The Simp. I liked how unreliable the narrator was, how he constantly lies to further his dreams, but also his relationship with truth, and with Anthony (they were my favorite duo). The beginning was the strongest part, once Raj got the job, I felt the parts after that were repetitive, but I did like how Vanity Fair is intertwined with the themes of this book.

[Sonee Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is an interesting portrayal of the lengths a desperate actor will go to, to get the job that he wants, which ironically isn't an acting job, but one as an assistant to a director. From the opening pages, we know this job entails doing a lot for little compensation. It is well-written and humorous.

[Abbey Dufoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was extremely unique. it follows Raj, a hungry actor who cons his way through hollywood into an executive assistant position - but everything is a lie. the book follows his web of lies. will he get caught in it?

it is an interesting, well-paced, quick read that i hope many people will pick up when it comes out this summer.

thank you, netgalley, for the ARC!

[Brian Pham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tore through this novel. It’s brilliant, it’s a train wreck you can’t take your eyes off of (in the best way possible), and I need it to release sooner so I can convince everyone I know to read this.

[Remi]

i see absurdism, so i choose to stay

*thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC*

[Nicole Pi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read in a WHILE. Immersive, compulsively readable, funny.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the eARC!!!!