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The Simp: A Novel Without a Hero
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.
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.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2026
About the author
Roshan Sethi
1 book29 followersRoshan Sethi is a writer, director, and practicing oncologist. He is the cocreator of The Resident, which ran for six seasons on Fox. His directorial debut, 7 Days, won the Independent Spirit Award for best first feature. He subsequently directed World’s Best for Disney+ and cowrote the abortion drama Call Jane, which premiered at Sundance in 2022. His third film as a director, A Nice Indian Boy, recently premiered at SXSW to rave reviews. His next film, The Surgeon, starring Michelle Yeoh and Martin Freeman, is forthcoming. The Simp is his debut novel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
June 7, 2026
Despite not caring much about Hollywood or acting, I really enjoyed this book. It’s focuses on hard things (race, grief, class) but it’s also really funny. I love a good absurd, satirical novel & this one delivered. I really enjoyed Raj as a main character. I particularly loved his relationship with Anthony. Funny, deep, & entertaining. & now I feel like I should read Vanity Fair.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.
July 23, 2026
An aspiring actor who may (or may not) have real talent, gets a job as the all-purpose executive assistant for a husband-and-wife Hollywood power couple who are despicable. Condescending, bullying, lying, mercurial -- and that's not the worst of it, it will turn out. (The novel gets its title from the nickname the husband uses for his new, all-purpose assistant.) But our hero in, as novelist Roshan Sethi calls his tale, "a novel without a hero," endures it all because of his proximity to power and (yes) celebrity. The idea of going as a "plus-one" to the Oscars has never been such a motivating force in literature, though I fear it is all too common in La-La Land. Sethi deftly juggles humor and very bad behavior (on all sides) in this portrait of a house in the Hollywood hills.
November 24, 2025
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
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
July 24, 2026
Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A novel without a hero. Hellscape with an infinity pool.
Raj Ladlani is 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 with the H Family and the destruction that follows in the wake of his time with the with Jim H, a massive and macho director in a creative rut. Anna H might uncharitably be described as his much younger trophy wife, quietly and neurotically seeking out her own independent sense of purpose as a screenwriter. Raj’s work as their executive assistant becomes his new sense of soaring purpose. But he procured the job through a sea of lies.
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.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: The Line of Beauty. Saltburn. The world of wealth and its attendant privileges is of never-ending fascination for the have-nots. Is another iteration, with a South Asian protagonist, adding to the conversation or cashing in on the gossip?
Yes...both...and bloodily flensing the fakeness of it all, class, ethnicity, hype, all of it. Not as much LOL-funny as it is mordant.
Simon & Schuster takes $14.99 from you to legally read the ebook. It will fit a mood, or else skip it.
The Publisher Says: A novel without a hero. Hellscape with an infinity pool.
Raj Ladlani is 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 with the H Family and the destruction that follows in the wake of his time with the with Jim H, a massive and macho director in a creative rut. Anna H might uncharitably be described as his much younger trophy wife, quietly and neurotically seeking out her own independent sense of purpose as a screenwriter. Raj’s work as their executive assistant becomes his new sense of soaring purpose. But he procured the job through a sea of lies.
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.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: The Line of Beauty. Saltburn. The world of wealth and its attendant privileges is of never-ending fascination for the have-nots. Is another iteration, with a South Asian protagonist, adding to the conversation or cashing in on the gossip?
Yes...both...and bloodily flensing the fakeness of it all, class, ethnicity, hype, all of it. Not as much LOL-funny as it is mordant.
Simon & Schuster takes $14.99 from you to legally read the ebook. It will fit a mood, or else skip it.
July 25, 2026
Did we need another cynical book about how horrible LA and the film industry are? No one forces these folks to do this work. This also committed the worst sin of the entertainment business, not being entertaining.
Read
September 6, 2026A novel without a hero is more accurate than I'd expected it to be, but Raj was a compelling protagonist, even when revulsive. His employers were the worst, of course. It's a class-clash, investigation of race and performative alliance, takedown of Hollywood story, and I was engaged all the way through.
Yuck, but a good yuck.
Yuck, but a good yuck.
November 20, 2025
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.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
October 8, 2026
May I’m just too stupid for this one or maybe I’ve watched one too many episodes of Flipping Out where Jeff Lewis’ assistants are truly terrorized by a boss from hell, but I did not enjoy this whatsoever. I was promised an “absurdist walk through affluent domestic chaos” but all I got was meh. Next.
July 7, 2026
“The Simp” follows Raj, a gay, Indian-American, failed actor who is still desperate to break into the upper echelons of Hollywood. Raj, harboring a deep-seated anger and secrets from his past, stumbles upon a job posting: an assistant to a wealthy, powerful director-writer couple. Despite the egregious expectations of the position paired with the poor salary, Raj’s desire to immerse himself amongst the Hollywood upper class pushes him to get the job by any means. Raj’s desperation and eagerness to please earns him the titular nickname “The Simp” by his employers, but as Raj becomes more involved in the affairs of the affluent family, his anger begins to rear its head.
This novel does an exceptional job of analyzing power dynamics, racial identity, and political activism in the entertainment industry in the midst of our cancel culture generation. It is also a scathing critique on the continued lack of diversity in Hollywood and media, despite the uproar for more equity and inclusion post-2020. The novel’s tagline “A Novel Without a Hero” boils down to every character being complex and multifaceted. Each character, even our protagonist Raj, has moments of poor judgment and flawed behavior that allow us to view them critically, even if we feel empathy for them.
Funny and absurd, yet critical and insightful, “The Simp” is such a great read! I devoured it in 3 days because it’s so easily bingeable and hard to put down! Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advance eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novel does an exceptional job of analyzing power dynamics, racial identity, and political activism in the entertainment industry in the midst of our cancel culture generation. It is also a scathing critique on the continued lack of diversity in Hollywood and media, despite the uproar for more equity and inclusion post-2020. The novel’s tagline “A Novel Without a Hero” boils down to every character being complex and multifaceted. Each character, even our protagonist Raj, has moments of poor judgment and flawed behavior that allow us to view them critically, even if we feel empathy for them.
Funny and absurd, yet critical and insightful, “The Simp” is such a great read! I devoured it in 3 days because it’s so easily bingeable and hard to put down! Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advance eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2025
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.
August 12, 2026
the mindset of this book is ‘sometimes offensive things are said and done but it’s okay because it’s satire.’ when looking at it from this perspective, it makes the book even better
October 8, 2026
"Anemoia" is a feeling of nostalgia for a time or a place that you have never actually known or experienced.
Is there a parallel word for meeting a fictional character, who feels so like a fictional character you've made up, that the two fictional people should be related or at least close friends? And, in turn, you, the writer, and the writer of this alter ego character should also be friends or siblings from another mother?
If so, that is what I felt meeting Raj Ladlani, protagonist of The Simp: a Novel without a Hero by first-time novelist Roshan Sethi, who is not only a formidable writer, but a practicing oncologist, a screenwriter, filmmaker, and director, and a gay man of Indian heritage (like his protagonist) from Canada.
The Simp's Raj Ladlani is a chronic liar attempting to forge a career as an actor or at least as a houseman/assistant to famous show bizzers in Los Angeles. My character Zelda McFigg, in my novel The Last Will & Testament of Zelda McFigg , is a high school dropout and a chronic liar attempting to forge a career as an off-off Broadway actor or at least an English teacher in a small school in Vermont. Raj and Zelda are nothing alike; I am nothing like author Roshan Sethi; but the familiarity as I read this novel made me gasp with such delight that I've now written a possibly incomprehensible run-on sentence. "Well, deal with it!" as Zelda and Raj would say. And I wish the four of us—two fictional, two real—could meet for coffee.
From Roshan Sethi's interview about writing and directing his upcoming movie, The Surgeon, an action movie that involves medicine:
This explains a lot about The Simp—how it is constructed, how Sethi writes, and also my own attraction to it.
I, too, am vividly aware of anatomy—as both a writer and an editor. I love structure and craft and the emotional anatomy of characters: all the stuff hiding inside.
The Simp is a celebration of structure and character with a ton of icky hidden stuff that seeps out of protagonist, compulsive and desperate liar Raj Ladlani. And because of the solid structure of the character, I understood why he lied, how he felt, and I was immediately invested in him in a personal way.
The story of a wannabe actor who lies his way into the employ of famous show biz people who personify the worst of Hollywood pretentiousness and self-involvement sounds slick. And in fact, author Sethi uses the book Vanity Fair by English writer William Makepeace Thackeray (which I have not read) as an underpinning, as protagonist Raj loves and constantly references it. According to Wikipedia, Thackeray's book relies on caricatures of famous people of Victorian and Edwardian society, but Sethi does not write caricatures and there is nothing slick about this story. Even the pretentious show biz couple has an inner life, although not immediately apparent, and slowly revealed through behavior. And although Raj lies, you feel his heart just enough—through his relationships with an old sick acting teacher/mentor and an earnest five-year-old boy starved for love who gloms onto him—to always know the life at the core of this story.
With perfect structural timing, we learn back story and feel the buildup of racial and emotional frustration and pressures. And all this draws me to them—every one of them—and their story.
I've read that this novel is a hilarious comedy. I laughed a few times, but I would certainly not label this a satire or a comedy. Although the venue is shallow Hollywood awash in status issues, the deeper story is about being willing to know yourself. This is unequivocally not a decadent comedy of show-biz-lack-of-manners. This is serious stuff that every human being needs to grapple with. It is true; it is subversively wise; and it is put together by a master human anatomist.
In short, it moved me.
Postscript:
This story, like Percival Everett's March 2027 novel Serious Music , does something long overdue and much appreciated: Both novels take back for themselves stories that have been mistold by others.
As with mass freedom, nobody can know themselves until everybody knows themselves . . . for themselves. So anybody taking back ownership of who they are feeds me personally in ways for which I am eternally grateful.
Is there a parallel word for meeting a fictional character, who feels so like a fictional character you've made up, that the two fictional people should be related or at least close friends? And, in turn, you, the writer, and the writer of this alter ego character should also be friends or siblings from another mother?
If so, that is what I felt meeting Raj Ladlani, protagonist of The Simp: a Novel without a Hero by first-time novelist Roshan Sethi, who is not only a formidable writer, but a practicing oncologist, a screenwriter, filmmaker, and director, and a gay man of Indian heritage (like his protagonist) from Canada.
The Simp's Raj Ladlani is a chronic liar attempting to forge a career as an actor or at least as a houseman/assistant to famous show bizzers in Los Angeles. My character Zelda McFigg, in my novel The Last Will & Testament of Zelda McFigg , is a high school dropout and a chronic liar attempting to forge a career as an off-off Broadway actor or at least an English teacher in a small school in Vermont. Raj and Zelda are nothing alike; I am nothing like author Roshan Sethi; but the familiarity as I read this novel made me gasp with such delight that I've now written a possibly incomprehensible run-on sentence. "Well, deal with it!" as Zelda and Raj would say. And I wish the four of us—two fictional, two real—could meet for coffee.
From Roshan Sethi's interview about writing and directing his upcoming movie, The Surgeon, an action movie that involves medicine:
Well part of my job requires looking at scans all day. So I'm always looking at the insides of bodies and one of the amazing things about anatomy is how miraculous it is and how complex and beautifully engineered it is in the human body. So I have a kind of sacred reverence for what is going on inside the body. So I'm always thinking about it walking around in daily life. I'm thinking about what is inside us. In a way that is obviously not typical for the average person, but I think it's probably familiar to the average doctor or nurse or any health care professional. So I wanted to bring that visual language of what is going on inside the body and my experience of it and her (protagonist of the film) character's experience of what she is seeing in the people that she fights and works with.
This explains a lot about The Simp—how it is constructed, how Sethi writes, and also my own attraction to it.
I, too, am vividly aware of anatomy—as both a writer and an editor. I love structure and craft and the emotional anatomy of characters: all the stuff hiding inside.
The Simp is a celebration of structure and character with a ton of icky hidden stuff that seeps out of protagonist, compulsive and desperate liar Raj Ladlani. And because of the solid structure of the character, I understood why he lied, how he felt, and I was immediately invested in him in a personal way.
The story of a wannabe actor who lies his way into the employ of famous show biz people who personify the worst of Hollywood pretentiousness and self-involvement sounds slick. And in fact, author Sethi uses the book Vanity Fair by English writer William Makepeace Thackeray (which I have not read) as an underpinning, as protagonist Raj loves and constantly references it. According to Wikipedia, Thackeray's book relies on caricatures of famous people of Victorian and Edwardian society, but Sethi does not write caricatures and there is nothing slick about this story. Even the pretentious show biz couple has an inner life, although not immediately apparent, and slowly revealed through behavior. And although Raj lies, you feel his heart just enough—through his relationships with an old sick acting teacher/mentor and an earnest five-year-old boy starved for love who gloms onto him—to always know the life at the core of this story.
With perfect structural timing, we learn back story and feel the buildup of racial and emotional frustration and pressures. And all this draws me to them—every one of them—and their story.
I've read that this novel is a hilarious comedy. I laughed a few times, but I would certainly not label this a satire or a comedy. Although the venue is shallow Hollywood awash in status issues, the deeper story is about being willing to know yourself. This is unequivocally not a decadent comedy of show-biz-lack-of-manners. This is serious stuff that every human being needs to grapple with. It is true; it is subversively wise; and it is put together by a master human anatomist.
In short, it moved me.
Postscript:
This story, like Percival Everett's March 2027 novel Serious Music , does something long overdue and much appreciated: Both novels take back for themselves stories that have been mistold by others.
As with mass freedom, nobody can know themselves until everybody knows themselves . . . for themselves. So anybody taking back ownership of who they are feeds me personally in ways for which I am eternally grateful.
July 22, 2026
Fine premise; an initially engaging tone that gets tiresome; promised plot never materializes.
Just shows - AGAIN - that it’s difficult to write a novel about the Way We Live Now, because the main “action” is checking email, posting on social media, scrolling, leaving voicemails, and making phone calls. BORING. So boring!
Just shows - AGAIN - that it’s difficult to write a novel about the Way We Live Now, because the main “action” is checking email, posting on social media, scrolling, leaving voicemails, and making phone calls. BORING. So boring!
July 16, 2026
We’ve heard of weird girl lit, well he’s some weird boy lit!!! The Simp is definitely strange & unusual while tackling race & wealth disparities in LA. The main character is a gay, Indian man who immigrated to the U.S. in his 20’s for college. He’s both an aspiring actor & pathological, compulsive liar. He’s incredibly unlikable but also incredibly sympathetic. I also love how it almost reads like a narrations of a screenplay (which I’m sure was intentional)
September 29, 2026
The Simp really is “a novel without a hero.” Raj is an aspiring actor who has not caught his break yet. He answers an ad for an assistant position with a Hollywood couple, believing this will finally be his “in” and goes to great lengths to secure the job.
Jim is a director and Anna, his younger wife, is an aspiring screenwriter. They are terribly unlikable characters and Raj must endure their highs and lows, about work and with each other.
I couldn’t look away from The Simp. I wanted to root for Raj and found myself sympathizing with him at points but deeply cringing at others, due to his impulsive and destructive actions. I rolled my eyes multiple times about something obnoxious Jim or Anna said. This is a smart story with elements of ambition, race, and class. It was an entertaining and engaging read.
Jim is a director and Anna, his younger wife, is an aspiring screenwriter. They are terribly unlikable characters and Raj must endure their highs and lows, about work and with each other.
I couldn’t look away from The Simp. I wanted to root for Raj and found myself sympathizing with him at points but deeply cringing at others, due to his impulsive and destructive actions. I rolled my eyes multiple times about something obnoxious Jim or Anna said. This is a smart story with elements of ambition, race, and class. It was an entertaining and engaging read.
July 25, 2026
Funny and searing commentary on Hollywood and people’s relation with power
July 23, 2026
Funny and clever, with a compulsively readable protagonist. 4.5 stars.
tbr-arc
November 2, 2025i see absurdism, so i choose to stay
*thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC*
*thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC*
September 29, 2026
Raj is a 31-year-old gay Indian man living in California whose dream is to become a star. Falling in love with acting back in India, he comes to America to make a name for himself. But this sort of life is hard for someone who looks like him. Set in 2021 right after the COVID pandemic, we follow Raj as his desperate need to be seen sends him to the house of an A-list celebrity and his wife to be their assistant.
I fell in love with his book right away. Raj being the exact same age as me really got me into his shoes a bit more. I honestly mostly felt sorry for him. Having nobody to confide in except his friend Anthony who is slowly declining in health must have been so lonely. As the story went on, I honestly didn’t see Raj as a bad person through any of it. Was he selfish and doing things for his own needs? Of course. He wanted a life being near celebrities and he was ready to do what he needed to do to get it. His ambition was truly astonishing. Living paycheck to paycheck at various restaurants while trying to achieve your dreams must have felt demeaning.
I enjoyed how the book also explored race and how people saw Raj. While he was talented, it was dead ends for him because of his race. He tried to suppress his accent and blend in with everyone around him. He knew that he wasn’t like the white actors who got opportunities so he was willing to work harder for his goals. He held onto Dev Patel and knew that an Indian man could become famous if he tried hard enough. At every turn it felt like his race was mentioned even when he didn’t understand why. BLM opened up a lot of discussion about race and that was talked about a lot in the book as well.
Now we can get into the H Family. Jim H and Anna H employ Raj to be their assistant after a bit of lying and desperation gets him through the door. Raj is able to easily mold himself into a “Simp” for Jim and Anna. He is willing to lay down and do anything and everything they ask him for the chance to be around A-list celebs. I felt like through most of it Jim and Anna saw Raj as an Indian manservant and not like what he wanted to be. There were a lot of micro-aggressions that Raj just took with a smile.
All in all, this book was super entertaining and enjoyable. I liked Raj and following his life and his actions. He was obviously someone who has deep-rooted issues with his identity being gay and being foreign and he didn’t quite know how to let it out unless it was through anger and rash decisions. I actually really liked him. He seemed like a solid guy who just needed some friends and people who could guide him naturally. I’d love to read more by this author and more books like this for sure!
I fell in love with his book right away. Raj being the exact same age as me really got me into his shoes a bit more. I honestly mostly felt sorry for him. Having nobody to confide in except his friend Anthony who is slowly declining in health must have been so lonely. As the story went on, I honestly didn’t see Raj as a bad person through any of it. Was he selfish and doing things for his own needs? Of course. He wanted a life being near celebrities and he was ready to do what he needed to do to get it. His ambition was truly astonishing. Living paycheck to paycheck at various restaurants while trying to achieve your dreams must have felt demeaning.
I enjoyed how the book also explored race and how people saw Raj. While he was talented, it was dead ends for him because of his race. He tried to suppress his accent and blend in with everyone around him. He knew that he wasn’t like the white actors who got opportunities so he was willing to work harder for his goals. He held onto Dev Patel and knew that an Indian man could become famous if he tried hard enough. At every turn it felt like his race was mentioned even when he didn’t understand why. BLM opened up a lot of discussion about race and that was talked about a lot in the book as well.
Now we can get into the H Family. Jim H and Anna H employ Raj to be their assistant after a bit of lying and desperation gets him through the door. Raj is able to easily mold himself into a “Simp” for Jim and Anna. He is willing to lay down and do anything and everything they ask him for the chance to be around A-list celebs. I felt like through most of it Jim and Anna saw Raj as an Indian manservant and not like what he wanted to be. There were a lot of micro-aggressions that Raj just took with a smile.
All in all, this book was super entertaining and enjoyable. I liked Raj and following his life and his actions. He was obviously someone who has deep-rooted issues with his identity being gay and being foreign and he didn’t quite know how to let it out unless it was through anger and rash decisions. I actually really liked him. He seemed like a solid guy who just needed some friends and people who could guide him naturally. I’d love to read more by this author and more books like this for sure!
July 20, 2026
I wasn’t expecting this review to end with a higher rating than when I started writing it…but here we are. The more I sat with The Simp, the more I realized just how much Roshan Sethi accomplished. 4 stars.
Raj is an unemployed actor in Los Angeles who is convinced his big break is just around the corner while working part-time at a frozen yogurt shop. When he comes across a posting for a celebrity personal assistant, he lies his way through the application process, inventing references and carefully crafting the version of himself he thinks his prospective employers want to see.
The job itself is almost comically terrible. For just $45,000 a year in one of the country’s most expensive cities, Raj is expected to be available around the clock. His employers, Jim and Anna, barely seem to need an assistant at all. Jim is an exhausting embodiment of macho Hollywood “bro” culture, while Anna, his much younger wife, quietly dreams of becoming a screenwriter herself. Raj spends most of his time completing pointless errands, constantly saying yes, and making himself smaller in order to please them. It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, surprisingly funny, and often downright bizarre.
What starts as an offbeat character study gradually reveals itself to be something much sharper: a commentary on race, cultural power, and the entertainment industry’s performative commitment to diversity. Sethi explores what happened after the optimism of 2020 faded, questioning how much actually changed behind the scenes in Hollywood and who still controls which stories get told.
My favorite passage perfectly captures the novel’s central argument:
“White people have always held onto their power in the arts with clenched fists… When I say the arts, I’m talking about publishing, ballet, theater, movies, chapbooks, poetry… If you want to participate in the arts, you have to play by their rules. You have to perform your ethnicity as if it’s a part in a play.”
That quote gets to the heart of what The Simp is really examining. Raj is an insecure gay man in his early thirties who left India—and much of his family—behind to chase a career in acting. His desperate need to be accepted makes him endlessly compliant, until years of humiliation and compromise finally begin to boil over. Watching that slow transformation is both painful and fascinating.
I also loved the novel’s subtitle, A Novel Without a Hero. The more I thought about it, the more accurate it felt. There isn’t really a hero here—but I’d argue there isn’t a true villain either. Every character is flawed, compromised, selfish, vulnerable, and occasionally capable of surprising warmth. Sethi refuses to make anyone easy to root for, and that complexity is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
The prose is intentionally straightforward, and at times I wished it were a little more stylistically ambitious. But the ideas are incredibly smart, and the novel quietly works its way under your skin. It’s the kind of literary fiction that becomes richer after you’ve finished it.
If you enjoy offbeat, character-driven literary fiction like The Sellout, Close Relationships with Strangers, or Interesting Facts About Space, I’d absolutely recommend picking this one up.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and the #SimonBooksBuddy program for the complimentary finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
Raj is an unemployed actor in Los Angeles who is convinced his big break is just around the corner while working part-time at a frozen yogurt shop. When he comes across a posting for a celebrity personal assistant, he lies his way through the application process, inventing references and carefully crafting the version of himself he thinks his prospective employers want to see.
The job itself is almost comically terrible. For just $45,000 a year in one of the country’s most expensive cities, Raj is expected to be available around the clock. His employers, Jim and Anna, barely seem to need an assistant at all. Jim is an exhausting embodiment of macho Hollywood “bro” culture, while Anna, his much younger wife, quietly dreams of becoming a screenwriter herself. Raj spends most of his time completing pointless errands, constantly saying yes, and making himself smaller in order to please them. It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, surprisingly funny, and often downright bizarre.
What starts as an offbeat character study gradually reveals itself to be something much sharper: a commentary on race, cultural power, and the entertainment industry’s performative commitment to diversity. Sethi explores what happened after the optimism of 2020 faded, questioning how much actually changed behind the scenes in Hollywood and who still controls which stories get told.
My favorite passage perfectly captures the novel’s central argument:
“White people have always held onto their power in the arts with clenched fists… When I say the arts, I’m talking about publishing, ballet, theater, movies, chapbooks, poetry… If you want to participate in the arts, you have to play by their rules. You have to perform your ethnicity as if it’s a part in a play.”
That quote gets to the heart of what The Simp is really examining. Raj is an insecure gay man in his early thirties who left India—and much of his family—behind to chase a career in acting. His desperate need to be accepted makes him endlessly compliant, until years of humiliation and compromise finally begin to boil over. Watching that slow transformation is both painful and fascinating.
I also loved the novel’s subtitle, A Novel Without a Hero. The more I thought about it, the more accurate it felt. There isn’t really a hero here—but I’d argue there isn’t a true villain either. Every character is flawed, compromised, selfish, vulnerable, and occasionally capable of surprising warmth. Sethi refuses to make anyone easy to root for, and that complexity is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
The prose is intentionally straightforward, and at times I wished it were a little more stylistically ambitious. But the ideas are incredibly smart, and the novel quietly works its way under your skin. It’s the kind of literary fiction that becomes richer after you’ve finished it.
If you enjoy offbeat, character-driven literary fiction like The Sellout, Close Relationships with Strangers, or Interesting Facts About Space, I’d absolutely recommend picking this one up.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and the #SimonBooksBuddy program for the complimentary finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2026
Now I gotta read vanity fair
July 22, 2026
Brilliantly funny and relevant satire of Hollywood, celebrity culture and race. Loved it.
“ There was such a pervasive atmosphere of falsity, like the smog that spread itself across the sky in a thin film. Nobody expected the truth. Everyone moved through the same haze”.
“ There was such a pervasive atmosphere of falsity, like the smog that spread itself across the sky in a thin film. Nobody expected the truth. Everyone moved through the same haze”.
August 22, 2026
i think what this book does really well is depict the concept of desperately wanting *something* but not knowing exactly what it is you want, and going to extreme lengths to achieve that while losing yourself along the way. it reflects most in the main character, Raj, who i think is the strongest part of the novel. he’s a mixture of shame, desire, helplessness, and ambition, and the way he ingratiates himself into this family with no discernible goal or respect for himself is really funny (this book has some great humor) but also very tragic.
i think the weakest part is actually the social satire - a lot of the “hollyweird”-type observations felt either very surface level or done 1000 times before. (even the racial commentary ngl - maybe this is just bc nothing in this was that new to me re:diversity or lack thereof in hollywood but i didnt find anything that compelling or new that was said 🫣)
anyways, now i lowkey want to read vanity fair?
i think the weakest part is actually the social satire - a lot of the “hollyweird”-type observations felt either very surface level or done 1000 times before. (even the racial commentary ngl - maybe this is just bc nothing in this was that new to me re:diversity or lack thereof in hollywood but i didnt find anything that compelling or new that was said 🫣)
anyways, now i lowkey want to read vanity fair?
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June 23, 2026Pick this up if you are in the mood for a satire often bordering on comedy that lands a punch. Raj, is an aspiring actor stuck in Yogurtland. He is trying to land himself some good roles in Hollywood with little success. That's when he chances upon a job opp to assist (more like a PA. Also with very mysterious and secretive set of duties) a famous director and his much younger life. But instead of something that'll help his professional life, Raj is entrusted with personal tasks, like making ready the dog's meal, and listening to the director's mean pokes (that he calls 'jokes').
Raj is very much a manipulator and an unreliable narrator. To land the job, Raj forms his narrative as a poor man in India trying to live the American dream and be a meek, good immigrant. In reality, he is from an influential rich family in India and migrated to America for better opportunities. There's some thought provoking stuff in here about narratives spun out by chronically online people, public image, the immigrant experience in Hollywood, the accent problem, micro aggressions, celebrity culture and more. It also makes you wonder where you fall on the ladder depending on your location and circumstances.
For all its merits, I also found the characters to be very much on-the-page. So I didn't particularly feel big emotions.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
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Raj is very much a manipulator and an unreliable narrator. To land the job, Raj forms his narrative as a poor man in India trying to live the American dream and be a meek, good immigrant. In reality, he is from an influential rich family in India and migrated to America for better opportunities. There's some thought provoking stuff in here about narratives spun out by chronically online people, public image, the immigrant experience in Hollywood, the accent problem, micro aggressions, celebrity culture and more. It also makes you wonder where you fall on the ladder depending on your location and circumstances.
For all its merits, I also found the characters to be very much on-the-page. So I didn't particularly feel big emotions.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
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July 10, 2026
gdyby ta ksiazka miala byc czlowiekiem to by byla 13 letnim chlopcem ktory po dniu w szkole pisze kolezance ktora mu sie podoba „chcialem cie dzisiaj na przerwie po pszyrce wziac za reke ale sie spietralem” a wiec jest to satyra ktora boi sie przekroczenia bezpieczenstwa i praktycznie nie ryzykuje naruszenia obrazu zadnej ze stron a wiec jest to satyra libkowa… ale czytalo sie dobrze i bylo nawet smieszno
September 28, 2026
Just brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Top book of the year
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July 18, 2026An only mildly potent social satire, largely because it leans too heavily on the reader’s (unlikely) intimacy with [the novel] Vanity Fair and an undercooked “Hollywood’s racial reckoning” motif, which is admittedly hard to mine for any real treasure at this point. The irony, however, is that what this story might have really benefited from is a stricter adherence to Thackeray’s essential serial form, for it feels awfully thin on characters and plot (especially for the setting of LA, which abounds with so many species of the celebrity and wealth-addled that would make for extremely rich text) — and true response to the classic novel’s themes versus this scant inventory of them.
July 26, 2026
Anyone who's ever looked for a job can relate to Raj Ladlani. When he sees a job posting from an elite Hollywood family seeking "a highly qualified executive assistant...not overly focused on personal advancement...with a Bachelor's degree" able to coordinate the entire family's schedules, manage the household cleaning, vehicle maintenance, interior design, landscaping, dog care, childcare, travel arrangements, domestic errands, IT needs, home reorganization, social media, dental and doctor's visits, and so on, and so on, all for the modest salary of $45k annually, he is inexplicably drawn to it.
What would it be like to be so close to such an elite Hollywood family? As an aspiring actor, a job as an executive assistant is nowhere near the right direction for Raj, but—as his opportunities for acting roles are sparse and rent is due—he decides to interview for it anyway.
When he finally gets the role, he finds himself at the mercy of cruel and narcissistic employers who demand far too much. And yet, the degradation is only more alluring to him. Until one day when the job posting and identity of the family are exposed in a viral Internet post. The scandal turns the family on its head and Raj must decide whether to stay under their control or find his way out.
This is sort of a modern reimagining of Vanity Fair set in Hollywood from the perspective of an Indian American aspiring actor. I really loved it! It was hilarious and thought-provoking with a unique cast of characters. The adaptation worked super well for the critiques it was trying to make—particularly the white privilege of the successful few in the industry that favors wealth over talent. Ironically, I don't think this book will get as much press as other satirical novels this year, despite being better crafted. All that to say, go read it!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What would it be like to be so close to such an elite Hollywood family? As an aspiring actor, a job as an executive assistant is nowhere near the right direction for Raj, but—as his opportunities for acting roles are sparse and rent is due—he decides to interview for it anyway.
When he finally gets the role, he finds himself at the mercy of cruel and narcissistic employers who demand far too much. And yet, the degradation is only more alluring to him. Until one day when the job posting and identity of the family are exposed in a viral Internet post. The scandal turns the family on its head and Raj must decide whether to stay under their control or find his way out.
This is sort of a modern reimagining of Vanity Fair set in Hollywood from the perspective of an Indian American aspiring actor. I really loved it! It was hilarious and thought-provoking with a unique cast of characters. The adaptation worked super well for the critiques it was trying to make—particularly the white privilege of the successful few in the industry that favors wealth over talent. Ironically, I don't think this book will get as much press as other satirical novels this year, despite being better crafted. All that to say, go read it!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2026
This was a fun one, and riddled with upsettingly accurate virtue signaling towards BIPOC communities from the white perspective, writing this as a fully self-aware white woman who is disgusted with society's artificial sympathies towards people of color.
I am so thankful to Simon Books, Roshan Sethi, and NetGalley for advanced access to this page-turner, before it hits shelves on July 7, 2026.
Raj Ladlani wants to make it big in Hollywood as an actor. That's all he's ever wanted, yet he finds himself unemployable due to his race, even though everyone LOVEEEEEEEES Slumdog Millionaire... sheesh. And he finds that with any given connection, he's either left on read or taken advantage of with some white savior-mentality.
When a personal assistant job role is listed for an A-list directing family, he jumps at the bait only to find this to be the most demeaning title, practically fulfilling grocery orders and whipping up meals for their dog, and definitely not opening any connecting doors for the future of Raj's acting desires.
Yet, Raj is witty and chronically online enough to know he can finagle some promise out of this rock bottom job, perhaps making what's to follow his best performance yet!
Super quick and razor sharp, Roshan Sethi knows how to write a novel (without a hero) -- yet I was really rooting for Raj.
I am so thankful to Simon Books, Roshan Sethi, and NetGalley for advanced access to this page-turner, before it hits shelves on July 7, 2026.
Raj Ladlani wants to make it big in Hollywood as an actor. That's all he's ever wanted, yet he finds himself unemployable due to his race, even though everyone LOVEEEEEEEES Slumdog Millionaire... sheesh. And he finds that with any given connection, he's either left on read or taken advantage of with some white savior-mentality.
When a personal assistant job role is listed for an A-list directing family, he jumps at the bait only to find this to be the most demeaning title, practically fulfilling grocery orders and whipping up meals for their dog, and definitely not opening any connecting doors for the future of Raj's acting desires.
Yet, Raj is witty and chronically online enough to know he can finagle some promise out of this rock bottom job, perhaps making what's to follow his best performance yet!
Super quick and razor sharp, Roshan Sethi knows how to write a novel (without a hero) -- yet I was really rooting for Raj.
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