Book Review: The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim

Book #38

You know, I’ve put off writing this review for almost a week, something I haven’t done since back in November. I normally write my reviews a day or two at most after finishing, so that my thoughts on the book are still fresh. Since starting this site, I’ve actually found it a bit difficult to move on to another book if I haven’t written my review. My thoughts linger with it.

I saw Jonathan Coe at this year’s Hay Festival, which I’ve mentioned. The real reason I went to see his event is because I will be studying What a Carve Up! next year, and I thought it would be nice to hear what he had to say, to have that little bit of an advantage over the rest of my classmates.

Now, I know What a Carve Up! is probably his most acclaimed novel, along with The Rotters’ Club. I haven’t read either, so this is my introduction to Jonathan’s work. He writes comically, satirically, and is well known for it. I was disappointed with The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim. It’s not a bad book, at all, I just don’t know if it had the depths I thought I would find in it. 

The person I personally would compare Jonathan to the most would be Nick Hornby, although they write very differently. It has a similar sensibility, just as when I compare Irving to Murakami. They write differently, but elicit a little of the same effect on me in some instances. 

The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim is about a man whose wife has just left him, and taken their daughter with her, and his struggle to figure out who he is and to move on from the pain of their impending divorce and very real separation. I wouldn’t suggest rushing out and buying it, but if you happened to find yourself with a copy, it’s not a waste of a read.