Benjamin Trotter lives in Middle England. But he is increasingly unsure what that means. Trotter first appeared in Coe’s 2001 novel The Rotter’s Club. Here, in Coe’s 12th novel, he is starting a new life as a single man in a converted mill house on the outskirts of Shrewsbury. We follow him and a cast of loosely connected characters across the country as it careers towards the EU referendum.
The story begins in 2010 with Trotter’s mother’s funeral — in many ways this is also a farewell to the England Trotter grew up in. We meet his deteriorating father, who can’t understand where cars are made now the plant he used to work in is a shopping centre; his niece, Sophie, a bright academic who can’t get a permanent job and struggles to be polite to her boyfriend’s bigoted mother; and his old friend Doug, a liberal journalist with a right-on daughter called Coriander who’s on a mission to call out micro aggressions.
In Middle England, Coe shows an understanding of this country that goes beyond what most Cabinet ministers can muster. Through characters who span the political spectrum, he subtly builds a picture that exposes the cracks in society — highlighting illogical prejudices and their devastating political effect. He is a master of satire but pokes fun subtly, without ever being cruel, biting or blatant.
He paints the 2011 London Riots as a turning point where the country divided and commentators like Doug no longer had anything relevant to say. Coe also has a knack for capturing the romanticism of national events like the Olympic Opening Ceremony — Sophie is surprised at how much she enjoys it, texting her friend Sohan who is also transfixed on the sofa, proud of how cool London looks. Reading it, you remember the swell of pride that coursed through the country back then. It already feels far away.
As we approach the present, Coe tackles the trans debate at universities, through Sophie. When she makes an offhand awkward joke about a student being indecisive she isn’t to know that the girl was transitioning and her remark could be taken as transphobic. Including this is a brave move by Coe, given how sensitive this issue is, but he does it well, with a clever, darkly funny twist. Just like his treatment of Brexit, he conveys the perspectives of all sides and captures the frightening ease and speed with which people can be misunderstood and demonised.
We see how Brexit impacts on everything from marriages to male pride. But this isn’t just a series of hot takes on all today’s political issues. It’s a set of stories about relationships, parenthood and friendship. There are plenty of moving human moments and a contender for funniest sex scene of the year, involving a hard object in the dark and two middle-aged people who haven’t been naked with another person in a long time. Benjamin Trotter mentions so many songs that you wish the book came with a soundtrack.
Coe doesn’t offer any straightforward solutions for what he calls “the hysteria gripping the British people” but somehow his light, funny writing makes you feel better. This book is a welcome tonic for uncertain times.
Middle England by Jonathan Coe (Viking, £16.99).
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