Jonathan Coe reunites his favourite characters from his earlier novels “ The Rotters’s Club “ and “ The Closed Circle “ in this highly satirical story of how we ended up with Brexit. Set between the general election in 2010 and now, it tells the story of how political and economic changes lead to the current gridlock using the London riots, European referendum, the power of the internet and actual political news. It has got a wonderful cast of characters, their humorous, angry, desperate voices evolve around family, nostalgia, love and arts. “ Middle England “ is one of the best novels to voice what ordinary people think and how they expressed themselves through this turbulent and uncertain time in British politics. I will urge everybody to read it whether you agree or disagree. This novel explains how we were duped to believe in Brexit.

In this highly entertaining satire set in the Midlands and London, Jonathan Coe unfolds the political and cultural tapestry of the past eight years: the Cameron/Clegg government, the London riots, the Olympic opening ceremony and the slow – and increasingly faster – descent into Brexit chaos. Coe is a master in chronicling the recent past, taking the country’s temperature and capturing its mood. He does take sides (Remain) and his anger and exasperation sometimes shine through. I found this book funny and well thought out and if you, like me, read the news and think ‘how did this all happen?’ it’s just the ticket.

I was recommended this in my local Waterstones (in Middle England) and am delighted they did. Coe deploys satire expertly to ask the question: how did we get here?

I read this courtesy of NetGalley. This was an interesting enjoyable read, revisiting old characters from The Rotters Club centred on Brexit, the rise and fall of David Cameron and reminding us other events in the window the book covers between just before the General Election in 2010 to September 2018. There are plenty of new characters as well in this, at times, lighthearted read around the serious issues we are all facing. Reading this book in the week when the Prime Minister has introduced the Commons to her Brexit deal I found this focused the mind on what had preceded the point we now find ourselves in. Now living on the geographical edge of Coe's Middle England I am more than familiar with the places mention in the book, even living for a time in Earlsdon, Coventry in the late 70's. A bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane as well with Hatfield and the North, having grown up in the city where this particular prog rock band originated. The England Coe paints is the one we have got used to, the decimation of industry, decline of the traditional high street with the rise of food banks versus the genteel golf courses and garden centres. I loved the intermix of fact and fiction, so easy to relate to the places, people and times. A thought provoking read in these tumultuous times, at times disturbing as we all have to face up to the next, unwelcome, chapter in our future.

A new book by Jonathan Coe is like greeting an old friend. His books have the capacity to move me like few others. Middle England is his Brexit novel but is so much more than that. It examines the conditions that led up to it, taking in ‘political correctness gone mad’, ‘people like you', and why we never saw it coming. Some of the characters return from The Rotters Club, and The Closed Circle although this reads as a stand alone novel perfectly. Coe shows us how we were encouraged to be dissatisfied with immigration and multiculturalism. As in the British Empire , we are being divided and ruled. Ben Trotter unexpectedly has a book published. A newspaper profile makes it look as if it only happened because of tenuous connections to ‘elites and experts.’ Sophie, a lecturer, is accused of transphobia due to a teenage girl who ‘knows her rights.’ As austerity bites throughout the David Cameron Premiership, people look for someone to blame. One dialogue that runs through the novel is a series of meetings between a journalist, Doug and a communications director in the Tory Government, Nigel. At every meeting save the last one, Nigel makes out that everything is going brilliantly. After the referendum result, he admits that the country is ‘fu**ed’, and that everything is a mess. Despite this, Middle England ends on a tone of glorious hope that makes up glad we made the journey.