Review By Sunaina Luthra | Rating: 4/5

Disagreements and clash of opinions–aren’t they the everyday soundtrack of every home?  Whether it’s between parents, couples or the classic sibling stand-off, no household is a stranger to a little domestic drama; sometimes a mere whisper, and often a full -blown tempest. From fiery debates on careers and finances to relationships, living room discussions often feel less than a conversation and more of a diatribe where everyone risks the plunge.

Hughes household is no exception. Eddie Hughes is a die- hard Labor Party councilor who spends his days debating policies, while Emma Hughes is a philanthropist busy spreading literacy among prisoners with her program ‘Prisoners Unlocked’. Like any other parents they have raised their only son Dylan through the lens of their shared values and beliefs. Dylan is all set to return home to Hastings after completing his studies at Oxford. The proud parents await his arrival but he has a revelation to make; maybe he is gay, or a Maoist leader, or a pretentious shoplifter? After all, what could be more of a burgeoning liability for parents to see their son awkwardly lamented for a different belief system? The skeletons in the cupboard are out—Dylan is a conservative! For Emma and Eddie, who are labor activist and lifelong Tory opponents, this isn’t just a bitter pill to swallow—it’s a full-blown family inferno.

As tradition goes in most homes, the wrench passes from plumber to son, the stethoscope is inherited like a family heirloom and business empires are less built and more inherited with a board seat and a bonus. In the same way if mum and dad swore by Labor Party, their adult son is expected to carry the banner like a family surname. Emma and Eddie are bewildered and in a state of denial however, another storm lingers in the air. With elections coming up in Hasting, Eddie is fighting his son who unceremoniously backs Conservative candidate Norman Skelton.

 When politics runs in the family like the lines on the palm, it’s difficult to erase what the hand has been holding for long. Can the flow of life, so politically emphasized ever be re-drawn? Dylan has done the impressionistic. It’s to be seen who emerges victorious?

Will the political battle divide the Hughes clan?

Is it easy for parents to come to terms with a political ideology run in the family reaching a cul de sac? Or, if not everything is political, does it also become prudent to look into parental mindset that do not want a clanger hanging by their neck?

‘Family Politics by John O’ Farrell brims with humorous instances which will make readers burst out laughing; Emma chains herself to a chicken shed in protest to the shocking twist of Dylan coming out not as a gay but a conservative. Farrell turns domestic squabbles into political showdowns turning the household into a battleground of pawns, queens and quiet checkmates.

TAKEAWAY

It’s ‘House of Hughes’ wow! I‘ve nailed the perfect name someone please call ‘Netflix’ to consider this for a flawless screen play.