The Brexit House
by Julia Winter
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Pub Date Aug 28 2023 | Archive Date Sep 22 2023
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Description
Late August, 2019. As talk of a prorogation of parliament overwhelms the news cycle, a cast of London guests are holidaying in an Edwardian family house at the seaside in Dover. Little do they know just how this parliamentary strife will affect their own lives over the coming days...
Left-wing liberal Cecily Hayes feels passionately that Brexit is laying siege to the England she loves. With this in mind, she embarks upon a literary quest, from John Foxe, through Milton, Defoe, Wollstonecraft and Blake, to discover what exactly it is, this 'England' of her heart. Quite contrary to this, Cecily’s friend Diana hopes, conversely, that Brexit can save her England from cultural extinction.
In the mix are also Cecily’s German-Togolese husband, Florian, who is consumed by the fallacies of neoliberalism in the Americas, and her bumptious public-school educated nephew, who hero-worships Jacob Rees-Mogg. Last-but-not-least there is Cecily’s jolly financial-adviser brother-in-law and her wealthy sister, Victoria, whose secret plans for the family house could – if Cecily only knew – turn her whole world upside-down.
Within that house, as the holiday progresses and struggles at home mirror the struggles in government, unravels a story of Brexit England: a world of confusion and delusion, fury and betrayal.
A Note From the Publisher
After completing her history MA, Julia spent thirteen years living and working in Poland, before returning to the UK with her English-Polish family in 2013. This is her debut.
Marketing Plan
Complex contemporary novel surrounding one family inheritance quarrel against the backdrop of Brexit
Ideal for readers who enjoyed Jonathan Coe's Middle England and Hilary Boyd's Tangled Lives
Complex contemporary novel surrounding one family inheritance quarrel against the backdrop of Brexit
Ideal for readers who enjoyed Jonathan Coe's Middle England and Hilary Boyd's Tangled Lives
Available Editions
EDITION | Ebook |
ISBN | 9781805146384 |
PRICE | £4.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 352 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
The last novel with a theme of English politics that I really enjoyed was The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowling, but this book is far superior to that.
The author has assembled two middle aged sisters, their partners, a friend of one of them, and three children, in a crumbling holiday home near the White cliffs of Dover. Now they let rip about all things sexist, or racist, or elitist, or selfish against the backdrop of the long Brexit debate. The polemic here is very much aimed at Boris and his chronies as the aged and ailing Queen is asked to prorogue parliament so they can do their dirtiest.
The author allows her main character, Cecily, to reference Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Milton's Areopagitica, Blake and Wollstonecraft, creating a deeply fascinating and engaging narrative.
A very entertaining and well-written snapshot of the period immediately post Brexit. This is such a well-drawn story of the intricate complexities and insecurities behind the divisive decision all against a back drop of family tension and difficulties of the relationship between two sisters. The characters were beautifully drawn and the family dynamics were dealt with sensitivity but unflinchingly. Lots of fascinating historical references are included and the different perceptions of these create some really interesting characters. A very enjoyable read that's crying out to be made into a TV series.
An interesting book that takes place just after Brexit. Thought-provoking and honest, it was. a pleasure to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anyone with an interest in the politics of the United Kingdom will remember the turbulent battles over Brexit all too well. Whichever side you were on at the time feelings ran high, and it is probably safe to say that nobody was neutral!
The divisions in modern Britain between the progressive elements within the population and the left-wing intelligentsia, and those right-wingers who yearned for a supposedly simpler time (simpler for whom, one is forced to ask - presumably not the subjects of the erstwhile British Empire or their descendants today!) created an enormous and apparently unbridgeable gap between the pro and anti-Brexit groupings.
Those tensions are clearly on display in this novel, not least in how each person justifies their stance and wants to see "their" Britain win. But as with the Brexit debate itself, there is so much more to it, so much that lies beneath the surface begging to be unpacked.
The effects of social class, the role of financial security or the lack thereof, the complexity of family dynamics, the cruelty of betrayal, and the fragility of national identity all play their part in the lives of the people who make up the cast of The Brexit House.
The characters are well drawn and multi-dimensional - even someone like Diana, whose politics are very alien to me. Some are certainly more likeable than others, but they all ring true to some extent.
This seamlessly weaves in history and cultural references, and is likely to be an absorbing read for those who are interested in politics and current affairs, in particular.
An interesting cast of characters come to stay together in a coastal.British town. All with different opinions. An interesting study on how politics can make or break a relationship. An enjoyable read.
To read my Q+A with the author of "The Brexit House", Julia Winter, please visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/q-a-julia-winter