⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 enjoyable stars.

This was different to Liz’s previous books, different writing style/story type.

I realise I’m in the minority here but I didn’t enjoy this one as much as her previous books.

I found the story to be slow going and overly descriptive. All the characters were unlikable with the exception of Luke , in fact this was Luke’s book really.

The book was enjoyable but the author has set it out so we have three characters who have flashback chapters from their point of view as well as current day point of view chapters. The problem is that with three of them it feels too many and it’s easy to get lost in what era you are in and which character.

Three brothers are at a funeral but one of them is in a coffin. One or even both of the living brothers is responsible for his death. That's the central mystery to this excellent new book from Liz Nugent. Will, Brian and Luke Drumm are very different characters. Will is a womanising film producer full of his own self importance. Brian is an unlucky in love part time teacher who's main interest is money. Luke is an unlikely pop star with addiction and mental health problems Throughout this book we see how a dysfunctional childhood shapes a child into the adult they will become. Nugent covers various different time periods seen through the perspective of each of the brothers. At times it's a laugh out loud read particularly as I'm a child of the 70's myself and can relate. Also it's a poignant and at times very sad look at a child's longing for maternal love. Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy.

If you're looking for a fast-paced plot full of thrills and spills, this is certainly not the book for you. Having enjoyed the author's previous books, most notably Skin Deep, I was looking forward to picking up this title. And I think if you know what it is that you're going into, you will like this book. I was just expecting a bit more excitement, a bit more actually happening. Instead, I got a deep dive into three complicated (not particularly likeable) characters and their family dynamics. Which if that's what you enjoy - perfect. I was just hoping for more rather than revisiting the same events, just through different points of views. Don't get me wrong, the character development done throughout the plot should be applauded and it really is done very well but I just don't think it's enough.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of this book.

This novel was a difficult one for me. While I did enjoy reading it, I found a lot of the things happening very predictable.
For instance, I knew who the brother to die was about a third of the way in, and that kind of spoiled the story for me.

However, the story is very well written and there is a underlying sense of tension while you read it.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a family the Drumms are, I absolutely loved the style of writing and the awful family. great read

Loved all Liz Nugent books & this didn't disappoint. The three brothers & their relationships with each other is compelling and the insight into each character as told by the others was very well done. The way the mother behaved towards each of her the 3 son's seems to show in how they behave as adults. Still thinking about the characters & their stories days after finishing it. Loved it.

Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent
A million thanks @netgalley @liznugentwriter and @penguinbooks for my arc
Publication date 26th March 2020
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So this has been an incredible week for reading 😊Peter Swanson followed by Liz Nugent. Two of my favourite authors of all time. I promised my friend Elaine @elainesreviews that I was going to read this over Christmas Eve but I absolutely blasted my way through it in one night 😊. Amazing as always. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The story follows three brothers, Will, Brian and Luke. As children they grow up competing for the mother’s love. As men, the competition continues. Who has the most money? Fame? Status? This is truly one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve ever read and I absolutely loved every minute of it. As always Liz Nugent’s writing is flawless and you’re completely drawn into the story. The timeline and characters jump around but it’s easy to follow and gives a depth and understanding of each character. Significant stories are told from each character’s point of view, this reminded me a little of ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ which is a huge compliment 😊. Truly amazing. An absolute work of art. Like all the authors books this book will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend every book by the amazing @liznugentwriter xxxxx

With family like this.... who can't succeed in life? Okay that was said sarcastically, because wow, on each and every page one of the brothers will be betraying one of his other brothers, and with such flair....
The book starts with a funeral, the reader not knowing who died and why, but by the end you have so many possible victims!
Very well written book, and highly recommended.

A great tale, focusing on the many aspects of the dysfunctional Drumm family.

Once again, Liz Nugent does what she does best. She writes the darker aspects of each character; she exposes their flaws and draws the reader in, closer and closer, through each passing page.

A phenomenal read, once again by this author, her books are not to be missed.

Truely fantastic read. You are lottery sucked in right from page one. Do not plan on doing anything else while you are on this book. It’s very well written and exciting great read

Liz Nugent excels at creating unlikeable yet complex characters, as well as telling an incredibly readable story, and in the tale of the brothers Drumm (not Grimm, though the story is indeed grim at times), she has delivered brilliantly on both fronts.

The sons of Melissa Craig, a well known singer (“the only Melissa of her generation”, according to her son - it wasn’t the name she was born with), spend their lives in complicated battles with one another, beginning with that for their mother’s clearly unequal love. All three repeatedly betray each other in different ways.

As we follow their lives as children and adults, William, always their mother’s favourite, becomes a Weinsteinesque film producer who uses and discards young women; vulnerable Luke, the least loved, achieves early fame as a pop star but constantly struggles with his demons of mental illness, drugs and alcohol. (How the child Luke is treated is heartbreaking - there’s a memorably distressing incident involving a dog.) Money-obsessed Brian has difficulty finding his role in life, becoming a teacher and later an agent. Through these three men and the women around them, Nugent has woven a compelling and at times jaw-dropping story.

The narrative switches between the brothers and, apparently randomly, between different time periods; somehow it manages never to be confusing. We see the same events from different perspectives, affording greater insights - the depths to which these brothers will sometimes sink are only gradually revealed. The end, when it comes, is devastating, yet in some way strangely inevitable.

Sorry but I didn't like the characters and so couldn't be interested in what happened to them.I gave up in the end, again, sorry about this.

This book is just fantastic! It’s definitely one of my favourite reads this year and I read lots.
Liz Nugent is a fabulous storyteller and the characters quickly draw you in.
It’s the perfect drama about a dysfunctional Irish family made up of 3 brothers. I couldn’t put it down once I started it and would recommend it to anyone.

Love this author
The way she draws her very unlikable characters and their relationships to one another is always a great read
This is no different ...wow ..three brothers from childhood raised to compete ,split by their mothers love favouring one and belittling the others
The food being used to do so which really stayed with me
Two in particular are despicable
This family has no chance and will continue through the generations as they retaliate against their upbringings and take with them years of resentment
Thanks to Liz for another great read and I anticipate your next with relish
Ty netgalley and publishers for this early Christmas present

Think your family might be somewhat dysfunctional? Think again. The Drumm family puts the dys into functional. The book starts at a funeral which is a cliffhanger as until the end we don’t know whose it is except that it’s one of the Drumm brothers. They’re a talented bunch which they probably inherit from their mother who had success as a show band singer. The eldest Brian is an agent, Will is a filmmaker and Luke has had a successful music career. They are a colourful and intriguing family as becomes clear as each brother gives their perspective on their lives and stories. This is told non-chronologically which from a writer less skilled than Liz Nugent this could have been an unholy mess but it works brilliantly and I think it makes their stories much more interesting.

The characters are so well created and crafted and though they are not all likeable by any means, you get a real insight into what makes them tick and the root of many of their issues lies with their mother Melissa. For Brian it’s money, he makes Scrooge and Silas Marner look like big spenders. He’s not likeable as he can be jealous, belligerent and smug. Will is a womaniser which gets him into untold trouble. Luke is the most likeable, he’s very damaged, vulnerable and has serious mental health issues. The boys are truly awful to each other but especially to Luke and some of their ‘little cruelties’ aren’t so little. I really like the fact that the three boys narrate the story because you can check the veracity of their accounts and see if they are reliable and trustworthy.

This is a very well written, suspense family drama. The pacing is good and there are plenty of revelations and twists throughout. However, it’s the ending that firmly places this in the 5 star category because it’s mind blowing, it makes you gasp and your jaw drop it’s so shocking.

Overall, this is another outstanding novel from Liz Nugent who is an extremely talented writer, creating stories that are hard to put down. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the ARC.

This is a brilliant book, I loved it! I am a huge fan of Liz Nugent and I think this is her best book yet.
It tells the story of three brothers, WIll, Brian and Luke and their relationship over the years. Two of the brothers are attending the other one's funeral and we don't find out whose funeral it is until the end of the book. I love the way the story jumps back and forwards through the years charting significant events in the lives of the characters viewed from each of their perspectives. The twisted relationships between the brothers, their parents and various partners are absolutely fascinating and as more and more is revealed, you discover the reason for the characters' behaviour and actions. The characterisation is so vivid and authentic, at times I forgot I was reading a novel and thought I was reading a memoir.
A brilliant character led family drama, I would highly recommend this book, it really is something special.

I really wanted to like this book as this author is one of my favourite but as the story shifted from one perspective to another and from one timeline to the next, I just found myself confused and uninterested.

Although this story did not live up to my expectations, I will still recommend it as I’m sure it will be someone else’s cup of tea!

I would like to thank the Publishers, NetGalley, and the Author for sending me a copy of this book.

This is my 4th Liz Nugent book and I was delighted to be offered to read it.

This book is the story of three brothers, all with their own issues. The story is told from the point of view of each of the brothers and jumps back and forth in time. It's a story of greed, lust, betrayal and anger and for me was a compelling read and I couldn't it down! I cannot wait for the next book from Liz.

I have read all of Liz Nugent’s previous books, and was thrilled to get the chance to read this one early.
It’s the story of three brothers, and the complex relationships that have with one another and other people in their lives, with a mystery element thrown in.
I devoured it. Swallowed it whole. She can write complex family dynamics, laid-bare characters and human pathos unlike anyone else. I thought it was STUNNING. It’s my favourite of all of her books - there is stiff competition.