I am very interested in reading about The Troubles, so I was naturally drawn to this memoir. That being said, this was a bit too slight for me. It didn't have enough to make it a compelling read (I much preferred a memoir like Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?).

I read this just after returning from my first visit to Belfast. The story manages to weave the seriousness of the Troubles through a typical family narrative in a light and seamless way. I really enjoyed the style of writing and the way Alix took us right up to the present day.

Hilarious, heartfelt, unputdownable; O'Neill's "The Troubles with Us" is ideal for people who've loved "The Derry Girls" and want a deeper dive into northern irish history.

I loved this memoir. Informative and funny. A great starting point for people wanting to learn more about recent Irish history.

Hilarious trip down memory lane during the 1990s in Northern Ireland. Fans of The Derry Girls will adore this mix of family, friendship, frolics and Northern Irish humour as the protagonist navigates growing up during political unrest. Lots of factual tidbits of Northern Irish history intersperse the stories. Although predominantly told from a Northern Irish Catholic perspective, I related to much of the experiences as an 80s Protestant baby born and raised during the Troubles. I love reminiscing my youth!l and my University days in Trinity College Dublin. There is nothing quite like the Northern Irish sense of humour that can chat about serious issues in the same breath as the ordinary and make it all sound like a sing song! The audio version of this book is amazing. I laughed along as I read and listened . So good I binged it all in two sittings. #thetroubleswithus #alixoneill #netgalley

I could not stop laughing all the way through this memoire. I very real history but inter-dispursed with the realities of being a teenage girl. I loved it.

For anyone who knows/knew nothing or very little about the 'Irish Situation' this book will be a history lesson, an eye opener, a shock to the system - all wrapped up in a bundle of familial love and safety.
I learned more about our near neighbours and the challenges they have faced by reading this than I've picked up throughout my life but it never once felt 'teachy or preachy'.
Key dates/incidents that you will have heard of, but may never have really understood, are delivered in relatable, family stories. Imagine finding a bomb in your back garden or being late for school because buses had been burnt out on your route (and still getting a detention despite it pretty clearly not being your fault!!) - the things that the author and her friends and family just took in their stride (such as attending the wrong nightclub which could have got you killed) because they were, like the rest of us, focused on more 'major' challenges such as how to smuggle the really short skirt you wanted to wear to the disco out of your house without your parents seeing.
Every family has its story, its skeletons, its pressures and its pride and this wonderful book takes the reader on a fabulous journey to get to know every element of these.
When I started reading it I thought the section at the start - a kind of 'who's who' was irrelevant - but within a few pages I was checking back to make sure I understood who WAS who because I cared and it mattered.
An absolute joy of a book. Thank you.

The cover of this book says 'Derry Girls meets David Sedaris' and what an accurate description!

Alix O'Neill tells her story of growing up in on the Falls Road in Belfast during the 90s, where being a teenage girl obsessed with boys, Boyzone and sneaking out drinking lay parallel to soldiers, bombs and Sectarianism. The friendships Alix describes really did remind me of Derry Girls, the silly mixed with the serious that's perfectly balanced and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. I loved seeing the similarities and differences to my life growing up in the Republic of Ireland. I don't have any connection to the North but grew up in a community with a lot of ties to the North of Ireland, including friends who's family came from there, which is why I was particularly interested in reading this.

Part of what makes the story is Alix's family, a mixed bag of big characters. Her love for her grandfather especially is so tender and sweet, he sounds like he was such a special man. Funnily enough, I thought growing up around the same time on the same island would be the reason why I related to Alix's story but in fact, it was the story stemming from her mother and her background that I related to the most, having a different but similar one in my family as well. This storyline brings us right up to a few years ago, so the entire story doesn't revolve around the 90s, which helps break away from the Derry Girls comparisons.

A funny, honest memoir that I highly recommend to anyone, especially those wanting to know more about the conflict in Northern Ireland.

The Troubles With Us by Alix O'Neill is an enjoyable, light-hearted memoir set in Belfast during the dreaded 'Troubles', the related events which Alix charts alongside the goings-on in her extended family. The quirks of growing up in Belfast are humorously exposed although in some respects other locations have their own idiosyncrasies though in this case the exploits and revelations of the O'Neill clan push the boundaries of 'normal'.

I was charmed by the opening pages of this book and entertained throughout. Sometimes truth is indeed stranger than fiction!

I should declare that I also grew up in Belfast and went to the Crescent on a few occasions.

Aliix O’Neill takes the reader on a detailed reminiscence of her growing up in Belfast during ‘The Troubles’. The opening pages offer a mix of recollection and almost ‘Derry Girls’ humour. Inevitably, given the occasional grim realities that intrude into the author’s recollections of her family and the wider community, it is not easy to sustain the balance between reality and humour, but Ms O’Neill makes a valiant attempt. As the reader learns about the characteristically community focused life of Northern Ireland there can be a dawning realisation for those who, for whatever reason, have not kept closely in touch with life in Northern Ireland before, during and after the years of violence and disruption just how unusual and different from life on the mainland it was. For this reader, the description of the sometimes chaotic family life sat uneasily within the overall narrative; it was the descriptions of the way in which the every day experiences of growing up and coming to terms with the central character’s emerging adult self in the unusual circumstances of Northern Ireland at that time that provided the real value from reading the book.

I popped this to the top of my TBR after hearing about it on the Book Reccos podcast, and I'm so happy I did. This is a warm, fascinating look at growing up in Northern Ireland towards the end of the 'troubles'. Alix O'Neill introduces her quirky family who, on the surface, are just as funny, flawed, loving, and complicated as many families, but slowly we being to learn that what lies beneath all these weird and wonderful anecdotes is devastating. The impacts of political upheaval in the lives of Alix and those around her is truly gripping to read about. As someone who grew up in a similar era a million miles away, it is particularly eye-opening to discover just how some teenagers managed with the threat of violence on their doorsteps. I laughed, I cried, I reflected on what makes a family.

A light hearted view on growing up in Belfast during the troubles, very funny and i love the snapshots in time. Typical mix of characters and best read the family tree at beginning of the book to keep up. This is one girls growing up journey and could be set anywhere however because its set in Belfast there was additional issues to deal with as well as spots. A real insight into the lives of teenagers during the troubles and the way that this life toughen you up, gives you a inner confidence and strength un heard of in todays youth. Will listen to audiobook as we'll as i'm sure the local accent will add flavour to the funny sayings and remarks. If you liked DerryGirls then you will love this book as well. Thank you #NetGalley and #wmcollinsbooks for the advanced copy to review.

3.5 rounded up.
This was a lovely memoir about growing up in the 1990s in Belfast, during the Troubles and witnessing things getting better after the Good Friday Agreement. Alix takes us through her friendships, family drama (and secrets), dating, school, going out... Despite the segregated society, the author grew up fairly privileged and the Troubles do not take central place. - it is there in the background, but overall seems to have little impact on the teenager's life. Instead it is in the little things - adopting a nickname that make you sound less Catholic/less Protestant; trying to guess someone's background; friendships in different communities; moving to Dublin to study and feeling out of place. Alix O'Neill does explain the conflict and uses significant events as markers in her own life; but I found the overall tone... too simple? It was very factual and the feelings of the teenager (and later young adult) telling her story were rarely expressed. I found it lighthearted and "cute", and I expected a bit more depth. I think this would really appeal to older millennials who grew up in Northern Ireland and will feel nostalgia for the era - full of hope as things were getting better, full of pop culture references and teenage worries; but for someone who reads it mostly out of interest in the Troubles, it is maybe not enough.

There's a reason I read this in basically three sittings - and it's because it's just so bleedin' excellent.

'The Troubles With Us' captures the deeply complex and bloody sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland with the same humour and thought of 'Derry Girls', examining the minutiae of existing within a war-zone rather than attempting to capture the grand scale of things. Alix O'Neill's memoir could be anyone's - there's plenty of talk about boys, about school, about friendships and breakups and loneliness. The Troubles just happen to be the backdrop through which it exists.

Something about this book, ironically, felt hugely comforting to me. I didn't grow up in Northern Ireland, but my immediate family is from there and I've heard stories on occasion of what it was like for my Dad to grow up in Belfast during the Troubles. The extended members of O'Neill's family brought me fond memories of visiting my own, of deciphering accents and slang, fond memories of visiting the city (and occasionally catching sight of a protest or two while I was there). There are moments in this book where you really feel like you're sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, listening to O'Neill talk about her childhood rather than reading a book.

I want everyone to read this book - especially people in England, a significant majority of whom could probably do with some education on the 'situation' (as O'Neill mentions is the word du jour back home). There's real heart to it, alongside the shootings, bombings, carjackings, bomb scares etc.

If you're a fan of 'Derry Girls', you'll love this book. If you're not - well. You should read it anyway.

The Troubles with Us by Alix O’Neill is a wonderful memoir that gives the reader insight into growing up in Ireland during the unsettling time of The Troubles.

This is a fabulous self-reflection and memoir of what it was like growing up in Belfast during the 90s and the volatile period of the troubles within Northern Ireland.

I loved the author’s ability to balance sassiness and lighter comments with the seriousness and heaviness of the time period. She also did a wonderful job of not only debriefing the reader on key moments from a political and factual (ie historical) standpoint, but also how those events intertwined with her own past and personal experiences. It made for a wonderful personal touch.

I recommend this memoir for anyone that enjoys not only a balanced and fascinating personal account, but also anyone that is interested in Northern Ireland and its contemporary past.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Fourth Estate Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

The Troubles With Us is a book about growing up as a teenage girl during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. It's a really interesting perspective on how the situation affected adolescents. It's quite a quick read but enjoyable and a unique book.

Oh, this is fantastic....

Witty, hysterical, touching and never predictable. Growing up in Belfast in the '90s at the end of the Troubles, Alix O'Neill paints a vivid picture of her friends and family's place in the neighbourhood