LITTLE CRUELTIES

Nugent once again provides a dark, dramatic story--this one enhanced by an ensemble of highly skilled narrators. The Drumm brothers, William, Brian and Luke, from a working-class family in Dublin, share the little cruelties that add up to shatter their lives. The novel begins ominously at a funeral of one of the brothers, without a clue as to which one. Each brother is effectively voiced by a different narrator, all with soft Irish accents. Toward the end, Mary-Lou McCarthy poignantly portrays Daisy, the next generation of Drumms. While listeners will have to pay careful attention as the story weaves between the boys' childhood and the present, and from one brother to another, they will find an engaging experience with plenty of surprises. E.Q. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]