A darkly humorous novel about modern Australia and what it means to be a good person.
It’s 2016. Lance Alcocke, sole heir to an iron ore fortune, forty-ish bachelor, has just lost control of his life’s work. His newly opened mine, Madeleine’s Monster, named after his pioneering, iron-fisted grandmother, was supposed to be a workers’ paradise in the Pilbara. But the Monster can’t cover its costs and Lance’s Korean financiers are trying to steal his company out from under him. Lance has appointed administrators to APC Minerals, and his 1200 workers have lost their jobs.
Among those newly unemployed when the Monster goes under is young engineer Will Fulbright. Will’s downhill slide has been gathering pace for some time. His formerly loved-up girlfriend, Justine Jamison, director of the refugee advocacy group Free All Refugee Children! (FARC!) and lefty girl about town, doesn’t seem to like him much anymore. Will has no income, not many prospects, a slightly out of control drug problem, and finds himself back on his mother’s couch in Fairfield. Meanwhile, out on the Bronte Cutting, Will’s old employer, Lance Alcocke, and Will’s girlfriend Justine are on a personal collision course of their own.
This is a novel of our times. It is about money, class, race, privilege, families, friends, lovers, duplicity and corruption . . . and whether it’s possible for anyone to get what they deserve any more.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
A story that relates to the modern day saga of businesses going bust and the workers left out in the cold. The reader despises Lance Alcocke and feels sorry for Will. His girlfriend Justine is the meat in the sandwich. This book was hard to put down as it weaves its way and exposes Lance as a man with no soul. I rejoiced at the end. A book for these times! Cheryl, VIC, 5 Stars
The Cutting explores contemporary issues – social class and privilege, corporate financial webs, refugee policy, exploitation and visa scams. It provides an insight into the lives of the mega-rich mining dynasties in WA paralleled by the working poor in outer Sydney. Billionaire iron-ore magnate Lance Alcock has it all. Or does he? Militant refugee activist Justine is forming a curious alliance with Lance to highlight the plight of children in offshore detention. Justine’s partner Will has just lost his job, and is spiralling, while Bryce appears to have it all and more. Will’s Mum has been trapped in a job she hates for too long and is looking for revenge. Their trajectories are about to collide… The story unfolds through four points of view and provides a clever juxtaposition of international banking and payday lending. A fast-moving story with a lot of food for thought! Terese, TAS, 4 Stars
The Cutting is a tale of intriguing characters and the complexity of their lives and relationships. Richard McHugh’s use of dark humour throughout the novel is only surpassed by a very unexpected ending. A tantalising read! Sarah, VIC, 4 Stars
A slow burn this one – but by the end I was intrigued to see how each story was connected and I could not put it down. Each character was strongly written and allowed the space to develop and evolve as the story progressed. The historical backstories interspersed throughout the current timeline kept the story rolling along, even when it sometimes felt like not a long was going on. The sense of place was also vivid, from a remote mine in WA to Coastal Sydney and Paris, I could see the landscape and cities jump from the page to my mind’s eye. The writing was raw, and often harsh, but I felt a connection to each character and an understanding of their choices, even when I didn’t agree with them. A book that stays with you long after the final page is turned. Would recommend! Jane, VIC, 4 Stars
The Cutting was an engrossing read with some great characters which we learn more and more about as the story unfolds. The twist ending was a surprise. Susan, NSW, 4 Stars
Four characters, four lives, each with secrets and shadows that plague them. The Cutting is not one story, it’s four characters that touch each other with their own story for better or for worse, mostly worse. Set in Australia, briefly in Western Australia and largely in Sydney with a momentary but intense encounter in Paris. Each character’s story is uniquely drip-fed to the reader over a period spanning 20 years, culminating in 2016, with some back and forth. It’s impossible to love these characters but you get to know their flaws in brilliant detail. With each new shocking piece of information, you are left wondering where the narrative is going next. The author combines some humour with thought-provoking intensity to bring depth to his characters and challenges us with some ethical dilemmas. I was intrigued where these characters were going and if their destinies were linked. Somewhat privileged characters get involved in lives of deceit, corruption, crime and in Will’s case, drugs. The family relationships are strained and unusual. An insight into these shameful characters keeps the pages turning in the hope that they get their just desserts. Fiona, SA, 4 Stars
The Cutting by Richard McHugh has elements of crime, corruption, betrayal, money, privileges, family loyalty and love all rolled into a cleverly written witty novel. Lance Alcocke is the sole heir to a massive iron ore fortune, amusingly but aptly named Madeleine’s Monster, a tribute to his strong-willed grandmother. Unfortunately, when the Korean investors start trying to take his company from under him, Lance is left with no choice and his 1200 employees lose their jobs. Will Fullbright, a young engineer is one of those employees. His relationship with his girlfriend, Justine Jamison, already fragile, escalates further with the loss of his job and he continues to spiral downwards with some unhealthy decisions. Things then get really interesting when Justine leaves Will and commences a relationship with Lance. And then there’s Will’s mother, Lee-Anne who aims to be a whistle-blower when she uncovers her boss’s shaky dealings. This interesting story encapsulates money, greed and wealth, and the lengths some people would go to so as to retain that power. With plenty of twists throughout the story, I was more than surprised at the outcome. This is an entertaining read and I would give it 4 stars out of 5. Christine, QLD, 4 Stars
The company is closing down, over 1000 people will be losing their jobs, things look pretty grim. But still of for Lance though. He’s the boss of the company that’s closing down. Then there’s Will, one of the now unemployed workers and his girlfriend Justine, who spends her working day on ‘good causes’. She has been promised a sizable donation from Lance. Then we find these two on a collision course of their own making that will send them reeling! What can happen next? This is where the rollercoaster ride starts and all their lives become entwined. This was an enjoyable book which takes in different social classes and the vast differences between them. I liked all the main characters; Lance’s pompousness and self-assurance; Will’s fight with himself and his efforts to bring himself back out the depressed state he finds himself in and, Justine I felt, was sometimes frivolous and superficial. But all were very likeable and credible characters. The storyline was creative and different and had me guessing. And the outcome was even more interesting!! Chris, VIC, 4 Stars
Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem with the famous lines “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive” came to my mind as I started reading this book. There are essentially 4 main characters in this book whose lives weave amongst the all-pervasive deceit and awfulness. There is a young engineer, Will, who loses his job at the iron-ore mine in the Pilbara owned by Lance, who inherited it. Will’s left-wing girlfriend, Justine, runs a refugee activist organisation and she sees in Lance someone who may bankroll her latest idea to draw attention to the plight of those refugees. Will’s mother, Lee-Anne, has always had high hopes for her son whilst her own life appears to be merely chugging along, tinged with poverty. Differing classes and access (or lack of) to funds makes for an interesting backdrop to the story of these flawed individuals, especially as, coming from the UK where class is a major factor, I had always believed, perhaps erroneously, Australia to be less focussed on class. Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read this well-written book. Pamela, VIC, 4 Stars
Enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would from the look of the cover. The Cutting by Richard McHugh is a story-driven by typical Australian characters, from varied classes but all morally compromised. I loved that it uses familiar, colloquial language, Australian locations and culture keeping you entertained throughout. It explores the privileges and corruption of class, how it doesn’t matter your class, their families still have issues and you ask the question do people ever get what they really deserve. Once started couldn’t put it down. Tara, WA, 4 Stars
This was a book of have and have nots as well as wanna be’s. It shows what people will stoop to and what money will do to people. It was an interesting read told from various characters points of view. Worth a look at. Andrea, VIC, 4 Stars
Gritty hard hitting book about the closure of a Pilbara mine and the fall from grace of its owner Lance Alcocke. A now unemployed & disgruntled Will retreats into the solace of his expensive bad habit resulting in him losing his girlfriend Justine & the need of his mothers couch. Deep revelations into their lives and how they all becoming entwined in the ensuing fallout make for a gripping read. Wendy, SA, 4 Stars
Richard McHugh’s latest novel, The Cutting, is a fast-paced, witty take on the class divide in Australia. McHugh does a brilliant job of portraying our country’s socio-political and economic spheres and then colourfully narrates where they intersect with interpersonal relationships. Without a doubt, the novel is filled with thoroughly unlikable and highly flawed characters, but McHugh’s clever dialogue makes them oh-so-appealing. The Cutting is at its heart a satire, and there are some very funny moments. But the end of the novel will undoubtedly have you questioning the core class structure of Australia. What I enjoyed most about this novel was McHugh’s clever narration. This is clearly a man who knows his words very well and is not afraid to use them. Told any other way this novel could have been cliched or boring but The Cutting was a highly entertaining read. Penelope, QLD, 4 Stars
I’ve just now finished this well-written, engaging novel The Cutting by Richard McHugh and had to google what Bronte Cutting looks like which from what I understand is one of the most significant coastal walks in the world. The Bondi to Bronte coastal walk attracts an estimated one million walkers per year and during peak times, as many as 500 pedestrians per hour use Bronte Cutting. The story starts with the falling of the iron ore mine and the love triangle of Will, Justine and Lance Alcocke. However a series of snippets of other information and tales come together for a reeling finale that will leave you with a feeling whether it’s possible for anyone to get what they deserve anymore when it comes to money, power, wealth and privilege. Preeya, QLD, 4 Stars
The Cutting by Richard McHugh is an enjoyable book. Each chapter is character based. As the story unfolds we learn more about the individual characters; Lance the wealthy sole heir. Matt the unemployed engineer and his girlfriend Justine director of Free All Refugee Children. Their intertwined history, relationships are explored until a twist of fortune when secrets are exposed and fates are changed. It’s about money, class, privilege and corruption. Krystine, VIC, 3 Stars
You get to enjoy all the character’s perspectives in The Cutting as the chapters jump from person to person and from the past to now. The intersection of characters brings the story all together. A modern story about family heritage, love, money and power. Penny, QLD, 3 Stars
The Cutting is a dark satire on family, friends, money, class and corruption. When Madeleine’s Monster, a “workers’ paradise” in the Pilbara, goes into administration, Will Fulbright’s life is turned upside down. He loses his job, car, girlfriend and home. His ex, Justine, is director of a refugee advocacy group whose fundraising efforts lead to both a personal and professional alliance with Will’s boss, Lance Alcocke. Will has maxed out his credit cards, has an expensive drug habit and ends up on his mother Lee-Anne’s couch in Fairfield. Lee-Anne works for a payday lender and turns whistleblower when she uncovers a scandal involving her boss. Lance was brought up by his grandmother, Madeleine, after his parents’ go their separate ways. His reunion with his mother many years later in Paris leads to an unfortunate parting and he escapes to a kibbutz in Israel for a while. He eventually inherits the iron ore mining company but things don’t go to plan with his Korean financiers. For different reasons, all are on a collision course as they head to Lance’s home on the Bronte Cutting in Sydney with a very unexpected outcome. Sarah, NSW, 3 Stars
I really enjoyed how the author separated each character’s story and then slowly revealed how they intertwined and impacted one another. The characters were relatable with their struggles in life and love. How goals and dreams change with time, for good or worse, and we either have to adapt or die. And it also shows that no matter how much money you have, we all have dark secrets. Ammie, NSW, 3 Stars
The Cutting by Richard McHugh was an interesting read. Following the activities of its four main characters the reader is taken on a journey covering many current topics. Will is an engineer recently sacked from APC Minerals in the Pilbara; Justine is a lefty activist and Will’s girlfriend; Lance is the owner of APC Minerals and a billionaire; Lee-Anne is Will’s mother. Set in 2016, Sydney, Will returns here unemployed to live with his girlfriend. In the meantime Justine is spending a lot of time with Lance in the hope he will finance her pet project to rescue refugee children from mandatory detention. Lee-Anne is also planning revenge against her boss who has bullied her over the years. The fun comes from the many weird scenarios they find themselves involved in. The novel covers politics, wealth, unemployment, activism, corruption and relationships. It was an easy and enjoyable read. Michael, ACT, 3 Stars
“The Cutting”, at first, was not easy for me to become involved. The story centres around three main characters. I found myself feeling rather sorry for the two males – one of whom fits the bill of the “poor little rich boy”, and the other who has had opportunities despite his not-so-wealthy background. The main female character is the connection between the two men, and the way the story plays out is rather a surprise – or it was to me, anyway! I certainly didn’t see it coming! The initial closure of the mine and subsequent loss of jobs was certainly topical and no doubt many people in these times have experienced the ramifications of such an occurrence. It serves to “set the stage” for a couple of the story’s characters. Though set in Australia, I didn’t feel immediately at home with the setting or the characters, perhaps because I am not at all familiar with the world occupied by the wealthy and/or politics. However, it was an interesting story and certainly an education. I found this book a nice change from my usual reading fare, though it wasn’t one of the best books I’ve read this year. Marilyn, NSW, 3 Stars
An interesting tale of privilege, vanity, greed and addiction showing the differences between the social tiers of society and what some are willing to do to change them or keep them. Gai, NSW, 3 Stars
The Cutting is aptly named. The lead characters are calculating and politically driven. Will and Lance are connected in the most unusual ways. Through their messy, complicated family relationships, employer-employee and across time, partners to the same woman, the driven Justine. Life is challenging, and the ups and downs are woven nicely with the back story of these characters’ less-than-ideal lives. Likeable- I am not confident, engaging – definitely. There is a twist at the end that you will not see coming, so be warned. Whilst politics and this genre are not to my usual reading style, the clever humour eg FARC – Free all the refuge children, mines (cutting) and ruthless business and class systems (also cutting) added another level to this book. There were some beautifully written personification scenes that will have you imagining those things are real. If you thrive on unattainable wealth and power, and their occasional demise, you will enjoy this book. Larissa, NSW, 3 Stars
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