Brooklyn: A Novel
by Colm Toibin
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Book Reviews of Brooklyn: A Novel
Book Review: Staggering in its simplicity.
Summary: 4 Stars
As a reader, when I read a novel, especially when I'm 'reviewing' one, in the end, my primary question is: 'Am I glad I spent the time on it?'
As a writer, when I read a novel (or a screenplay, or article, or any other piece of writing), especially when I'm 'reviewing' one, in the end, my primary question is: 'Would I like to have written it?'
In the case of Tóibín's 'Brooklyn', the answers would be, in order, 'Yes', and 'No'.
'Brooklyn' was such a strange animal to me. I write as I speak, as I converse, as I express myself in most ways: pithiness rarely rules the day. So to have such a poignant tale told with such reserve, by way of a narrative that's not that far off point-form...this style of writing is not my default choice. However, perhaps because of its -to me, maybe just to me- unusual qualities in this regard, it found a special place in my heart. Its quirkiness was endearing...and I do not mean that in a patronizing way in the least. (For the record, my heroes are John Irving, Pat Conroy, Mark Helprin and Ann-Marie MacDonald. One of my favourite stretches within a novel would be the first forty-or-so pages of Don Delillo's 'Underworld'. Now *that* is writing.) Yes, I'd be curious to read a 'filled-out' version of this 269-page threadbare novel. Yes, there were times I longed for 'more'. But its charms...and its effectiveness...were beyond question for me. So yes, I'm glad I spent the time reading it, I enjoyed it a ton.
But I could never see writing it. If I tried to accomplish even a short story cut from the same cloth, it would, no doubt, be terribly affected, and if successful, more an exercise in determination than creation. This is no knock against Tóibín; he is a master storyteller, in full command of his talents, and clearly told the tale precisely as he'd wanted to.
At the end, I was squirming, very uncomfortable with what was bound to happen as the story ran out to its conclusion. And backtracking to what had led there, I had to applaud the author's efforts, his construction, and the care with which he related what he related to the reader.
Having said all that, I'm rather amazed that it was 'twice short-listed for the Booker Prize'. It's good, sometimes great, but not a piece I would say was worthy of that degree of praise. It is an accomplishment, entertaining, thoughtful. But not something that will be remembered with any deep sentiment ten or twenty years from now.
(Personal rating: 8/10)
Book Review: Beautiful - but I didn't care for the ending
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
When I first started reading this book, I didn't think I would be able to get through it. It is told in 3rd person - which I am not a huge fan of. However, I stuck with it and as the main character Eilis started to develop, I was drawn into the story and couldn't stop reading it. Toibin's writing is beautiful!
The story starts out in Ireland where the main character, Eilis, lives with her mother and sister, Rose, in a small town. There isn't much work or opportunity for Eilis in the town. When Rose arranges with a preist for Eilis to go and work in America, the family seems to be pretty happy. Eilis is apprehensive at first but agrees to go after seeing that this is what her family wants from her.
When Eilis reaches America, she lives in a boarding house with other girls that are around her age. She has a job working the floor at a department store. She begins to become very homesick and depressed. The priest sets her up in classes at a local college to help her advance in America and prevent her from being alone and homesick.
Eilis seems to be making her way very well in America. She is good at her job and doing well in her classes. At a church dance, she meets Tony (an Italian man) who makes her laugh. They begin a relationships and Tony falls in love with Eilis. Eilis doesn't seem to be too sure of her feelings for Tony but eventually falls in love with him. The love story is beautifully written and I loved this part of the book.
Suddenly, Eilis is struck when she learns of news from home that a great tragedy has happened. I will not give away any spoilers here - but Eilis is devestated. She turns to Tony for support and he is there for her to see her through. Eilis decides to go back to Ireland for a month to visit and help sort out what has happened. Tony is apprehensive about letting her go but she assures him that she will return to America and to him. Once Eilis goes to Ireland, I feel that the story sort of falls apart for me.
I felt that going to America had made Eilis super confident and sure of herself - but when she goes to Ireland, I wonder if it was all just a facade? I would recommend this book to friends, however I would warn them in advance of how much I disliked the ending.
Book Review: Less is more.
Summary: 4 Stars
Brooklyn is the story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish girl who moves to Brooklyn in the early 1950's to start a new life in America. She seems to fit right in by working a job at a clothing store to make a living, taking college courses in bookkeeping to advance further into the company, and falling in love with an Italian-American named Tony. Yet throughout the majority of the book, Eilis seems to struggle with the disconnectedness that is natural for a person in her shoes. She spends much time miserable and homesick. She is successful at work, but wears a mask to do so. When she has an attack of homesickness that causes her to drop her mask for just one moment, she's sent home and warned not to let it happen again. She has trouble keeping up with the intrigue between all the other young girls she shares a house with, never quite sure knowing who to trust, including the landlord, Mrs. Kehoe. She only finds solace in her courses, probably because it's what she's good at and because it was the subject she studied in Ireland, and in the company of Tony. But even with him, she seems ambivalent, unsure of what is happening to her, unsure of her true feelings.
When after two years tragedy draws her back home for a month-long visit, she finds some comfort, but things are different, both from her perspective and those around her. America has changed her and people notice. And these differences allow her the opportunity to start again in Ireland, with perhaps a better life than she could have imagined at any time before. It is now that she reaches her emotional crossroad and the book is able to resolve, which it does beautifully, like a good symphony. Up until then, all had been decided for Eilis, from the trip to Brooklyn itself, to the job she had, where she would live. Even Tony forced her deeper into their relationship than she seemed ready for. But now, with yet another direction thrust upon her, stuck all by herself between two worlds, she is required to choose for herself.
Brooklyn is told in a dry, almost clinical fashion. Yet the prose is razor-sharp and draws the reader along sure-footedly. I am often a sloppy reader, yet I found myself unwilling to waste a single word. Toibin continues to demonstrate his remarkable capability to drive deep into the emotions of his characters, something he also showed quite remarkably in The Master, and Mothers and Sons. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary authors.
Book Review: A fascinating tale of an Irish immigrant
Summary: 4 Stars
As someone of Irish descent, I found Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, a fascinating look at how one young girl makes her way from her small town in Ireland to the big borough of Brooklyn.
Shy Eilis Lacey lives with her widowed mother and older sister Rose. Rose has a good job, supports her family, and has an active social life. Work is difficult to come by in the 1950's in Ireland, and Eilis works part-time as sales girl in a small grocers.
An opportunity in the form of Father Flood arises. He can arrange for Eilis to come to Brooklyn where he lives, she can find steady work, and go to college to get an accounting degree and a better life. Eilis fears leaving her mother and sister, but Rose convinces her it is for the best.
Leaving everyone she knows far behind, Father Flood arranges for Eilis to work at a department store by day, and attend college by night. She lives in Mrs. Kehoe's boardinghouse, along with several other single women. It is a lonely life for Eilis, and although she is successful as a shopgirl, she finds it tedious.
She concentrates on her studies, working hard to get good grades. On Friday evenings, she goes to the dance at Father Flood's church. There she meets Tony, a handsome plumber from a big Italian family. Tony pursues Eilis, and slowly, Eilis comes to care deeply for him.
Tony wants to marry Eilis, and they plan a future together. When Eilis gets bad news from Ireland, she returns home and finds that the life she left there still has a hold on her. Her dilemma grabs at the heart.
Toibin has been compared to Alice McDermott, and he mines the same territory to similar effect. The reader is immediately drawn into Eilis's life, and feels empathy for her. The reader feels the fear of leaving one's home, traveling overseas where you know no one, and trying to build a new life. Eilis's story is one that many of our ancestors lived, and her story feels authentic.
The characters are interesting, particularly Eilis and Tony. Toibin fleshes them out and gets you to care deeply about these characters. The boardinghouse life, and the desire of immigrants to work hard to make a better life is explored with great skill by the author.
You won't easily forget Eilis, or her story.
Book Review: Tolbin is a masterful storyteller
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This story starts very slowly but something about it made me stay with it and I am glad I did. Colm Toibin had been recommended to me by a well known author and I figured at first he was not a very good judge of things but was I wrong! This is a small book but a giant of a read.
As a young girl, Eilis Lacey (I love that an immigrant is named Eilis--Ellis Island being the connection) must be emotionally torn as she leaves her homeland to come make a life for herself in American. She grows up in America. She becomes a woman who learns to deal with problems, changes, and even danger sometimes. All this helps to develop her character and although she loves her new home, she still yearns for her homeland. She is torn between the two. As one reads about Eilis's coming of age in America, we can only imagine how it was to be her. Luckily, the superb writing of Colm Toibin makes us "see" what it was really like for Eulis.
Eilis take a job on famous Fulton Street in a department store and without wanting or looking for it, she finds love. Tony is able to court Ellis and as she gets to know this big, blond Italian from a very big and typical Italian family, she learns that his looks are not his best quality. She finds him to be patient and charming. They date and go to iconic places like Ebbets Field and Coney Island, and finally Eilis meets Tony's family. She is falling head over heels in love with him and with Brooklyn when she gets terrible news from her home in Ireland. This news could be the thing to tear Tony and Eilis apart.
The writing by Toibin makes you live the life of Eilis and I guess, being born in Brooklyn and having immigrant parents myself, the story really rang true for me as well. I fell in love with this little gem and I hope others will stick with it as they will find they can't put it down, nor can they forget Eilis, Tony, and the main character in my opinion, Brooklyn. I learned a lot about writing a good book by reading Colm Toibin's book and will look for other work by him!