Brooklyn: A Novel

Times were tough and jobs were scarce in post-World War II Ireland. The Lacey family of Enniscorthy had already found itself fractured by the death of the father and the subsequent emigration to England of the three sons. Poised, lovely Rose Lacey is secure in her office position, but her concern for her sister's future leads her to suggest that Eilis accept an offer from an Irish priest now living in Brooklyn to help her resettle in the U.S. The journey in third class is hard, her lodgings with Mrs. Kehoe are far from homey, and Eilis suffers from debilitating homesickness. Then she meets Tony, who slowly but surely wins her over with his Italian charm. Just as she is feeling a measure of comfort in her new life, Eilis learns of Rose's sudden death and knows that she must head back over the Atlantic for a month at "home." After a few days back in Ireland, Eilis is no longer sure that he wants to return to Brooklyn and Tony. Toibin's insights into the mind of a young woman hit the mark. But, perhaps because of its mid-century setting, I found the book almost too quaint and Eilis somewhat lacking in depth. Her fractured life was depicted so matter-of-factly that it failed to stir me emotionally. On the other hand, even after finishing the book, I find myself trying to put myself in Eilis's shoes and thinking about how I would have responded. This is a good read, although not, in my opinion, this author's best work. "The Blackwater Lightship" still has my vote.

The plot and characters are woven together neatly, but about 2/3 of the way through the book, there is an event which doesn't fit with the flow of the story. In retrospect, it seems to be added as a way to highlight some personal choices the author has made in his own private life. It would have been an excellent book without the intrusion of those elements, but that really ruined it for me.