Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn

Okay, I've never read Colm Tóibín before, but I have to say I loved his newest novel, Brooklyn.  I enjoyed it so much that I eagerly went off looking for reviews to hear more praise, but I'm disconcerted to read so many disparaging comments made by other readers on this one that I had to turn away in order not to have my own pleasure diminished.  Does that sound weird?  Here's  my experience reading the novel--I literally couldn't put it down.  To illustrate my point: I have found a quiet place in the library to eat my lunch that happens to be close to windows and at each hour and half hour the campus bell tower tolls.  I work it so my lunch break ends on the half hour when I can hear the bells, and last week one day as I was reading I had so completely shut out the environment around me and was so totally engaged in the story that I missed the bells and when I checked my watch it was to discover that I was late returning to work.

The story is at times a very simple one and is always simply told, but I think that is a bit misleading.  Sometimes it's what an author doesn't say, what's written between the lines that's so forceful.  I like Tóibín's spare but elegant prose as it seemed to reflect the rhythms of Eilis Lacey's life and personality well (which could also be misleading).  Brooklyn is a story of an ordinary young woman dealing with the daily business of living.  Only even for the most average of us, sometimes life is anything but easy or ordinary.  Although Brooklyn has the makings of a historical novel, set in 1950s Ireland and New York, it most decidedly transcends the genre.  It's very literary but with all the trappings of a place and time lost to us now, which I thought Tóibín evoked perfectly with the all the right sights, sounds and particularly the mores of the period.

The village of Enniscorthy, Ireland after WWII is not really a place for opportunities, especially for women.  Eilis's three brothers have already gone off to England to find jobs.  She is left at home with her mother and beautiful older sister, Rose, who has a good office job.  Although Rose is nearing thirty she's quite content to stay single, and spend her evenings socializing with the local golf club.  She's a practical woman, and very refined, but she's obviously concerned about her younger sister who's left to the mercy of an imperious local store owner where she's not so much offered a job as commanded to work there part time.  Neither Miss Kelly's employees nor her less favored customers are treated particularly well, and she'll turn out to be an awful gossip and manipulator.  

When a priest returns to Ireland from America on an visit, Rose arranges for Eilis to travel to America where a job will be waiting for her.  Father Flood is happy to help Eilis with the necessary papers and finds a place for her in a respectable boarding house run by an Irishwoman.  Now I will say something about Eilis.  She can at times be a passive character.  Sometimes it wasn't so much her driving her own life but letting outside events push her along.  I won't say that this at times wasn't a little frustrating, but at the same time, this is why I loved this book so much.  She is, however, a bright woman, though quiet and reserved.  I was so completely fascinated by Eilis and what motivated her (or didn't) that I wanted to find out what was going to happen to her.  I never found Eilis or the story boring.  And while I didn't always agree with Eilis's choices or actions at times, I could see where she was at times stuck in a situation where there weren't many options.  She's simply a character I keep rolling over and over in my mind. 

As any traveler knows, particularly those who've spent time in foreign countries, while the act of going somewhere new and entirely different can be exhilarating, it can at the same time be bewildering and overwhelming.  Everything feels entirely foreign, the people, their clothes, how they comport themselves.  Eilis may be in a house filled with other Irish women, but that really does little to lessen her homesickness.  She works in a department store and takes night classes, which will result in a certificate that will enable her to be a bookkeeper.  Over time things become less strange, and she even begins going out with an American man of Italian ancestry.  She finally becomes part of the community, when tragedy strikes back home in Ireland and she feels the pull to return.  Does she give up her new life with a bright future when she's finally at a point where things are comfortable?

I won't tell you what she decides to do.  I want to talk about the book more, but I don't want to reveal anymore of the plot.  I will say that while the first two sections the book quietly makes its case, the last section throws  everything up in the air.  Like life, things become messy and complicated.  The story isn't just about what it is to make a life for yourself, or how to figure out what home means, or how get along in a culture not your own, but it's about the pains of growing up and acquiring knowledge.  I'm still thinking about it and I have a feeling this is a story that will stick with me for a while.    

I'm not a critic and won't pretend to be, and as I've mentioned I've never read any of Tóibín's other work, so perhaps I am well off the mark.  I'm just an average reader, but my response to this novel is one of admiration.  Something simply clicked with me and I can easily see how he has been nominated for the Booker Prize more than once.  This just goes to show you how much reading really is subjective.  I am not, however, the only one to consider this an impressive undertaking.  Check out Matt's post, which is far more articulate than mine.  He put into better words what I'm feeling.  And yes, I will be looking for more of Colm Tóibín's work now.      

Comments

[Cornflower]

I haven't read any of Colm Toibin's work, though I have The Master on my wishlist thanks to a emphatic recommendation from a trusted friend, but you have made a very good case for this book, Danielle.
And what's this about your being "an average reader"?!

[Susan]

The Master was absolutely wonderful. I'm looking forward to Brooklyn. Thanks for the great review, Danielle.

[Mad Housewife]

I love Colm Toibin - and I want to read the book. But I have to say this parallels surprisingly The Walking People very closely, though Mary Beth Keane's Irish immigrant heroine grows up in the '50s and '60s - a little later. Greta, the heroine, even works in a department store in New York. These ideas must have been in the air.

Fascinating coincidences!

[Danielle]

Cornflower--I also have The Master, which I now will be digging out of my piles! Actually I didn't mean anything bad by saying average--just that I'm not an academic or anything--rather someone who just loves reading and reads a variety of books, though I do hope I am at least a little bit discerning! :)
Susan--I really need to read it!Brooklyn is a pretty fast read--at least it was for me, though I was pretty glued to it right from the start.
Mad Housewife--I was thinking the same thing! I have The Walking People out from the library as well (along with the Toibin), and was going to wait a few books to start it, but then I was so curious that I started reading it this afternoon! So far I am just in the prologue, which is about the husband (haven't quite gotten the characters straight yet). Isn't it weird when two different stories parallel each other at about the same time! I'm curious to see how they compare!

[Andi]

I've never read any of Toibin's work, but I'm very interested in this one now! Thanks for a well thought and beautifully written review as always, Danielle.

[Danielle]

Andi--It's weird, this one just totally grabbed me. I borrowed it from the library, but I think at some point I will have to buy it. I think he is definitely an author worth reading, and it sounds like his other work is equally as good (or maybe even better).

[BooksPlease]

I've never read any of Toibin's work, either. This one does look interesting. When I've read a book I've really enjoyed I can't bear to read that other people disliked it, as you say it does diminish my pleasure.

[catharina]

'She is simply a character I keep rolling over and over in my mind'. I long to get to know her now too, thanks to your beautifully written review.

[Karen]

This one sounds wonderful Danielle - thanks so much for your reflective review. I haven't read any of Toibin's work before either but I will be seeking it out now.

[Jackie (Farm Lane Books)]

I have never read any of Toibin's books, but I do have a few here. For some reason they have never reached the top of my reading list, but after reading this review I am tempted to give one a try soon.

[kimbofo]

I can highly recommend The Blackwater Lightship (reviewed on my blog somewhere). I have Brooklyn in the reading queue -- it was amazon's deal of the week a couple of week's back, so couldn't resist.

Funnily enough, I've not seen any bad reviews of this book -- only good ones, but admittedly that was on pre-publication. I haven't really read any blogger reviews.

I think you do yourself a disservice by saying you're not a critic. I think you are a readers' critic -- you read books as they're meant to be read, and you don't try to belittle the writer or take pop shots at them to show off, as some so-called critics are wont to do. You lack snobbery -- and that's something to be celebrated, Danielle!

[Darlene]

I love the image of you having lunch by a window deeply engrossed in your book. Lunchtime would be a pleasure in that setting. I'm laughing just now as the bells are ringing the noon hour at the church down the street lol!

[Danielle]

BooksPlease--I don't mind so much if someone didn't like a book I did, but it's more a matter of how they express it. Just saying it didn't work for me is fair enough, but when the review seems to be a slam it makes me uncomfortable.
Catharina--She was an intersting character. Certainly not perfect, but I guess that's why I've been thinking about her so much.
Karen--I'm glad I finally picked up one of his books and will certainly be looking for more now.
Jackie--I have so many authors I mean to read as well, but it's always a problem getting to them. In this case it was a library book that I couldn't renew so I had to read it or return it. Once I started I just couldn't put it down.
Kimbofo--It sounds like Brooklyn has gotten good reviews from newspapers, and I've only seen one blogger review so far, which I linked to and was positive. The negative reviews were Amazon reader reviews. I did go back and read some of them more carefully. There are actually more positive reviews than negative, but I guess I had read a slew of bad ones right in a row and then read the comments that other readers had left on the reviews and I wondered if we had read the same book. Some of them just seemed like slams, which is always a turn off for me. And it sounds like the book has done well in the UK, so I'm not alone in praising it I think. Thanks for the other comment--I think a 'reader's critic' is a fair description. Surely authors write for a wide audience not just newspaper critics. Since I read primarily for pleasure, I'm not out to pick it to pieces. Granted not everyone is likely to enjoy every book they read, but I could never and wouldn't want to slam a book--usually there is something I will like along with other things that just didn't work for me and I try and make sure I convey that in what I write. I think there are many book bloggers who do the same, which is why I probably read more book blogs before newspaper book sections.
Darlene--I've found the perfect little nook at work away from gabbing students, which should be perfect for the summer. Now once the fall semester comes I bet I'll lose my place--some other patron wanting peace and quiet will usurp it! :)

[litlove]

Well I am definitely going to read this one! Our tastes are so similar, I can't believe for a moment I'll go wrong with it. Colm Toibin is a highly respected author and someone I've wanted to read for ages.

[JoAnn]

I just started listening to this and am totally captivated, so I stopped reading after I heard that you loved it. I've never read Toibin, although both The Blackwater Lightship and The Master are on my wish list. I'll stop back and read the rest of your review when I'm finished!

[Danielle]

Litlove--Well, I'm glad I finally have read one of his books and will be looking for more. I do hope you like this and look forward to hearing what you think!
JoAnn--This would be a good story to listen to, I think. Please do drop by and let me know what you thought when you finish! I have The Master and will be looking for more of his books.

[Dorothy W.]

This book sounds absolutely wonderful! I already am a Toibin fan from The Master, so I'm predisposed to like this one when I get to it. Thanks for the review -- it makes me want to get to it sooner rather than later.

[Stefanie]

I've not read Toibin before but I have a copy of The Master. After your post I think I should move that up the list and plan to read this one too!

[Amy Reads Good Books]

Great review! I saw a review of this in the Washington Post over the weekend. It definitely got my attention.

[Danielle]

Dorothy--I'd like to read The Master now to see how they compare. He is certainly very good at character development--even though you may not love the main character, she is really interesting and I felt empathetic towards her!
Stefanie--I'll be joining you in reading The Master. I would happily recommend Brooklyn, too!
Amy--I'll have to see what the Washington Post had to say! I really enjoyed it!

[Kailana]

I have picked this book up off my TBR like 5 times and still haven't managed to start it! I really must do so!

[Danielle]

Kailana--That happens to me all the time. I pick up a book that sounds good and then get distracted by something else. I was helped along by it being a library book, which I couldn't renew. I'm glad that was the case or I might not have gotten to it yet either!

[Matt]

He is very observant to human condition, and the prose is just one of composure. Very calm but with so much under current, so to speak.

[Danielle]

Matt--You're right there. I think also that it was very subtlely done--much more effective than anything heavy handed. I still really like this book! :)

[JoAnn]

I finished Brooklyn today and loved it. Your review perfectly states my feelings - the simple elegant prose so rich in feeling was wonderful! I can't wait to read more of Toibin's work.

[Danielle]

JoAnn--So glad you liked it too! A friend passed along a quote from the New Yorker about the book, something along the lines that being an immigrant is like being a foreigner in two countrie--and they are so right. I wish I had thought of saying that! I, too, will be looking for more of his work.