My first experience of Irish writer Colm Toibin was a very good one in 2023 when I read his 1996 novel “The Story Of The Night” and it ended up in my Top 5 Of The Year.  I’ve fast-forwarded 13 years through his back catalogue for the book he is probably best known for.  It won the Costa Novel Prize in 2009 and there was a successful 2015 film adaptation starring Saoirse Rohan which I’ve up to now steered clear of as I wanted to read the book first.

Judging from these two novels, Colm Toibin’s novels are really quite quiet, with detailed observations which slowly build up a world which we, as readers, get really drawn into.  It is the 1950s and in Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland, Eilis is struggling to find work.  An opportunity comes her way to relocate to Brooklyn and this is the story of how she adapted to life in America.  The action (such as it is) moves between Ireland and the USA in four parts within a straightforward, unfussy, third-person narrative.

Eilis is pretty much a blank canvas, things seem to happen to her without that much personal input.  At home her mother and, especially, her older sister Rose are pulling the strings and things do not change much initially in Brooklyn where she is reliant on a local priest and landlady and housemates in lodgings which have been found for her.  Despite this passivity (or maybe because of it) she proves to be an enthralling  character and this particular reader only wished good things for her.

Fitting in and adapting are major themes as is duty – Eilis is always keen to be seen to be doing the right thing.  She’s playing catch-up a lot of the time as her lack of experience with the world sees her failing to recognise homesickness for what it was. I did really enjoy this, not as much as “The Story Of The Night” which built so beautifully but this is an endearing, resonant work.  I’m looking forward to seeing the film now. A sequel to “Brooklyn”, entitled “Long Island” is due out on 23rd May 2024.

Brooklyn was first published in 2009 by Vintage.  I read the 2010 Penguin paperback edition.