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Jim Fonseca's Reviews > Brooklyn
Brooklyn (Eilis Lacey, #1)
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by
[Edited 12/19/21]
Assuming we have a reliable narrator, we can date this story by the newly-released movie she views - Singing in the Rain - so it’s 1952.
A young Irish woman emigrates to Brooklyn. Back in Ireland, she has three brothers all working in England, as well as an older sister who will now stay home to take care of their aging mother. The older sister, who happens to be more attractive, athletic and ambitious, sacrifices her possibility of a normal married life for her younger sister. Our heroine chooses the US over England because those who went to England missed Enniscorthy (her Irish hometown) whereas those who went to the US did not.
The younger sister tells us her story including incredible episodes of seasickness and homesickness. She gets a job as a retail clerk in a department store and begins experiencing the contrast of life in an Irish town to that in a thriving American metropolis. So much happens, and she experiences so much newness, that she feels she needs an extra day to go through the events and happenings, scene by scene, storing them away and getting it out (or into) her system as she dreams each night.
She lives in a boarding house with several other Irish women, but she’s a loner and makes no real friends among the other lodgers or landlady. She dislikes the prejudice with which the other boarders treat Jews, “colored women,” other ethnics, such as Italians, and lower class folks such as one boarder who scrubs floors.
She has an episode with a female boss who is a lesbian. (view spoiler)All this is fine, although at times I started thinking that all her political correctness was a bit overdone and seemed like set pieces. For example, when she helps out at a church-sponsored Christmas banquet for homeless men, I thought the story started taking on the tone of a YA novel. (And maybe it is – it certainly could be.)
There are little realistic touches such as her and her mother’s amazement (by letter) that Americans leave the heat on all night!
Our heroine falls in love with an Italian man. But tragedy strikes and she has to return home. She feels the pull of Ireland once again and she gets into a position where no matter what she does, she will hurt someone.
A line I liked: “She struck Eilis as looking like a horse-dealer’s wife in Enniscorthy on a fair day.”
A good story, worth 4 stars rounded up, although I don’t think it’s Toibin’s best.
Top photo from brooklynpix.com
Enniscorthy in 1977 from trainsandstuff on flickr.com
Lower photo from https://www.jer-cin.org.il/en/event/1...
Assuming we have a reliable narrator, we can date this story by the newly-released movie she views - Singing in the Rain - so it’s 1952.
A young Irish woman emigrates to Brooklyn. Back in Ireland, she has three brothers all working in England, as well as an older sister who will now stay home to take care of their aging mother. The older sister, who happens to be more attractive, athletic and ambitious, sacrifices her possibility of a normal married life for her younger sister. Our heroine chooses the US over England because those who went to England missed Enniscorthy (her Irish hometown) whereas those who went to the US did not.
The younger sister tells us her story including incredible episodes of seasickness and homesickness. She gets a job as a retail clerk in a department store and begins experiencing the contrast of life in an Irish town to that in a thriving American metropolis. So much happens, and she experiences so much newness, that she feels she needs an extra day to go through the events and happenings, scene by scene, storing them away and getting it out (or into) her system as she dreams each night.
She lives in a boarding house with several other Irish women, but she’s a loner and makes no real friends among the other lodgers or landlady. She dislikes the prejudice with which the other boarders treat Jews, “colored women,” other ethnics, such as Italians, and lower class folks such as one boarder who scrubs floors.
She has an episode with a female boss who is a lesbian. (view spoiler)All this is fine, although at times I started thinking that all her political correctness was a bit overdone and seemed like set pieces. For example, when she helps out at a church-sponsored Christmas banquet for homeless men, I thought the story started taking on the tone of a YA novel. (And maybe it is – it certainly could be.)
There are little realistic touches such as her and her mother’s amazement (by letter) that Americans leave the heat on all night!
Our heroine falls in love with an Italian man. But tragedy strikes and she has to return home. She feels the pull of Ireland once again and she gets into a position where no matter what she does, she will hurt someone.
A line I liked: “She struck Eilis as looking like a horse-dealer’s wife in Enniscorthy on a fair day.”
A good story, worth 4 stars rounded up, although I don’t think it’s Toibin’s best.
Top photo from brooklynpix.com
Enniscorthy in 1977 from trainsandstuff on flickr.com
Lower photo from https://www.jer-cin.org.il/en/event/1...
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Reading Progress
December 8, 2017
–
Started Reading
December 11, 2017
–
Finished Reading
December 22, 2017
– Shelved
December 22, 2017
– Shelved as:
irish-authors
December 19, 2021
– Shelved as:
immigrants-in-the-usa
December 19, 2021
– Shelved as:
new-york-city
Comments Showing 1-37 of 37 (37 new)
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Jaline
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 22, 2017 04:03PM
Great review, John! I have only read 2 of Colm Toibin's books but I hope to read more of them next year. :)
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Jaline wrote: "Great review, John! I have only read 2 of Colm Toibin's books but I hope to read more of them next year. :)"Thanks Jaline, the one of his I liked best was The Master, about Henry James
Nice review, Jim. I really loved his Nora Webster.
Paula wrote: "Nice review, Jim. I really loved his Nora Webster."Maybe I'll try that one Paula, I was wondering which one on his I might read next. I just finished a very early one of his, The Heather Blazing -- have not done the review yet, but I liked it more than Brooklyn.
Jim wrote: "Thanks Jaline, the one of his I liked best was The Master, about Henry James"Well, yay! I see that I have that one, so I will probably start there. It does sound very interesting. Thanks, Jim!
Interesting. It does sound like a middle ground between YA and adult historical fiction. Great review Jim.
Thanks, Jim. This is another that I need to read
The movie adaptation of this book was fairly true to the story. The starring actress was a delight!
Joe wrote: "Interesting. It does sound like a middle ground between YA and adult historical fiction. Great review Jim."Thanks Joe
Tammy wrote: "Thanks, Jim. This is another that I need to read"You're welcome Tammy, if you read it, I hope you like it
Carol wrote: "Excellent review! Loved the movie!"I did not know there was a movie until I found that picture from the trailer on the web!
Barbara wrote: "The movie adaptation of this book was fairly true to the story. The starring actress was a delight!"Barbara, as I said to Carol, I did not know there was a movie until I found that picture from the trailer on the web!
"The starring actress was a delight!"Saoirse Ronan, making her way no doubt.
Great review! I liked this one too and love the author’s writing.
JanB wrote: "Great review! I liked this one too and love the author’s writing."Thanks Jan!
Jim, I'm afraid I have never read anything by Toibin. Where do you suggest I start?
Jim wrote: "Paula wrote: "Nice review, Jim. I really loved his Nora Webster."Maybe I'll try that one Paula, I was wondering which one on his I might read next. I just finished a very early one of his, The He..."
Jim thanks for mentioning The Heather Blazing. I’ll take a look at that since you liked it better than Brooklyn which was only so so for me.
Happy Holidays!
Paula wrote: "Jim wrote: "Paula wrote: "Nice review, Jim. I really loved his Nora Webster."Maybe I'll try that one Paula, I was wondering which one on his I might read next. I just finished a very early one of..."
Paula, yes, better. I'm working on the review. Happy holidays to you too! Jim
Nicely done, and avoiding spoilers about the end.
Cecily wrote: "Nicely done, and avoiding spoilers about the end."Thank you Cecily, I'm glad you enjoyed the review
I am about to read this. I will come back to your review once I have finished it.
Kalliope wrote: "I am about to read this. I will come back to your review once I have finished it."I hope you like it Kalliope. I just finished another of Toibin's that was good, The Heather Blazing - have not done the review yet
That's how I figured out the year in question, too. Though I knew it had to be 50s. :) Love your review, well written and well thought-out. We had a similar reaction to it.
MravaWishes wrote: "That's how I figured out the year in question, too. Though I knew it had to be 50s. :) Love your review, well written and well thought-out, We had a similar reaction to it."Thank you, I'm glad you liked the review and I appreciate your comments.
The movie is worth your time, as well, Jim. Beautiful lighting, a nice (pleasant) story......was nominated for an Oscar, though it didn´t have a chance (stiff competition). Other than annoying a colleague, who´s Italian American from NY and laughed that almost none of the actors playing the young man´s family were Italian, she liked it as well.
Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "The movie is worth your time, as well, Jim. Beautiful lighting, a nice (pleasant) story......was nominated for an Oscar, though it didn´t have a chance (stiff competition). Other than annoying a co..."Linda, I'll have to check out the movie. LOL on the Italians, and were all the Irish actors "Irish?"
Jim wrote: "Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "The movie is worth your time, as well, Jim. Beautiful lighting, a nice (pleasant) story......was nominated for an Oscar, though it didn´t have a chance (stiff..."Could be, didn't read the credits beyond Saoirse. And with a name like Saoirse, she'd have to be, wouldn't she!?
This side of the ocean, not so many Irish in her life, just a few.
Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Jim wrote: "Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "The movie is worth your time, as well, Jim. Beautiful lighting, a nice (pleasant) story......was nominated for an Oscar, though it didn´t have a c..."yes, I looked her up, she is Irish
I really enjoyed this book Jim. It was the first book of his that I had read.
Teresa wrote: "I really enjoyed this book Jim. It was the first book of his that I had read."Teresa, well you have a lot to look forward to. All of his I read I thought were very good.
Agreed Jim. It's nothing like his best. Norah Webster
Drama wrote: "Agreed Jim. It's nothing like his best. Norah Webster"I'll put that one on my TBR list
Tried that one. Couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll try again.
Thanks for the photo of Enniscorthy! I had a very hard time picturing it as I read. It didn’t occur to me to look it up!
One deep flaw of modern books (not just THIS ONE by any means) is overlaying the political/social/sexual mores of TODAY onto an era 75 years ago. It is highly unlikely that Eilish -- small Irish village girl, raised strict Catholic -- would be so liberal about lesbianism and not consider it a terrible sinful behavior... nor that she'd be so easy-going about black Americans in the Jim Crow era. Note that TODAY in 2024... the Irish are all up in arms over black, BAME, BIPOC migrants coming to their tiny (5 million) nation....and this is 70 years later.
