Helpful Score: 4
This book brought me back to my own late teenage/early 20s years because Toibin so beautifully captured the mindset of a young woman entering adulthood. It amazed me that the book had been written by a man because the female characterization was spot on. Brooklyn doesn't have an intense, fast-paced plot line, but what I enjoyed was that it was a snapshot of a fairly ordinary young woman's life. She could be you or me, and I could relate to her emotional struggles, ambivalence and torn loyalties. The first half of the book was slow and I had difficulty making progress, but the second half took off and by the end, I was rushing through every page to find out what choices she'd made.
Helpful Score: 4
Beautifully written and engaging read about a young Irish girl who immigrates to Brooklyn during the 1950s. Very highly recommend. I'm looking forward to reading some of Mr. Toibin's earlier works.
Helpful Score: 3
I enjoyed this book. Reader should keep in mind that this isn't a feel-good love story. I found it fasinating because of the characters and how realistic they were to the time and their ethnic background. The main character, Eilis, was very innocent at the beginning but came to be very stoic in the end. I found this to be a great portrayal of the times right after WWII and what it would be like to be an immegrant living in Brooklyn. I wanted the novel to go on after the end. What happened in all of their lives?!
Helpful Score: 3
As others have mentioned, the main character is incredibly passive. She lets others make almost all decisions for her. Perhaps this is to show how limited a young woman's options were.
The writing is somewhat flat. If there were not some sex and a small amount of profanity I would say it feels like a book written for a child.
It was interesting to read what NYC was like in this social group at that time. Particularly interesting to me was the description of a mid-priced department store bravely choosing to court "coloured women" as customers, and the fuss this creates.
An odd little book, while I wasn't enthralled, I suspect it is a story that will stay with me, as at the ending the main character has a difficult decision to make. And in the end, it is once again made for her.
The writing is somewhat flat. If there were not some sex and a small amount of profanity I would say it feels like a book written for a child.
It was interesting to read what NYC was like in this social group at that time. Particularly interesting to me was the description of a mid-priced department store bravely choosing to court "coloured women" as customers, and the fuss this creates.
An odd little book, while I wasn't enthralled, I suspect it is a story that will stay with me, as at the ending the main character has a difficult decision to make. And in the end, it is once again made for her.
Helpful Score: 3
contrary to what others wrote, I believe the protagonist did make many decisions, including the final one. I read from a feminist perspective, I will be 70 next birthday. Perhaps younger readers feel more empowered, however, that has not been woman's lot, historically. I am beyond thrilled that has changed.
Helpful Score: 2
If you're looking for a happy ending, this book is not for you. It's a story about how hard it was for one young girl to find "the American dream". I'll leave it up to the next reader to decide if she found it.
Helpful Score: 1
A very touching story of a young Irish girl who comes to Brooklyn. Her journey over is enough to keep anyone who reads it off of a cruise for all time. While I enjoyed this book, which is set in a much gentler time than the one we know now, I found the ending rushed,.I would have liked more explanation than what we get.
I found this book a little boring. The characters were shallowly depicted and not particularly likable. The mood was bleak throughout. Here's a quote from O, The Opera Magazine: "There are no antagonists in this novel, no psychodramas, no angst." Precisely, nothing happens.
Interesting story about an Irish girl coming to the U.S. in the 1950s to work - a coming of age type story. Easy read.
Beautiful story of Brooklyn after World War II and an Irish girl trying to find happiness there. The main character is a little maddening as she just lets things happen to her, but maybe many of us go through life doing that.
I thought it would be better than it was.
It was a good story but I thought the ending was lame. The main character didn't seem to make any personal decisions but rather let other people or situations she was in, make her choices
Born and raised in Brooklyn but I couldn't get into this book as fully as I expected. Not bad tho.
As others have mentioned, the main character is incredibly passive. She lets others make almost all decisions for her. Perhaps this is to show how limited a young woman's options were. Younger readers will feel more their lives empowered, however, that has not been woman's lot, historically. I am beyond thrilled that has changed. However in historical fiction this makes it incredibly difficult for the reader to keep up with the story line as the heroine is a doormat without redeeming qualities. There is no inner strength, no growth into her adulthood, no girl child becoming enterprising woman stretching the boundaries of the conventional rules. Nothing of the sort.
To make it even harder for the reader, the writing is somewhat flat. The few sex scenes and the small amount of profanity was added for bit of cheap shock and intensity value.
It was interesting to read what NYC was like in this social group at that time. Particularly interesting to me was the description of a mid-priced department store bravely choosing to sell to "coloured women" as the main customers, and the fuss this creates. But that's all.
I expected a lot more from the book. I really wanted to like it but didn't. I wanted the rag-heroine to go to America and create a new life for herself in the new country. But instead the author decided to go with a shocking twist and return her to Ireland. She gave up the new life and all of her opportunities.
This was one of the most terrible books I ever read. Treading through mud. I had to force myself to keep reading. The writing was flat. Story was just barely there. And I didn't care a tuppence for what happened to the girl.
To make it even harder for the reader, the writing is somewhat flat. The few sex scenes and the small amount of profanity was added for bit of cheap shock and intensity value.
It was interesting to read what NYC was like in this social group at that time. Particularly interesting to me was the description of a mid-priced department store bravely choosing to sell to "coloured women" as the main customers, and the fuss this creates. But that's all.
I expected a lot more from the book. I really wanted to like it but didn't. I wanted the rag-heroine to go to America and create a new life for herself in the new country. But instead the author decided to go with a shocking twist and return her to Ireland. She gave up the new life and all of her opportunities.
This was one of the most terrible books I ever read. Treading through mud. I had to force myself to keep reading. The writing was flat. Story was just barely there. And I didn't care a tuppence for what happened to the girl.
I expected to like this book and didn't. I wanted her to go to America and create a new life for herself in the new country. Looked like she was headed in that direction. But instead she returned to Ireland and gave up the new life and all of her opportunities. I thought this was very sad. Although I didn't like the ending, the writing was good.
