Brooklyn
Colm Toibin
Picador
Toibin has produced a wonderfully sensuous novel that as the cover correctly describes, is quietly magnificent. The story itself is rather unremarkable in its account of a young Irish girl, Eilis Lacey, who moves to America and settles in Brooklyn. Working in a large department store during the day, Eilis aims to better herself by studying bookkeeping classes in the evenings, hoping eventually to find a job in an office. The two years living in Brooklyn have a profound effect on Eilis. Summoned back to Ireland following a tragedy, Eilis is aware the locals treat her differently to the girl who left two years ago.
Brooklyn is tender and loving. For me, the real joy lies in Toibin’s talent to choose and fit words to create passages that have a lingering effect on the reader. I found myself thinking and worrying about the characters, eager to return to them in between reads. It is with great sadness that I finally read – and reread – the last page, not wanting it to end yet feeling privileged that I was part of something truly remarkable. 5 stars
About Me
- Banafsheh Serov
- Australia
- I am passionate about the written language. I love writing, reading, reviewing, selling and promoting books. I am an independent bookseller with over 20 years of experience in the book trade. Together with my partners, I actively aim to improve our bookstore's range and services to better reflect the needs of our community and clientele. In 2008, my memoir 'Under A Starless Sky' was published by Hachette, Australia. Since then, I had a short story 'Jasmine Petals' published in 'Stories of Belonging' (Finch) and in 2013, released my first full-length novel, The Russian Tapestry, also by Hachette. I am currently writing my second novel. I strive daily to improve my skills and stretch the limits of my craft. My love of books has naturally lead to reviewing. You can follow me on Twitter @B_Serov, Facebook www.facebook.com/BanafshehSerov and Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429016.Banafsheh_Serov
No comments:
Post a Comment