Brooklyn–Colm Toibin

SPOILERS.

This book was slow-moving. I liked the characters but I wasn’t into the story. I get that it was supposed to be an everyday life thing, but I thought it had so much more potential to go into a real in-depth story.

Eilis just seemed complacent about her life in all respects. Like she just did what she was told and rarely stood up for herself. 

And there was no point where it was like a turning point where she DID stand up for herself or make a decision on her own.

There was no stick to your guns moment. She was just like Well. This is my life, okay.

I liked Tony at first, but I didn’t like that he pressured Eilis into marrying him before she left for Ireland. Have some confidence. If you were secure in your relationship you wouldn’t need to pull something like that.

But again, Eilis just went along with it! 

I get the times and that women were more complacent and thought their lives were to go a certain way: Wife, babies, stay at home mom. But she had dreams! She said she was going to do the accounting thing, said she was going to divorce Tony when she got back to Brooklyn but kept waffling about it.

I liked her better with Jim. He wasn’t a relaxed and frivolous person like Tony, he was steady. 

I HATED THE ENDING. 

She left letters and then never told us what she did. Why does this author hate closure? 

It is my hope that Eilis went back to Brooklyn and despite what her mother said divorced Tony, came back to Ireland, and married Jim. Then in like 40 years, he finds out that she was married before him but chose him and he’s delighted. 

What a frustrating book.

I found it boring, but I guess that’s the point. Eilis was bored with her life too, so she had to take us through it.

I thought her mom was going to die, but I guess it makes sense in a plot point for her to stay alive and Rose to die. But I don’t believe that someone as kind-hearted as Rose would have NOT told her family that she had a heart condition.

But I can also believe that she kept it hidden so that Eilis didn’t feel obligated to stay with their mother forever.

in conclusion: This book was annoying, but I liked the characters. 

MOVIE: I liked Tony better in the movie than Jim. But I like Domnhall Gleeson better sooo. I still wanted her to leave Tony. BUT I loved the way they ended the movie sooo whatever.