I really wanted to love this book, and I assumed that I would. But I was disappointed in much of the story and it’s characters. Here is my book review Long Island by Colm Toibin.

Eilis Lacey

If you read Brooklyn by Colm Toibin or saw the movie you will be familiar with the protagonist in Long Island, Eilis Lacey. Long Island picks up with Eilis life about 20 years after she has returned from Ireland to her husband Tony in Brooklyn. With two teenage children, Eilis has chosen to have a job away from ‘the family” business. She finds Tony’s Italian family loud, intrusive and she feels suffocated by them, particularly her domineering Mother-in Law.

Ireland

When Eilis learns that Tony has been unfaithful Eilis is left in a quandary. The “family” negotiates without Eilis knowledge to have the child raised by Eilis and Tony. Eilis refuses completely and when Tony will not stand up to his mother or family, Eilis books a trip to visit her mother in Ireland. She has not returned to Island for nearly 20 years. What awaits her there is an aging and cantankerous mother, a gossiping town still talking about her twenty-years on, and Jim Farrell – her old lover.

Why Didn’t I Love This Book?

The plot is weak, based mostly on miscommunication or no communication at all between characters. I found Tony and his family to be manipulative, but Eilis also is unfaithful so making her a heroine did not feel right. Every character in this book is out for himself and I just couldn’t love any of them.

Eilis will return to Brooklyn, but no resolution about the baby is determined in the end, leaving the door open of course to another book in the series. But I don’t think I will be reading it.

Many people loved this book and this character. Sorry, but I can only give it ***three stars.

Thanks for reading my book review Long Island by Colm Toibin. See last week’s book review Go As A River by Shelley Read here.

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