Brooklyn

Colm Tóibín is one of the most popular contemporary British writers, Irish by origin. A poet, journalist, author of 11 novels, collections of stories, and essays.

The novel “Brooklyn” could be called Colm Tóibín’s most famous book—it has been translated into many languages. For his seventh novel, the writer received the Costa Prize—one of the UK’s prestigious literary awards. The film of the same name, made in 2015 based on this book, was nominated in three Oscar categories and then became popular around the world.

The image of his native Ireland runs through many of Tóibín’s texts. “Brooklyn” is no exception. The author places the main character, Eilis, in a small town of Enniscorthy—one familiar to him since childhood: quiet, predictable, dull, but for the heroine it is home and cozy. Eilis doesn’t rush to go anywhere; she lives with her mother and her older sister Rose. But one day an opportunity arises to change her usual life: a familiar Irish Catholic priest, Father Flood, who has emigrated to the United States, offers to move to America, promising to help her find work. And a girl from provincial Enniscorthy finds herself in the ever-busy, never-sleeping New York of Brooklyn. And it’s the 1950s outside: luxurious department stores, wide streets, gleaming cars, dances—and, of course, her first love: the Italian immigrant Tony, a handsome man. Gradually, Eilis becomes part of this crazy American city until, one fine day, a letter arrives from her mother in her hometown—one that forces her to return to Ireland and make a difficult choice…