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debbyrne082360's review
3.0
I was really excited to read Long Island since I loved the first book, Brooklyn. I only gave it three instead of two stars because I was happy to see the characters again. But, this book was very, very slow and never really picked up. By the end, I was so disappointed. Chapters of describing the same things with no real ending.
evagachus's review against another edition
4.0
Colm is a major drama queen, he just couldn't help himself! As much as complexities are a part of human life-- this plot went to the extreme to not solve any of the proposed issues and I hope there isn't a third book because I would be compelled to read it.
kaknezgold64's review against another edition
I loved this novel; the characters were remarkably complex and well, human.
sdecoste's review against another edition
5.0
A quiet book, one which will sneak up on you and stay with you for a while. Eilis Lacey (introduced in the book Brooklyn) is middle aged, married with two teen children. She and her family live on Long Island on the same street as her husband's parents and two brothers. And yet, she has never really fit in with this Italian clan. When a strange man knocks on her door and announces that her husband Tony has impregnated the man's wife and that he won't raise the baby as his own, Eilis attempts to set her foot down. She is ignored. Fleeing back to her hometown in Ireland, where she hasn't been in 20 years, she discovers little has changed, except perhaps herself. She has so much to decide. This is a story full of wants and longings, of desires unsaid and unmet, of missed opportunities and of fates determined by unforeseen circumstances.
colleend's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jennitarheelreader's review against another edition
5.0
Beth and I buddy read Brooklyn and Long Island, one after the other. In Long Island, Eilis’s story continues now, years later, living with Tony’s family in Long Island. The beginning of the story starts with quite the bang. It’s included in the synopsis, but I’ll hold off here. That first section where this is dealt with, and before Eilis goes to Ireland, is so absorbing and compelling. I was in awe of how Eilis handles such a difficult situation and how empowered she is to make her stance known to Tony and everyone in the family.
Then, also, there’s the story of Eilis’s return to Ireland, the changing dynamics with her mother, her friend, Nancy, and, of course, Jim. In both books, Eilis’s narrative is deeply personal and intimate. We know her, and perhaps even understand her motivations to an extent. Toibin concludes Long Island with another mic drop. I filled in the blanks, just as with Brooklyn, but I can’t help but hope for another story with Eilis. Beth and I agreed she has to be one of the most charming and well-developed characters in literature. So well-done.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Then, also, there’s the story of Eilis’s return to Ireland, the changing dynamics with her mother, her friend, Nancy, and, of course, Jim. In both books, Eilis’s narrative is deeply personal and intimate. We know her, and perhaps even understand her motivations to an extent. Toibin concludes Long Island with another mic drop. I filled in the blanks, just as with Brooklyn, but I can’t help but hope for another story with Eilis. Beth and I agreed she has to be one of the most charming and well-developed characters in literature. So well-done.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader