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Long Island - Book Review


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📚 Book Review 📚


Title: Long Island

Author: Colm Toibin

Publisher: Scribner Books

Genre: Historical Literary Fiction

May Oprah’s Book Pick


Thank you @scribnerbooks for the #gifted copy to read and share. Long Island by Colm Toibin is the long awaited sequel to Brooklyn, which published in 2009! Since these stories are extremely character driven I definitely recommend picking up Brooklyn first. There you will absolutely fall in love with the character, Eilis Lacey.



I would love to ask the author why the book is called Long Island, because most of the story takes place in Ireland where Eilis was originally from. In the story Brooklyn she immigrates to America, settling in Brooklyn, to work at a department store since there were no jobs in her small Irish village. She meets Tony, an Italian man, eventually marries, and now she lives in Long Island with her in-laws. (They all have homes right next to each other on a cul-de-sac.)



One day, when Tony is at his job an Irishman comes to the door and tells Eilis that his wife is pregnant with Tony’s baby and when the baby is born he will be leaving the baby on their porch!



What will Eilis do!? She decides to take her two kids to Ireland for the summer, somewhere she hasn’t travelled back to in a long time.



This story tackles the decisions we make in our lives and fulfillment. It’s about the paths we take. It’s about feeling lost and alone when you are actually surrounded by so many people. Are they the right people? Right desicions? Eilis makes a lot of decisions in both books that might be hard to take, but I promise she’s a character you will fall hard for. I sure did. The author’s writing is so beautiful. It’s the type that feels like it isn’t really saying much, but is actually saying so much! Every word matters. I loved the characters and the story. I can’t recommend this one enough!



One other note . . . this feels like a non ending. I hear there is going to be a third book!? Let’s hope so and that it doesn’t take as long! @oprahsbookclub can you ask the author!? 🤣

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