Irish Readers discussion

This is for when you have finished the book and want to chat in detail.

I know this book has received numerous award nominations. I believe the author did a great job in providing a brief look into the lives of immigrants during this time period. My main complaints, however, had to do with some of the issues raised and then dropped and with the main character herself. While examining immigrant life, this book also touches on race relations and homosexuality. While the first issue is mentioned more than once, it's only painted in very broad strokes and doesn't seem to impact Eilis very much at all. The second issue is raised once and then dropped, and we're left wondering how Eilis continued to work for someone who had accosted her.

Lastly there is Eilis herself. While I understand she is young, she seems swept away by life and can't seem to speak her own mind. She ends up in America because she can't tell her family she doesn't want to go. She ends up married to the wrong person at the end because she can't tell him no. And she ends up leaving her home for good because she can't choose what makes her happy. For someone who is supposed to represent a class of people and a time period, she is woefully weak.

Kudos to the author on the writing, but the story and characters leave a lot to be desired. (I gave this one 2 stars.)

I have enjoyed Colm Toibin's books for some time now, and I think that he is getting better and better.

I agree with Kandice partly - i.e. on the issue of race and the accostment at work.

However, I do not believe that Mrs Kelly gave Eilis no choice but to go, as she would threaten to expose her marraige to Tony if Eilis stayed. Afterall Eilis had everything to gain by staying at home - love, work, being at home and being able to take care of her mammy.

May I suggest The Blackwater Lightship for another great book by Toibin.

Hi Granuaille.

I agree that it wasn't Mrs. Kelly who forced Eilis to to go. I feel it was Eilis's own weakness of character that dictated her outcome.

I like strong female characters so maybe this just wasn't the book for me :-)

Hi Kandice and anyone else,

I think that Eilis has strengths and weaknesses, like the rest of us.
Anyone who emigrates on their own, with only a stranger as a contact is to be commended.
She pursues her objective of bookkepping, which she was not able to do at home.
However, I do not fully understand why she marrys Tony. It is to please him rather than herself, and it is not from love. Here I totally agree with you about weakness - and it messes up her entire future.
However I am convinced that Mrs Kelly's influence is what made her choose to go back to the US. In 1950's Wexford she would be ostracised as a bigamist or a married woman 'carrying on like that'. Her mother would be shamed and she would be rejected by Jim. If married to Jim he would loose his custom at the pub. I am currently reading Lantern Slides: Short Stories, which discusses rural Ireland at the same time - but in a rather more grim and critical fashion.