Audio Book Review: Long Island by Colm Toibin

 

Pages: 304

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: May 7, 2024

Publisher: Scribner

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: Brooklyn

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "From the beloved, critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author comes a spectacularly moving and intense novel of secrecy, misunderstanding, and love , the story of Eilis Lacey, the complex and enigmatic heroine of Brooklyn, Tóibín’s most popular work, twenty years later.

Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello, a plumber and one of four Italian American brothers, all of whom live in neighboring houses on a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their wives and children and Tony’s parents, a huge extended family that lives and works, eats and plays together. It is the spring of 1976 and Eilis, now in her forties with two teenage children, has no one to rely on in this still-new country. Though her ties to Ireland remain stronger than those that hold her to her new land and home, she has not returned in decades.

One day, when Tony is at his job and Eilis is in her home office doing her accounting, an Irishman comes to the door asking for her by name. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony’s child and that when the baby is born, he will not raise it but instead deposit it on Eilis’s doorstep. It is what Eilis does—and what she refuses to do—in response to this stunning news that makes Tóibín’s novel so riveting.

Long Island is about longings unfulfilled, even unrecognized. The silences in Eilis’ life are thunderous and dangerous, and there’s no one more deft than Tóibín at giving them language. This is a gorgeous story of a woman alone in a marriage and the deepest bonds she rekindles on her return to the place and people she left behind, to ways of living and loving she thought she’d lost."

 

 

Readers revisit Eilis Lacey, twenty years after Brooklyn closes. Her life is what you would expect to find decades later. She lives near her overbearing in-laws in Long Island, her husband is still a plumber, and they have two almost grown kids. She hasn't returned  home to Ireland in years nor seen her mother. In a shocking turn of events, Eilis finds out that Tony, her husband, cheated on her and the result is that there's a baby and the woman will not raise it. It appears that her in-laws are thinking of raising this child and this is a deal breaker to Eilis. She decides to return home to Enniscorthy to see her mother and celebrate her 80th birthday along with her son and daughter. Readers of Brooklyn will remember pub owner, Jim, and Eilis runs into him again. He hasn't married, but he is engaged to her widowed friend, Nancy. Eilis and Jim still both share a spark despite the many years they haven't seen one another. With her return to Ireland, she upends many lives and various people, including her. She and Jim starts questioning what they want and what is important to them. Long Island by Colm Toibin is a quiet read that is contemplative and memorable. It's perfect for fans of Brooklyn and readers who want a smart, well written novel.
 
I've always enjoyed Eilis as Brooklyn is one of my favorite novels. She is older and more mature in Long Island, but in turn, she is a bit sadder. Her life, while full in that she has her children, it lacks the spark it used to have, especially since she is smothered by Tony's family who seem to be at every turn. I could understand Eilis's desire not to raise Tony's baby and her plans to return to Ireland. I was hoping her return home would help her reevaluate her life, but it actually made things even more complicated, especially when she runs into Jim, which sets a lot in motion.
 
I didn't love Long Island as much as Brooklyn, but it was still a fantastic novel. It felt a little heavier in that Eilis had a lot of important decisions to make. She thinks about paths not taken and missed  opportunities as well as what the future holds for her, but it's never really shared in all its entirety. Readers aren't even sure how long she will be in Ireland. Despite all the uncertainties, Toibin's writing is just so, so good and I was entirely enthralled by the story.
 
I listened to Long Island and the audiobook was outstanding. Jessie Buckley, the narrator, had various accents (Irish, New York, Italian)  and performed them all masterfully. Long Island is definitely one of my favorite audiobooks of the year.
 
So, have you read Brooklyn? Do you plan on reading Long Island this summer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.