Brooklyn (the novel, as distinguished from the new movie) is a wonderfully written book that gently shares the story of a young girl as she moves from Ireland to Brooklyn, starting life over in the 1950s. The tale touched me particularly as someone who just visited Ireland and who was struck by the sadness of the country, losing so many of its young to emigration. But it is not just a story about her move; it’s a wonderful story about youth and love and loss and family.
The book does not do anything striking or special. But it’s so engaging a story that it does not need to. It’s a solid read that one can wrap up with on a long weekend and enjoy.