Introduction
Long Island by Colm Tóibín revisits Eilis Fiorello, who once left her Irish hometown for a new life in Brooklyn. Now settled on Long Island with her husband, Tony, and their children, her tranquil existence is disrupted when a visitor arrives, unveiling a secret that forces her to reconsider her choices. As she is drawn back to Ireland and the life she left behind, Eilis faces a profound reckoning with her past and the paths not taken. Tóibín crafts an emotionally rich sequel to Brooklyn, exploring themes of love, belonging, and the haunting pull of home.
Long Island Synopsis
A man with an Irish accent knocks on Eilis Fiorello’s door on Long Island and in that moment everything changes. Eilis and Tony have built a secure, happy life here since leaving Brooklyn – perhaps a little stifled by the in-laws so close, but twenty years married and with two children looking towards a good future.
And yet this stranger will reveal something that will make Eilis question the life she has created. For the first time in years she suddenly feels very far from home and the revelation will see her turn towards Ireland once again. Back to her mother. Back to the town and the people she had chosen to leave behind. Did she make the wrong choice marrying Tony all those years ago? Is it too late now to take a different path?
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More About the Novel
| Author: | Colm Tóibín |
| Publisher: | W. W. Norton & Company |
| Genre: | Fiction |
| Mode: | Complete |
Themes Explored In The Novel
Themes Explored in Long Island by Colm Tóibín include:**
- Home and Belonging: The novel deeply examines the tension between past and present homes. Eilis wrestles with the pull of her Irish roots versus the life she has built in America, highlighting how identity and belonging evolve over time.
- Choices and Regret: The story centers on Eilis’s reflections on the decisions that shaped her life, especially her marriage to Tony and her choice to leave Ireland. It explores whether it is ever too late to choose a different path.
- Love and Sacrifice: Tóibín delves into the complexities of love, from the sacrifices made for family and partners to the rekindling of emotions thought long buried.
- Cultural Expectations and Gender Roles: The novel examines societal pressures, particularly on women, to conform to cultural and familial expectations, and how those pressures influence personal choices.
- Nostalgia and the Passage of Time: Eilis’s journey back to Ireland evokes nostalgia, reflecting on how memories and connections to the past shape one’s sense of identity and the inevitable changes brought by time.
- The Immigrant Experience: As a sequel to Brooklyn, the novel continues to explore the immigrant’s journey, balancing the dreams of a new life with the enduring ties to the homeland.
Tóibín masterfully weaves these themes, making Long Island a poignant exploration of life’s crossroads and the enduring pull of home.
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