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clivestaples's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katienunnery's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kellyreadingbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
๐ synopsis:
Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the years following WWII. She cannot find a job in the miserable Irish economy. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America--to live and work in a Brooklyn neighborhood "just like Ireland"--she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind.
Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, a blond Italian from a big family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love with Tony, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future.
๐ thoughts:
It's a dangerous game to finally read the novel that your favorite movie of all time was sourced.
I hold the Saoirse Ronan film close to my heart, so I was hesitant to pick up the book incase it sullied the movie for me. It left me with some mixed feelings. The changes made from book to movie were MUCH needed and well done. Eilis' character didn't feel like Eilis to me in the last 25% of this book and that's where it really fell apart for me. Also, Tony was much more endearing in the movie making their romance more believable. There was also one particular scene that I'm super glad they left out of the movie that I was like ooookaaaay that was oddly placed. But overall, I had a good time reading this *because* it was a taste of getting to experience the movie again for the first time. If I didn't come in as an already fangirl, I don't think I would've enjoyed this book half as much. I think I'm going to keep my *gasp* movie-tie-in edition of this book because it's a wonderful shelf trophy of my love for the movie.
3.75/5 โญ๏ธ
๐ 262 pgs
๐ถ๏ธ spice level: none
โ๏ธ ๐ โ๏ธ seasonal readers: has NYC summer, fall, and winter vibes as we cycle through a year
Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the years following WWII. She cannot find a job in the miserable Irish economy. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America--to live and work in a Brooklyn neighborhood "just like Ireland"--she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind.
Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, a blond Italian from a big family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love with Tony, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future.
๐ thoughts:
It's a dangerous game to finally read the novel that your favorite movie of all time was sourced.
I hold the Saoirse Ronan film close to my heart, so I was hesitant to pick up the book incase it sullied the movie for me. It left me with some mixed feelings. The changes made from book to movie were MUCH needed and well done. Eilis' character didn't feel like Eilis to me in the last 25% of this book and that's where it really fell apart for me. Also, Tony was much more endearing in the movie making their romance more believable. There was also one particular scene that I'm super glad they left out of the movie that I was like ooookaaaay that was oddly placed. But overall, I had a good time reading this *because* it was a taste of getting to experience the movie again for the first time. If I didn't come in as an already fangirl, I don't think I would've enjoyed this book half as much. I think I'm going to keep my *gasp* movie-tie-in edition of this book because it's a wonderful shelf trophy of my love for the movie.
3.75/5 โญ๏ธ
๐ 262 pgs
๐ถ๏ธ spice level: none
โ๏ธ ๐ โ๏ธ seasonal readers: has NYC summer, fall, and winter vibes as we cycle through a year
abbym22's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the story a lot but the ending was what ruined it for me
bjhg5053's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jfay0's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
infuerno's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
irishlassofcork's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this a 3.5 star rating if possible. I found it hard to get through the early days in Eilis' new life in Brooklyn, but once she found Tony and started taking courses, it picked up. The story felt very realistic and it was interesting to see a young immigrant's perspective on Brooklyn during that time (and didn't try to sound like a travel brochure).