Reviews - Long Island | The StoryGraph

2.32k reviews for:

Long Island

Colm Tóibín

3.75 AVERAGE

quietears's review against another edition

4.0

emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thoughtful and introspective, and oh so tense and frustrating!

shesbookedandbusy's review against another edition

2.5

emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

noahhhh's review against another edition

2.0

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

genhol's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a really excellent case study of people and normal life, albeit focused on Ireland and US in the mid 20th century. I found myself really rooting for characters and felt the writing was vivid and emotive. Especially enjoyable having just visited Ireland!

sara_reads_and_wines's review against another edition

2.0

sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

After loving Brooklyn, this sequel hurt my heart.

If Eilis had ended up happy in Ireland with Jim I would have been able to recover from the shock of how awful Tony and his entire family turned out to be. But there was no resolution. Tony and his family did not care Eilis did not want to care for his affair baby and systematically removed her from the picture while still guilting her to stay married. We don't know at the end what happens next except Tony and his family have decided to embrace this new baby. And then in Ireland Jim wasnt honest about his semi engagement to Nancy leaving Eilis still alone and unhappy.

This book, while written beautifully, is just full of misery. If you loved Brooklyn and loved Eilis and Tony together and imagined their life being happy after the end of that book, don't pick this one up.

Content Warnings

gabriellebw's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I wanted to scream at these people! Missed opportunities, secrets, lies, innuendo, bad choices. A good story if you can stick with these stifled situations and disheartening lives. I have high hopes for Rosella…