Review: Brooklyn
Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn is simple storytelling at its best. This is a novel which doesn't accomplish much. It doesn't woo or provoke; it doesn't spend long developing characters or wallowing in language. It's a plot-driven story that really focuses on the story. Normally, I'm not a big fan of plot-driven fiction. For me, character is much more important and language can be a definite boon. The story here, however, is so wonderfully plotted and paced, so delicately handled, that I didn't mind the lack of additional layers. This is a novel that doesn't rely on bells and whistles. It doesn't need the added noise. Just the simple voice of an author telling a story that is beautiful and captivating.
