BrooklynBrooklyn
Score Modern
What it's about
In the 1950s, Eilis Lacey can't find work in her small Irish town, so a priest arranges for her to go to Brooklyn. There she works in a department store, takes night classes and lives in a boarding house, homesick, until she meets Tony, a kind Italian-American plumber. Then a tragedy calls her back to Ireland, and she has to choose between two lives.
Why it's worth reading
It was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it became an Oscar-nominated film with Saoirse Ronan.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Small Island
A Tree Grows in BrooklynGood to know
It's quiet and restrained. Eilis's choices frustrate some readers.
By the numbers
- Readers5 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics58 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller61 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #164 of the 233 romances we rank
- #1094 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2019 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Colm Tóibín
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Quick answers
Is Brooklyn worth reading?
Yes. It was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it became an Oscar-nominated film with Saoirse Ronan. It ranks #2,019 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Brooklyn about?
In the 1950s, Eilis Lacey can't find work in her small Irish town, so a priest arranges for her to go to Brooklyn. There she works in a department store, takes night classes and lives in a boarding house, homesick, until she meets Tony, a kind Italian-American plumber. Then a tragedy calls her back to Ireland, and she has to choose between two lives.
How long does it take to read Brooklyn?
About 7 hours (262 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Brooklyn?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Small Island by Andrea Levy or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.