This is an unusual “emigre” story in that it takes place in the 1950s, not in the decades surrounding the turn of the 19th century. The main character, Eilis, a very young woman, is called upon to make a conflicted decision about her loyalties and responsibilities between two countries: Ireland and the United States.

At the beginning, Eilis is pushed by her sister and an Irish American priest to pursue opportunities in Brooklyn. Both sisters, Eilis and Rose, live with their widowed mother in a small Irish town. Rose is dynamic, independent, a social success and holds a steady job. Eilis, on the other hand, is intelligent but reserved, unsure and unable to get work.

When Father Flood returns from Brooklyn to visit, Rose speaks to him of Eilis’ predicament. The solution is a new life for Eilis in America. She is overwhelmed and swept up in the plan to get her to America, and she follows along a lamb. All arrangements are made for her passport, visas, a place to live and a job. Within two years she becomes an accountant through Brooklyn College, is engaged to an Italian and well-settled.

Startling news then comes from home and she is compelled to sail back to Ireland. Within a couple of weeks, her heart goes back home. She remembers all she loved and opportunities begin to open up for her.

In her hometown, Eilis is confronted with talk from America that compromises her. Once again Eilis’ future is determined by others.

Tòibìn’s writing style is spare and clean — a pleasure to read.

Knowledge of character and place is not relayed through a barrage of great feeling and grand description.

We are given a strong sense of Ireland, Brooklyn and Eilis herself, through an incidental telling of walks in her village and her walk to work in Brooklyn. Through these simple experiences, we gather the vast difference in life between an impoverished small town in contrast to a prosperous metropolis. There are further descriptions given in a few sentences about differences between Ireland and America, and about Irish wonderment that Americans leave the heat on all night. To the Irish it is a wasteful luxury. A telling detail.

Eilis is very much the everyday woman. She is quiet and without great charm or ambition. Her unadorned and sympathetic portrait brings us to know her. In finishing the novel we see and examine her everyday character. Aren’t most of us a little “everyday?”