Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

I've got to say this one was a bit of a let down. It was my first Tóibín and while I wasn't certain what to expect, I didn't expect such a huge emphasis on the love story that unfolds between our protagonist Ellis, a young Irish girl who moves to Brooklyn in hopes of making a better life for herself, and the Brooklyn native she meets, Tony. I was hoping to learn more about the immigrant experience in the 1950's with a particular focus of the Irish experience in New York, but unfortuantley that took a back burner to the romance.

This isn't to say that I didn't like the novel at all. I believe the way Tóibín constructed an undercurrent of Ellis' transformation and growth was both thoughtful and unique. I also liked that the ending wasn't one-dimensional and left room for thought, but overall the book seemed to be lacking. It was more plot driven than I prefer and lacked the nuances I have come to expect in modern literature. I think this would have been a better read for vacation. But I'm not going to give up on Tóibín yet. I hear The Master is quite different and I'd like to give that one a shot.

Publisher: Scribner, 2009

Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Quite simply, this book is what I consider to be a masterpiece. It won the National Book Award in 2009 which means a lot has been said about this book. It's been featured on other blogs and has been reviewed by important newspapers. Most of these outlets have written about this book more eloquently and more intelligently than I could. So I direct you to the above links, but I will say this: Colum McCann's Let The Great World Spin is a book that I will recommend over and over again to readers who appreciate literary fiction. It is a book that explores the human condition and our connection to each other and the world in such a beautiful and truthful way and I will not forget it for a long time.

Publisher: Random House, 2009

The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly

This was a fun read for Halloween. It is dark, but also lighthearted, evoking a Hans Christian Anderson/Brothers Grim tone. We meet Daniel, a young boy who lost his mother. He and his mother shared a love for books. She taught him at a young age the importance of books and storytelling. After his mother passes, Daniel's books begin speaking to him, luring him into a world of crooked fairy tales and evil creatures.

One of the things I liked best about this book was Connolly's dismissal of a typical "happily ever after" theme. Fairy tales are retold in a twisted and bleak manner, offering a new outlook on Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, to name a few. Even the ending rejects the conventional. Ultimately the tone is hopeful, but Connolly doesn't sugar coat anything and instead opts for a darker, cheerless tone, perfect for Halloween.

This is a great book to read when you want a captivating story. It's a true modern fairy tale about transitions and the loss of innocence. I'm tempted to compare it to The Shadow of the Wind, as they are both suspenseful books about books. However if you didn't enjoy The Shadow of the Wind don't write off The Book of Lost Things. I would recommend this book to the true bibliophile, someone who loves to not only read books, but to admire and collect them as well. It's a fun suspense for the book lover, exploring how books shape the world around us and our imagination. It captures the trills, the fears and the triumphs that are held in books.

Publisher: Atria Books, 2006