Colm Toibin - The Testament of Mary

This book reviewed live on bookshow by Maggie Perkovic on 12th Dec 2013.
 I quote from the blurb on the back:
of the book. This is Mary. A mother whose son was taken from her and lost to the world.
A woman who now lives in exile, watched by those who seek to preserve the sanctity
of her son's memory. But Mary's recollections of his difficult life and tragic death
are a truth few who know her son now recognise.  As the myths grow around her like
walls, so Mary clings to the truth, revealing, in a time of turmoil and profound change,
her own fragile humanity.
Now I have a great problem with this book. I was brought up a Catholic, went only to
Catholic schools and finally a Convent, so I am very steeped in the Life and death of
Jesus Christ and his Mother. The whole point of this was that at all times Mary knew
her Son was the son of God, not a Freedom Fighter as this book suggests.
At the age of twelve he was preaching in the Temple, and reminded his parents that
he must be about his Father's work. So there is no chance she would, as this author
suggests, try to change his mind or try to deflect him from his purpose in life.
She and Mary Magdalen kept vigil at the Crucifixion, Veronica wiped his face
as he carried the cross to Calvary. Mary Magdalen was the first to see him after
the Resurrection. To try and leave out all women that featured in his life is wrong.
To treat some of the Apostles, who were making a story of his life as enemies
seems totally unecessary to my thinking.
In fact I did not like this book one bit, Booker nominated or not. Maggie Perkovic.

Colm Toibin - Brooklyn

Review by Maggie Perkovic on show 2/9/10
COLM TOIBIN - BROOKLYN
I CHOSE THIS BOOK AS IT WAS THE WINNER OF THE 2009 COSTA NOVEL AWARD.
SET IN THE 1950'S, AN ERA I DO LIKE TO STUDY, IT IS SET IN THE IRELAND OF THE SOUTH WHERE WORK IS LIMITED AND POVERTY RIFE.
OUR FAMILY, THE LACEYS, HAVE RECENTLY BEEN BEREFT OF THEIR FATHER. THEIR TWO BOYS ARE IN ENGLAND WORKING AND LEFT AT HOME IS THE BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER ROSE, WHO WORKS AS AN ACCOUNTS MANAGER IN A BIG FIRM, AND THE YOUNG EILIS WHO IS STUDYING ACCOUNTANCY AND LOOKING FOR WORK TO HELP THEIR MOTHER WHO IS STILL GRIEVING FOR THE FATHER.
ROSE TOGETHER WITH THEIR PARISH PRIEST HELPS EILIS TO FIND WORK IN AMERICA IN BROOKLYN WHERE SHE LIVES IN A RESPECTABLE BOARDING HOUSE AND STARTS WORK ON THE SHOP FLOOR IN A BIG STORE. LATER SHE GOES TO NIGHT SCHOOL TO CONTINUE HER STUDYING AND IMPROVE HER WORK PROSPECTS.
SO FAR SO GOOD BUT WHERE THIS STORY DIFFERS IS THE WAY THE AUTHOR REALLY SHOWS US HOW A YOUNG GIRL THINKS.
THE SADDEST ASPECT BEING THAT EILIS DOESN'T WANT TO GO, HER FAMILY DON'T WANT HER TO GO, BUT THEY ALL KNOW IT IS FOR THE BEST AS THERE IS NO HOPE OF A FUTURE IN THE LITTLE VILLAGE THEY LIVE IN.
SHE SETTLES IN BROOKLYN BUT FEELS VERY HOMESICK UNTIL SHE MEETS A YOUNG MAN AT NIGHT SCHOOL AND THEY BECOME AN ITEM, WITH A PROMISE TO MARRY. HOWEVER A TRAGEDY AT HOME BRINGS HER RETURN TO HER FAMILY AND SHE HAS TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HER FUTURE.
IT IS BEAUTIFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY WRITTEN, A SLOW PACE BUT THE DETAIL IS ENCHANTING AND THE 1950'S DELIGHTFULLY BROUGHT TO LIFE.
I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH, MAYBE BECAUSE YOU COULD EMPATHISE WITH THE CHARACTERS AND WISH THEIR LIVES TO BE BETTER.
THE DESCRIPTION OF EILIS' TRIP TO AMERICA, STEERAGE CLASS, IS VERY AMUSING.
YOU CAN ALMOST SHARE HER NAUSEA, BUT SHE NEVER COMPLAINS, SIMPLY ACCEPTS ALL THAT LIFE THROWS AT HER.
I WAS SORRY WHEN I HAD FINISHED THE BOOK AND WOULD LOOK FOR MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
review by Mags

Colm Toibin - ‘Brooklyn’

Review by Peter Lawrence on show 24th September 2009
Colm Toibin’s previous two novels, The Blackwater Lightship and The Master, a brilliant fictionalised account of the life of Henry James, have both been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. This current book, Brooklyn, was included on the longlist but, to great consternation and amazement, did not make it to the final six.

It is a beautifully crafted and sensitive portrayal of the life of an Irish girl and her family in the 1950s. Eilis, the main character is persuaded by her local priest to seek out a new life in America. The book starts with a powerful and very uncomfortable description of her transatlantic voyage through a storm to begin her new life. We really feel as if we are there sharing the discomfort and the fear with her and Toibin, whom I would guess has never actually experienced what he is writing about, describes it with such grace and perfection that it would seem as if it is part of his daily life.

Life in New York is not easy. This is not the suave and sophisticated Manhattan but the far less upmarket Brooklyn, and area of cheap boarding houses and factories. Eilis is painfully young, has never been anywhere before, has been protected by her mother, older sister and the Church, and is suddenly thrown into a lonely and difficult life with only the Church and its representatives remaining to dictate her course.

She finds a room with the redoubtable Mrs Kehoe, herself of Irish descent and closely linked with Father Flood, the priest who seems to control just about every aspect of her life. The boarding house is a place of strict discipline and control where the somewhat suffocating rules of Mrs Kehoe hold sway and create a climate of fear and suspicion. Set piece events like daily mealtimes and other similarly mundane activities are beautifully described, utterly convincing in every detail. They reveal the petty jealousies that strongly connect the women of the house and show a competitiveness that lies at the heart of most human beings.

Very soon after arriving in New York Eilis is determined to better herself. She enrols in a bookkeeping course whilst working for a family of Italian business men in their clothing store where her every movement is watched and evaluated. We feel for her as she slaves at Bartocci’s under the constant scrutiny of the cold and calculating Miss Fortini but are pleased to see her making progress towards her goal.

Inspite of herself and her wish to remain single she forges a strong relationship with Tony, her young man, whom we come to have great respect for as he treats Eilis with such kindness and gentleness. As her relationship with Tony deepens and moves towards long term commitment, we sense trouble ahead. When Eilis’s sister Rose back in Ireland dies and shortly afterwards Eilis makes a trip home to see her mother we really struggle to see how it could work out well. The novel is poised on a knife edge. It resolves itself with a very satisfactory conclusion that brings all the strands together.

For me the mark of a good novel is when I am sorry I’ve finished reading it. That is certainly true here. This book is relatively brief, only 252 pages. I could very easily have taken a 100 more.

Peter Lawrence September 2009