Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

I needed to read a book about my heritage for one of the three book challenges I am doing.   I had never read anything by this author before.

The story seemed very realistic to me.  It's the story of a young girl who has difficulty finding accounting work in her native Ireland.  Her mother and her sister make plans with the village priest to send her to America.   She is sponsored by Father Flood and heads to Brooklyn.

It's 1950's America.  She ends up working at a department store and going to school at night.   She meets and falls in love with an Italian boy - something that wasn't really encouraged, especially in those times.

Even though the story doesn't have a lot of action, it is beautifully written and an accurate reflection of the times.   I gave it four stars.