Story of Saoirse Ronan's Brooklyn character to continue in book sequel

A sequel to the novel Brooklyn will soon be released giving fans of the book and the movie a chance to see what happens to Eilis next. The lead character was played by Saoirse Ronan in the 2015 film adaptation which earned her an Oscar nomination.

Brooklyn follows Eilis who in the 1950s leaves her small-town home in Co Wicklow for a new life in New York City . Eilis falls in love with Tony, who hails from an Italian family.

When tragedy strikes back home, she returns to Ireland and has to face what her life could be like in her native country compared to what it could be in New York . The novel on which the film is based was released in 2009.

• Predictions for Saoirse Ronan getting an Oscar nod in 2025
• Saoirse Ronan: Her best movies from Brooklyn to Little Women

14 years after the release of Brooklyn, author Colm Tóibín is gearing up for the publication of its sequel, Long Island . Fans will be eager to see where Eilis' story goes next.

A synopsis for the book reads: " Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello, a plumber and one of four Italian American brothers, all of whom live in neighboring houses on a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their wives and children and Tony's parents. It is the spring of 1976 and Eilis, now in her forties with two teenage children, has no one to rely on in this still-new country.

"One day, an Irishman comes to the door asking for Eilis by name. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony's child and that when the baby is born, he will not raise it but will leave it with her.

"Eilis has choices to make, and what she does in the wake of this shattering news is at the heart of one of Tóibín's most riveting and emotional novels to date."

The book will be released on May 23, 2024 and is already available to pre-order. "Colm Tóibín is one of the world’s finest writers and Brooklyn is a novel that was loved by readers around the world," said Picador publisher Mary Mount last year.

"It is overwhelming to be reunited with the characters of that novel once again and to see them anew.

"This is a novel of profound emotional resonance and enormous wit, both qualities having long been hallmarks of Tóibín’s writing."

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .