Nothing Green

The first book was enchanting because it told the story of a poor Irish girl in a simple style and child-like prose. The style and content were one. It was charming and moving. The problem with the sequel is that the story is now about Evelyn's teenage and adult years. The child-like prose doesn't carry the story. The simple style seems trite and becomes wearisome. It gives the impression that the storyteller is unable to cope with the darker passions, complex themes and shadowy relationships that come with maturity. Doyle's story is still interesting, and her memoir sheds light on the whole period of the 1960s and onward, but the sequel is not as winning as the original simply because it's harder to care as much for this troubled teen and adult as it was for the little Irish girl of the original book. --Dwight Longenecker