Nothing Green: The Sequel to the Bestselling 'Evelyn' Book

Nothing Green is the sequel to Evelyn, the heart-on-its-sleeve story of a poor child's life in Ireland, which became a bestseller and a film starring Pierce Brosnan. Nothing Green picks up the story of Evelyn Doyle's life as her family moves to England and it traces her teen and adult years through a series of troubled relationships, poverty and the roller-coaster ride of growing up. 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 LongeneckerRead More