There's always something delightful about reading Tóibín, particularly in a short story format where any author has to work even harder given the constraints of the form. In each of the stories in this collection, Tóibín is able successfully to evoke an atmosphere within thirty or so pages, regardless of whether they are set in Ireland or Spain. As the title of the collection alludes to, much of the content in The Empty Family concentrates on Tolstoy's famous dictum of these groups being ‘each unhappy in their own unique way’. Past resentments or a longing for what could have been come to the fore in many of the stories. Tóibín's other (autobiographical) preoccupation is homosexuality, whether overt or repressed, which can create its own set of unfortunate dynamics, particularly in more religious communities. ‘Silence’, ‘The New Spain’ and ‘The Street’ were my favourites. Eight out of ten.
By Colm Tóibín