I finished this because I enjoy Toibin's style; it's simple and almost old-fashioned and I was immediately living in the era, understood it without too much explanation. The story itself, however, was underdeveloped. 
 As Eilis, our protagonist, goes through serious life changes (moving to a new country; falling in love; building her career) we don't really know how she feels about all of it. She lost her virginity, had a family member die, and experienced female sexual advances. And it just seems they passed without notice; she mulled over it a page or two and then went on to the next thing in her life. And then worried over her make-up and if her housemates would approve of her attire. Like, all the time. 
 By the time she started to develop into a real person, the novel was over. It's like she made a decision of her own in the last couple pages. But even then, I wasn't convinced. She may still be letting other people control her life, but I don't know enough about her character to judge whether this is true or not.