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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Tender and rough at the same time. I like the bittersweet vibe that permeates the whole book. But I feel that many things - especially the characters inner thoughts - are left unexplored, and I'm left wanting for more.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I received a copy of this book from Penguin's First to Read program.
Tin Man almost reads like a (very long) short story. It holds you in the moment and just settles down around you. As a writer, I loved this. Winman’s sparse style is writing that I connect with and feel. If I start trying to make this novel into something else, then my brain runs with thoughts like I wish it had been more active, I wish this and that....but if I let the novel just be what it is, I love it. It makes me want to write. It makes me want to feel things. It reminds me of why I love writing. For me, there is no higher praise I can give to a book (even if it has its flaws).
If you do decide to read this and are struggling with the first part, stick with it. You’ll eventually shift from Ellis to Michael and it’s SO WORTH IT. This is something that I typically don't like (multiple narrators/POVs), but it layers the story so well. They also have two distinct voices which is so rare to get. And they’re not just distinct. The way that they’re distinct says so much about both characters, their personalities, their relationship, and their flaws. It’s some really ace writing.
Tin Man almost reads like a (very long) short story. It holds you in the moment and just settles down around you. As a writer, I loved this. Winman’s sparse style is writing that I connect with and feel. If I start trying to make this novel into something else, then my brain runs with thoughts like I wish it had been more active, I wish this and that....but if I let the novel just be what it is, I love it. It makes me want to write. It makes me want to feel things. It reminds me of why I love writing. For me, there is no higher praise I can give to a book (even if it has its flaws).
If you do decide to read this and are struggling with the first part, stick with it. You’ll eventually shift from Ellis to Michael and it’s SO WORTH IT. This is something that I typically don't like (multiple narrators/POVs), but it layers the story so well. They also have two distinct voices which is so rare to get. And they’re not just distinct. The way that they’re distinct says so much about both characters, their personalities, their relationship, and their flaws. It’s some really ace writing.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Heartbreakingly beautiful. I've just finished the last page on this book and I'm speechless.
Sarah Winman has written an absolute gem of a novel. This is a lovely story about three friends, their love for each other as they grow up, and the moments when it tears them apart. I can't say it better than the New York Times Book Review by Gayle Forman: "Though the novel clocks in at only little over 200 pages, so much is contained in it--the complicated nature of love, the power of art to inspire and sustain, the half-life of grief and regret, the liberation of travel, the grace found in small moments of kindness."
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
On the good side of "meh", I think this mostly came down to personal preference, I struggled to enjoy the writing style and books that "pay off" later. I highlighted one or two lovely sections, but overall felt a bit disengaged from the story and it's characters.
I absolutely LOVED the first chapter however, and would love a book entirely like that!
I absolutely LOVED the first chapter however, and would love a book entirely like that!
This did not take all that long to read, but it is a story of loss and sadness, so I put it down after 30 pages and then restarted it a week later. Ellis is a tin man who works in a car factory removing creases that occur before they are sold. He is lonely, having lost his wife and his best friend. The story unfolds in flashbacks to his childhood, while also propelling Ellis forward. It is a beautifully written story and very much worth a read.