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jwagstrom 's review for:

Tin Man by Sarah Winman
3.5
emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a tricky one for me. The beginning was very slow and I thought I wouldn’t like it, but then there were times I could not put it down. Then a reveal toward the middle made it difficult to keep going, knowing how it ultimately would end.

That said, I found it a very good exploration of the varied depths of human relationships. Of found parents, found families, friendships that aren’t necessarily romantic but are so much more than “just friends.” 

While I was excited about the 60’s-90’s setting, I am more familiar with America during those periods and had a tough time imagining the settings in London, which is admittedly a me problem and not the book’s problem.

The lack of quotes around the dialogue gave it a very distant feel, and maybe that was the point, but it also made it difficult to feel immersed at times.

Overall I am glad I read this book, but I don’t know if I’d reach for it to re-read.