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A review by jennrid
I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers
This review originally appeared on Everyday eBook
A Different Kind of War Story: I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers
Some very good books have been written of late about the wars in the Middle East and their effects. I Saw a Man, the new book from [a: Owen Sheers|480932|Owen Sheers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1369754037p2/480932.jpg], is a different story of war and its reverberations. In beautiful prose, Sheers writes with an emotional depth and knowledge that will draw the reader into his characters' lives.
When the book opens, we meet Michael Turner as he runs to his neighbors' home to retrieve a small tool he lent them. Finding the back door slightly ajar, he goes in (after knocking). His journey through the house looking for his neighbors, and his tool, is filled with a sense of foreboding. He slowly moves from room to room looking for some sign of them, certain that they would not leave the door open if they were not home.
Intertwined with this narrative are flashbacks of Michael's life: his days as a bachelor, living in New York, researching and writing a book about two youths in Washington Heights; his time courting Caroline, his wife; Caroline's death on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan while investigating a story; his move back to London; and the short history of his relationship with his neighbors, Josh and Samantha Nelson and their two daughters. These switches in time heighten the suspense as Michael journeys through the Nelsons' house to ensure all is right.
About halfway into the book, Sheers introduces Daniel McCullen, a member of the U.S. military who is part of a drone team. Based just outside of Las Vegas, he is able to live with his family while still taking part in the action in the Middle East. This plotline is also a different story on a theme - drones, their use, and the people who operate them. We see how Daniel was involved in Caroline's death, the errors that were made, and the ramifications not only this fatality but also others have had on Daniel.
Sheers's novel is a subtle examination of guilt and culpability. To what extent does one need to be directly involved to be guilty? And does not being legally or technically guilty save one from feeling guilty? What does it mean to grieve? It is also an examination of redemption and the lengths we go to achieve it. And, of course, a mediation on loss - its various forms, its effects, and its repercussions. Sheers handles these heavy themes with beautiful writing and a deft hand all the way through the very last sentence.
A Different Kind of War Story: I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers
Some very good books have been written of late about the wars in the Middle East and their effects. I Saw a Man, the new book from [a: Owen Sheers|480932|Owen Sheers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1369754037p2/480932.jpg], is a different story of war and its reverberations. In beautiful prose, Sheers writes with an emotional depth and knowledge that will draw the reader into his characters' lives.
When the book opens, we meet Michael Turner as he runs to his neighbors' home to retrieve a small tool he lent them. Finding the back door slightly ajar, he goes in (after knocking). His journey through the house looking for his neighbors, and his tool, is filled with a sense of foreboding. He slowly moves from room to room looking for some sign of them, certain that they would not leave the door open if they were not home.
Intertwined with this narrative are flashbacks of Michael's life: his days as a bachelor, living in New York, researching and writing a book about two youths in Washington Heights; his time courting Caroline, his wife; Caroline's death on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan while investigating a story; his move back to London; and the short history of his relationship with his neighbors, Josh and Samantha Nelson and their two daughters. These switches in time heighten the suspense as Michael journeys through the Nelsons' house to ensure all is right.
About halfway into the book, Sheers introduces Daniel McCullen, a member of the U.S. military who is part of a drone team. Based just outside of Las Vegas, he is able to live with his family while still taking part in the action in the Middle East. This plotline is also a different story on a theme - drones, their use, and the people who operate them. We see how Daniel was involved in Caroline's death, the errors that were made, and the ramifications not only this fatality but also others have had on Daniel.
Sheers's novel is a subtle examination of guilt and culpability. To what extent does one need to be directly involved to be guilty? And does not being legally or technically guilty save one from feeling guilty? What does it mean to grieve? It is also an examination of redemption and the lengths we go to achieve it. And, of course, a mediation on loss - its various forms, its effects, and its repercussions. Sheers handles these heavy themes with beautiful writing and a deft hand all the way through the very last sentence.