Scan barcode
A review by motherbooker
Tin by Pádraig Kenny
4.0
From my review at motherbookerblog.com:
"When I first decided to read this book I expected it to be a twee little story about an orphaned boy and his little robot friends going on an adventure. What I actually got was something much deeper that goes into the finer details of what it means to be human. This feels like an incredibly grown-up book and it was an absolute joy to read. Writer Pádraig Kenny has not only come up with a fantastic concept for his story but he has fit it into a really well-built world. His whole new reality has its own, slightly recognisable, history and is full of luscious details. It is a steam punk wonderland that I wish I could have seen more of. He has also crammed it full of amazingly written characters who feel believably real despite the fact many of them are actually artificial. Each mechanical has their own distinct personality and add their own emotional slant to the narrative. It’s a pleasure getting to know these characters and it’s super difficult to not fall in love with each of them.
I admit that I wasn’t expecting a children’s book to have such a profound impact on me, a nearly 30-year-old woman, but there were moments when I was nearly in bits. The story delves deep into the heart of humanity and love and is not afraid to put its readers through the ringer. The narrative gets a little dark in places but is always so full of hope and love that it never becomes too much. It plays with the idea that science and advancement are great but that there is a massive responsibility to keep it under control for the good of humanity. Genius is all well and good but nobody should be trying to play God. It’s an incredibly mature and thoughtful book that I wish I’d read as a child. There are big ideas and big, gut-wrenching feelings inside these pages but there is also more than enough fun, laughter, and love to balance it out.
I was drawn to Tin thanks to its sensational premise and awesome cover (yes, I know you should never do it but what are you gonna do?). I stayed because of how well-crafted the story is. The pacing is brilliant and drives you forward. Not a single moment is wasted in unnecessary side-plots or over-the-top description. The plot never drags but it is slow enough to allow you to keep up with what is happening. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested and the dialogue is all very natural. This book really surprised me and I would definitely read as much as I could about these characters and this reality. If this experience has taught me nothing else it’s that maybe it’s time I start reading more children’s books and stop being so concerned with only reading “proper” literature? After all, Tin taught us all that “proper” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway."
"When I first decided to read this book I expected it to be a twee little story about an orphaned boy and his little robot friends going on an adventure. What I actually got was something much deeper that goes into the finer details of what it means to be human. This feels like an incredibly grown-up book and it was an absolute joy to read. Writer Pádraig Kenny has not only come up with a fantastic concept for his story but he has fit it into a really well-built world. His whole new reality has its own, slightly recognisable, history and is full of luscious details. It is a steam punk wonderland that I wish I could have seen more of. He has also crammed it full of amazingly written characters who feel believably real despite the fact many of them are actually artificial. Each mechanical has their own distinct personality and add their own emotional slant to the narrative. It’s a pleasure getting to know these characters and it’s super difficult to not fall in love with each of them.
I admit that I wasn’t expecting a children’s book to have such a profound impact on me, a nearly 30-year-old woman, but there were moments when I was nearly in bits. The story delves deep into the heart of humanity and love and is not afraid to put its readers through the ringer. The narrative gets a little dark in places but is always so full of hope and love that it never becomes too much. It plays with the idea that science and advancement are great but that there is a massive responsibility to keep it under control for the good of humanity. Genius is all well and good but nobody should be trying to play God. It’s an incredibly mature and thoughtful book that I wish I’d read as a child. There are big ideas and big, gut-wrenching feelings inside these pages but there is also more than enough fun, laughter, and love to balance it out.
I was drawn to Tin thanks to its sensational premise and awesome cover (yes, I know you should never do it but what are you gonna do?). I stayed because of how well-crafted the story is. The pacing is brilliant and drives you forward. Not a single moment is wasted in unnecessary side-plots or over-the-top description. The plot never drags but it is slow enough to allow you to keep up with what is happening. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested and the dialogue is all very natural. This book really surprised me and I would definitely read as much as I could about these characters and this reality. If this experience has taught me nothing else it’s that maybe it’s time I start reading more children’s books and stop being so concerned with only reading “proper” literature? After all, Tin taught us all that “proper” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway."