A story of love and friendship that undergoes the test of time.
In Brief
Tin Man is the story of three friends – Ellis, Michael and Annie. We see Ellis as a lonely man at first. Then we are thrown into the good times that Ellis and Michael spent together as the best of friends which could have become something more than just friendship. After that, we are plunged to another world where Ellis and Annie are together. The book fills in the reader with all the details that happened in between these three crucial points in the characters’ lives.
A Mosaic of Literary Delight
Sarah Winman has a charming writing style which is a mosaic of different techniques. It is poetic at some places, raw at others; fragmentary at some places and detailed at others. Overall, this gives a very interesting mixture of literary delight that a reader will be thrilled to be part of. The book is written in third person and tells Ellis’ story in the first half. In the second half, the narration shifts to a first person POV of Michael. This change in narration brings in a whole new dimension to the story. We see the intricacies of relationships, tragedies that befall lives and the pain of living after a loss.
Themes and Hiccups
Love is the major theme of the novel – familial love, heterosexual love, homosexual love, unrequited love, love among friends and even love among neighbours and co-workers. Sarah Winman describes her characters in few words but she makes their flaws stand out in a striking way that one cannot help admiring the ‘human-ness’ in them. Even minor characters like Mr. Khan make a huge impact in the mind of the reader in the few scenes that he is part of. It was heart breaking to follow Ellis through his loves and life; and how he tries to be at peace with his past.
I really enjoyed the book and was captured by its magic. The feeling the novel evokes in a reader is similar to that of First Love by Gwendoline Riley (read review) and Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. There is a lot to ‘read between the lines’ and to revisit in your mind after you finish the book. But perhaps since it reminded me so strongly about Riley’s and Barnes’ novels, I was slightly disappointed because I liked Tin Man lesser than those two. Some scenes fell flat for me and I wasn’t moved by them in the novel. I would say Tin Man isn’t a book for everyone, but it is a sad and moving one that will haunt you for a long time.
A Dream-like Ending
I loved how the book ended. It felt like a dream when I read the last word. Each of the characters can be a person we know in our real life. Or maybe all of them exist inside us, constantly in a state of unrest inside our turbulent emotions. There is so much to write about this book and yet I am at a loss for words. This book would make an excellent pick for a book club read because it opens up a plethora of topics to discuss about.
A story about love and friendship that your Book Club would thank you for Click To Tweet
Final Verdict
Tin Man talks about love and loss and being at peace with one’s past. This would be a good pick for those who are looking for a book that has layers, but be warned it is an achingly beautiful story.
Title : Tin Man
Author : Sarah Winman
Publisher : Tinder Press
Publication: 2017
Language : English
Pages : 208
Rating : 3.5/5
Disclaimer : Much thanks to Tinder Press for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Lovely review, Resh. You’ve convinced me to add it to my list.
Thank you. I hope you will enjoy the read when you pick it up.
Despite your reservations, it sounds like a very good book – and I have heard other reviewers who liked it very much indeed.
Oh yes, I really enjoyed the book. It is just that I enjoyed other books (that I was reminded of while reading this one) with a similar vibe more. Tin Man has been getting 5 star reviews from many readers.
I truly believe Sarah Winman has done a wonderful job. Her characters are so realistic and she evokes emotions of love and loss in the reader
This does sound very intriguing. But the composition of your images is what drew me to this post. Not a book I will rush to, to be honest, but if I happen upon it I will pick it up and give it a go.
Thank you, Liz. I think that sounds fair. You can give it a go when you have the time and inclination and it will just take you a few hours since it is only 200 pages.
Looks beautiful inside and out!
Agree! The cover design by Yeti is as gorgeous as Sarah Winman’s prose.
I remember enjoying one of Sarah Winman’s other books, When God Was a Rabbit, so I’m interested in reading this one too. I’m glad you liked it!
I hope you will enjoy the read too. I will wait for your thoughts on the book. I have not read When God was a Rabbit and I want to read it soon
This sounds like such a lovely and moving read. The way you describe her writing style makes it sound like such a wonderful reading experience. Great review!
Exactly Suzanne. The book was more about the experience of reading it than the plot itself. It seems simple at first but as you reflect upon it, you begin to see hidden, deep things
Based on your review and the cover, I have the feeling that it has some tearjerker moments integrated at the right moment throughout this book. It really does sound beautiful too. Great review! 😀
Yes, this is a book that has gems of moments throughout the narrative.
Resh, I have seen this book everywhere for the past weeks and I had no interest on it until I read your review. Thank you 😀
I am so glad to hear that. Hope you will enjoy the read when you pick it up
Thank you for this post as usual. I have rarely come across someone so in love with books. I mean some people still read, but I do feel as if we are a dying breed. A silly question: how many hours do you read a day? 🙂