Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Tin Man
By Sarah Winman
Published by Tinder Press (27 July 2017)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.

Publisher's description

It begins with a painting won in a raffle: fifteen sunflowers, hung on the wall by a woman who believes that men and boys are capable of beautiful things.

And then there are two boys, Ellis and Michael,
who are inseparable.
And the boys become men,
and then Annie walks into their lives,
and it changes nothing and everything.

My verdict
Tin Man is only a short book but it packs a powerful punch and is filled with emotion. It's packaged beautifully, inside and out.

This book was clearly written to be read slowly and savoured at every sentence - with its stunning poetic writing and the compelling haunting tale. It's a book about love, loss, loneliness, desire, friendships, sexuality and relationships. There are no speech marks, which means all of the writing flows into one, taking you on a journey through the characters' lives.

It's a melancholy book, though it made me smile in places, and certainly made me think - about what's important in life and how to hold on to those friendships that mean the most. I cared about each of the characters, and they seemed very real. I felt as if I knew them by the end - their hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes.

I don't think Tin Man will appeal to everyone, but I think many people will be reaching for the tissues. I think it helps if you know what to expect before you dive inside. This isn't a book of action or fast-paced plotting. This is very much a book about thoughts and emotions, how different people belong together and how the right or wrong choices can influence our future.

A highly moving book about that 'what might have been' feeling that touches so many people.