I thought I'd enjoy Tin Man more than I did. It was just a little too cozy for me. There was a lot of potential, but it was just too quiet for my taste.
The premise was an interesting one: Ellis and Michael meet as twelve-year-old boys. They form a deep friendship that turns into more. And then one day, Michael is gone.
In the first half of the book, we are introduced to Ellis in the present day. His wife, Annie, has died and Ellis is struggling to get through life on his own, without his wife and without Michael who he reminisces about, as neither of them are no longer in his life. He works in a job that his father insisted on years ago, but his heart isn't really into it. He tries to bond with his younger neighbours, but he's trapped in his memories of the love he had for his wife and his friend, both of whom he misses terribly.
Most of the second half of the book is from Michael's perspective. Michael left town as an adult and we find out where he is and what his life is like afterwards. Before Michael disappeared and after Ellis met Annie, all three of them were inseparable friends. They hung out together all the time and Annie and Michael bonded just as much as Ellis and Michael. So, much of Michael's life is also spent reminiscing about the life he shared with Ellis and then both Ellis and Annie.
Having just read an action-packed novel that was full of punchy dialogue and original, descriptive language, Tin Man just felt bland in comparison. It's not a bad book - it was perfectly fine, but when there are so many amazing books out there, perfectly fine is not going to be memorable. Though I can see its appeal for another audience, unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
Judge the cover: 2/5 (Van Gogh has never been to my taste, but his Sunflowers painting is an important reference in the book, so the cover makes sense)
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