h_motionless's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
After reading and studying Skirrid Hill, I was hesitant to read any other Owen Sheers fiction, but this novel far surpassed what I was expecting. I Saw A Man is a deeply reflective representation of guilt and grief that is rare to find - the closest thing I can think of is Christopher Isherwood’s novel A Single Man. This was incredibly written and had a pungent message, just lacked a little in overall plot.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Michael has moved to Hampstead in London following the death of his wife Caroline. Caroline, a reporter, was killed by a US drone strike in Pakistan and Michael has found it difficult to move on in his life. He makes friends with Josh and Samantha, the couple who live next door to him with their two daughters. After a tragic accident no-one's life is the same.
I don't really want to spoil the plot of this book because it pivots on a single incident and the effects of that as they spread around the characters. All I can say is that as a novel about loss and suffering, about guilt and secrets and the difficulty of redemption, this is a masterful book. It's not a particularly long book nor is the prose complex but it is clear that Sheers' ability to write poetry is an asset in writing this type of prose. It's probably one of the best books I have read this year.
I don't really want to spoil the plot of this book because it pivots on a single incident and the effects of that as they spread around the characters. All I can say is that as a novel about loss and suffering, about guilt and secrets and the difficulty of redemption, this is a masterful book. It's not a particularly long book nor is the prose complex but it is clear that Sheers' ability to write poetry is an asset in writing this type of prose. It's probably one of the best books I have read this year.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Michael has moved to Hampstead in London following the death of his wife Caroline. Caroline, a reporter, was killed by a US drone strike in Pakistan and Michael has found it difficult to move on in his life. He makes friends with Josh and Samantha, the couple who live next door to him with their two daughters. After a tragic accident no-one's life is the same.
I don't really want to spoil the plot of this book because it pivots on a single incident and the effects of that as they spread around the characters. All I can say is that as a novel about loss and suffering, about guilt and secrets and the difficulty of redemption, this is a masterful book. It's not a particularly long book nor is the prose complex but it is clear that Sheers' ability to write poetry is an asset in writing this type of prose. It's probably one of the best books I have read this year.
I don't really want to spoil the plot of this book because it pivots on a single incident and the effects of that as they spread around the characters. All I can say is that as a novel about loss and suffering, about guilt and secrets and the difficulty of redemption, this is a masterful book. It's not a particularly long book nor is the prose complex but it is clear that Sheers' ability to write poetry is an asset in writing this type of prose. It's probably one of the best books I have read this year.
katieeliza's review against another edition
3.0
This is very well written - almost claustrophobic with grief at times - and I love the dual narrative but the plot was just a bit 'meh'. Disappointing.
aliceyy's review against another edition
4.0
*actual rating is 3.5, rounded to 4*
I expected this book to be a mystery that is very plot based and excites the reader with fast unexpected twists and whatnot, but the first half of the book is slow, though detailed, in describing the characters thoroughly. Well personally for me it was slow but still bearable, some stories were more interesting than others.
So for half of the book nothing much happened, you don't get to know about 'the event that changed all of their lives' till later, so you'll have to be patient with this one. Nothing much happened but the story went backwards, so you get a really good idea of the protagonist, and many secondary characters as well, which I quite liked because often they're not as showcased as in this book.
From the half way point the story picks up, so the rest of it is an easy read, and the previous character bits really stood out in a good way, since it made me understand their later decisions, from understanding their character. The only thing that bothered me a bit (why it's not a five star), is the fact that sometimes there seems to be unnecessary, self reflection kind of moments. I don't remember how often this happened, it didn't get to the point where it's annoying but since I did notice it probably happened quite a few times too. I feel like sometimes they're obvious, and I can already imagine how the protagonist feels, yet he still has to tell me.
Overall, solid read, happy with the book, especially into the characters but the plot pulled it down a bit.
Note: I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
I expected this book to be a mystery that is very plot based and excites the reader with fast unexpected twists and whatnot, but the first half of the book is slow, though detailed, in describing the characters thoroughly. Well personally for me it was slow but still bearable, some stories were more interesting than others.
So for half of the book nothing much happened, you don't get to know about 'the event that changed all of their lives' till later, so you'll have to be patient with this one. Nothing much happened but the story went backwards, so you get a really good idea of the protagonist, and many secondary characters as well, which I quite liked because often they're not as showcased as in this book.
From the half way point the story picks up, so the rest of it is an easy read, and the previous character bits really stood out in a good way, since it made me understand their later decisions, from understanding their character. The only thing that bothered me a bit (why it's not a five star), is the fact that sometimes there seems to be unnecessary, self reflection kind of moments. I don't remember how often this happened, it didn't get to the point where it's annoying but since I did notice it probably happened quite a few times too. I feel like sometimes they're obvious, and I can already imagine how the protagonist feels, yet he still has to tell me.
Overall, solid read, happy with the book, especially into the characters but the plot pulled it down a bit.
Note: I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written, this is as elegant a study of grief as you'll find.
Small actions and their consequences form the structure of this novel. It takes half the book to reach the main turning point of the story, as we are drip fed details of a few minutes in one day of the lives of the characters. Past actions have repercussions that vibrate through to the present.
Loved it.
Small actions and their consequences form the structure of this novel. It takes half the book to reach the main turning point of the story, as we are drip fed details of a few minutes in one day of the lives of the characters. Past actions have repercussions that vibrate through to the present.
Loved it.
happyglowlucky's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! This book left my heart pounding. It is expertly crafted, with totally real characters. It's dark, wonderful, and un-put-down-able. The book (in my opinion) explores the darker sides of things, but it does it in an intelligent way; it's the kind of book that gets you thinking about all kinds of things: redemption, secrets, grief, love, and the global culture we live in today. One of the really wonderful things about this book is that it is able to combine the genres of thriller and fiction, so that you get the best of both world. Totally recommended!
tashfox's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lozellwood_'s review against another edition
1.0
This book was so painfully slow and even when the plot finally hit its climax, the result wasn’t fulfilling. The characters (although in-depth) weren’t likeable and it was hard to stick to their stories and sympathise with them. I pushed myself through the book as I cannot simply leave a book half read, but it was not worth it in the long run.