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lambsears's review
4.0
Goodness, this book packs a punch.
A powerfully written novel of grief, guilt, redemption, story-telling and truth with a tiny wee hint of a twist in the tail. (If you've read the book, go back and note the dedication.)
I don't know why I haven't heard about this author before as he is a masterful storyteller and writer. I must hunt down some more of his work - once I'm recovered from this one, of course.
A powerfully written novel of grief, guilt, redemption, story-telling and truth with a tiny wee hint of a twist in the tail. (If you've read the book, go back and note the dedication.)
I don't know why I haven't heard about this author before as he is a masterful storyteller and writer. I must hunt down some more of his work - once I'm recovered from this one, of course.
vegantrav's review
4.0
preliminary note: If it's not too late, do not read any of the summaries of this book here at Goodreads or at any other website, and do not even read the summary on the inside dust jacket before you read I Saw a Man. A very important spoiler (not a spoiler for the whole novel, but the key plot point that occurs more than half way through) will be given away if you do.
I Saw a Man is a psychological thriller, but one that focuses more upon the characters than upon the plot. As previously mentioned, the key development in the story does not occur until over half way through the novel, so readers must be patient with the story.
But this patience will be well rewarded. I was stunned when I finally got to the central event of the story. It left me overwhelmed and flabbergasted--breathless and near tears. The working out of the plot thereafter is masterfully done, and on the very final page, there is yet one more interesting development.
I Saw a Man will not be for everyone. Some will find it too slow, but I did not. It is a thinking person's thriller; it is a sensitive person's thriller; it is a thriller for those fascinated by human psychology. And, at just 257 pages, it is a very quick read.
I Saw a Man is a novel that will move you emotionally and that will make you think. You will put yourself in the place of the main players and wonder if you would have acted similarly. It will also generate lively discussions with your fellow bibliophiles as you discuss the actions taken by the main characters.
I am grateful to the Books on the Nightstand podcast for recommending this fascinating, thought-provoking novel.
I Saw a Man is a psychological thriller, but one that focuses more upon the characters than upon the plot. As previously mentioned, the key development in the story does not occur until over half way through the novel, so readers must be patient with the story.
But this patience will be well rewarded. I was stunned when I finally got to the central event of the story. It left me overwhelmed and flabbergasted--breathless and near tears. The working out of the plot thereafter is masterfully done, and on the very final page, there is yet one more interesting development
Spoiler
when you read the last page, you will immediately flip back to the last place you would have thought: the dedicationI Saw a Man will not be for everyone. Some will find it too slow, but I did not. It is a thinking person's thriller; it is a sensitive person's thriller; it is a thriller for those fascinated by human psychology. And, at just 257 pages, it is a very quick read.
I Saw a Man is a novel that will move you emotionally and that will make you think. You will put yourself in the place of the main players and wonder if you would have acted similarly. It will also generate lively discussions with your fellow bibliophiles as you discuss the actions taken by the main characters.
I am grateful to the Books on the Nightstand podcast for recommending this fascinating, thought-provoking novel.
justelw's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
tombennett72's review against another edition
2.0
This was enjoyable in a way. I'm glad I persevered - 50 pages in I was getting quite cross with the clumsy use of language and what felt like deeply pretentious writing.
But it does improve as it goes on; there are some extremely good sections. If you're looking for a quick, reasonably clever read then this is fine.
But fundamentally the book doesn't hang together all that well. The narrative isn't great, the characters are outlines at best, and the clever story isn't quite clever enough. Unusually for me, I dumped my copy at the hotel I was staying in when I finished it.
But it does improve as it goes on; there are some extremely good sections. If you're looking for a quick, reasonably clever read then this is fine.
But fundamentally the book doesn't hang together all that well. The narrative isn't great, the characters are outlines at best, and the clever story isn't quite clever enough. Unusually for me, I dumped my copy at the hotel I was staying in when I finished it.
merel85's review
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
nastja111's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It was beautifully written but my expectations from the description of the book weren’t met. A “thriller” should have an exciting plot at least. This was rather boring, definitely not a page turner and I only finished It (after putting it aside for multiple months) because I was hoping there’d be a twist, a turn or anything exciting coming. There wasn’t. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a book for me.
temberhop's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
mindfulmagpie's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
klwpvfc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
alexibarra's review
3.0
The first third of this book made me think I had a 4-5 stars in my hands. The poetic quietness of the prose and the courage with which the author addresses topics such as modern warfare, grief and guilt sadly starts to dilute around page 100, as the book transmutes into something more like a cheesy thriller to the point that the ending feels rushed and completely out of sync with the pace and the voice of the first chapters. The plot twist isn't enough to save the 'cheating' one has been experiencing by the final pages.