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A review by louinspace
Exactly What You Mean by Ben Hinshaw
3.0
3.5
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!
"Exactly what you mean" is Hinshaw's debut novel, and a very interesting one indeed.
At first, it may seem like a collection of short stories more than a novel, but the more you read, the more you detect how all these characters' stories come together and link through time, places and emotional common ground.
Hinshaw's writing is clear, precise and flows very well; it is placid and controlled, which contrasts and highlights very well the sense of loss and uncertainty the characters experience.
I especially appreciated the setting of these chapters/stories, particularly the island of Guernsey with its narrow society and broad view of the ocean, the perfect backdrop to the stories of the characters, torn between personal identity and social conventions.
I really enjoyed this read, even though at times it felt like some of the stories were too detached from the whole of the book, and in some instances it was a bit hard to keep track of how these characters were linked to each other and identify the point in time each story was set in and how they fit together as a whole.
All in all, "Exactly what you mean" is a solid and intelligent debut, with interesting themes and style elements that I'm sure the author will develop even further in the future.
I will definitely be happy to read more by him.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!
"Exactly what you mean" is Hinshaw's debut novel, and a very interesting one indeed.
At first, it may seem like a collection of short stories more than a novel, but the more you read, the more you detect how all these characters' stories come together and link through time, places and emotional common ground.
Hinshaw's writing is clear, precise and flows very well; it is placid and controlled, which contrasts and highlights very well the sense of loss and uncertainty the characters experience.
I especially appreciated the setting of these chapters/stories, particularly the island of Guernsey with its narrow society and broad view of the ocean, the perfect backdrop to the stories of the characters, torn between personal identity and social conventions.
I really enjoyed this read, even though at times it felt like some of the stories were too detached from the whole of the book, and in some instances it was a bit hard to keep track of how these characters were linked to each other and identify the point in time each story was set in and how they fit together as a whole.
All in all, "Exactly what you mean" is a solid and intelligent debut, with interesting themes and style elements that I'm sure the author will develop even further in the future.
I will definitely be happy to read more by him.