Gentle story of friendship and loss
Tin ManI remember Sarah Winman from 'When God was a Rabbit' This is another clever, tight and touching story about friendship. It starts with a 50's housewife, Dora, winning a raffle and defying her domineering husband, who wants her to choose the whiskey prize, by choosing an amateur copy of van Gogh's sunflowers instead. Dora encourages her son Ellis' artistic talent, and that of his good friend Michael who has arrived to live with his gran after losing his mum and is a writer. She teaches the boys that 'Men and boys are capable of beautiful things'. Through times of great loss and grief the friendships endure and ultimately help Ellis to find his heart again like the Tin Man in wizard of Oz. This was an engaging and heart-warming read.