When the Cranes Fly South
Ratings1
Average rating5
BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER (Sweden) • A profoundly moving debut novel that follows an elderly man’s struggle to maintain autonomy over his own life: an emotional story of love, friendship, fatherhood, and atonement that is already an international sensation. “A tender tale about aging, our own and others, and the quiet brutality of love. About what being a man is, and what being a human is, about fathers and sons and fathers and dogs. It’s a book for anyone who’s had to say goodbye.”—Fredrik Backman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove “A powerful, sneakily emotional meditation on life and death, and the foundational relationships in our lives. This is a book that will echo in your soul.” —Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he’s got left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound Sixten to keep him company … though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he’s expressed his love over the years.
Tags
Genre
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
I knew, as soon as I read the synopsis, that this book would put me through the wringer emotionally, but I requested an ARC anyway. I wasn't wrong folks. I read parts of this book through eyes that were blurry with tears. By the end of the book, I was bawling like a baby. 😪
When the Cranes Fly South is a far cry from the type of books I usually read. (If you follow my reviews you'll know what I mean.)
This is a story of growing old, losing your independence and slowly losing control of your own body. Having nothing but time on your hands to reflect on your past life, the things you did, and the things you wish you had done. It's a tale of love and loss, through dementia rather than death. And it's the tale of one man's love for his dog and the sense of loss he feels when his dog is taken away from him. 😔
On a personal level, this book made me realise just how important it is to let those around us know how we feel about them so that we have no regrets come end time. I'm glad I got the chance to do that with my father before he passed. 😔
This book won't be everyone's cup of tea. I'm a sucker for books with dogs in them, even when I know they're going to make me cry like this one did. For all my tears though, I still enjoyed this beautifully written book, which read like an inner monologue interspersed with notes from the old man's caregivers.
Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.