When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen
Translated from the Swedish by Alice Menzies
Fiction
2025
Finished on January 1, 2026
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
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 on taking the dog away, claiming 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.
Several of my friends have recommended When the Cranes Fly South, so I picked up a copy at Winter River Books in Bandon last September when we were down there for a little get-away. The author lives in Sweden and was inspired to write this debut after discovering notes about her grandfather's care toward the end of his life. I enjoyed this quiet story, and the translation is smooth and readable, but I wasn't moved to tears as others have expressed in their reviews. It's a touching tale, but it fell a little short of my expectations.
I've heard this book is quite sad, and I can't do "quite sad," right now, but I love the cover.
ReplyDeleteJane, it was a pretty good read and while it had some tender elements, I didn't feel overwhelmed with sadness. I may be an outlier, but I didn't cry.
DeleteHmmm. Not sure this one is for me though I did have a Norwegian Elkhound growing up :-)
ReplyDeleteHelen, my dad had a Norwegian Elkhound after he and my mom split up. It's name was Tryg (sp??).
DeleteI was concerned about the grandfather and especially the thought of taking his dog away. His companion. It's pretty far down on my holds list at the library s it will be a while before I can read it.
ReplyDeleteTina, yes that part of the book is sad, but I think I also understood the worry his son had about how his dad really couldn't take care of the dog anymore. At least not with long walks. It would have been nice if someone could have taken that burden, but allowed the dog to remain in the home. We live in a community with a lot of aging folks and there's one couple who can no longer walk their dog. Several neighbors have volunteered to walk the dog a few times a day, which is very kind.
DeleteI was glad to have read it ... even though it might not have been a huge home run. I could relate to it a bit. Some tough issues in it about caring for the elderly. I was sad about the dog but glad he visits at the end. I'm glad you liked it well enough.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I was glad to have read it, too. It just didn't wow me as much as I thought it might. Yes, there are some tough issues about elderly care that were well depicted. I liked the caregivers (most of them) in the story.
DeleteI thought this book was very well done, but just found it so sad that I've had a hard time recommending it to anyone.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I thought it was well done, too. Just not quite the stellar read that I thought it might be, though.
DeleteI think I will pass. I'm looking for the fantastic reads not those that are good but not amazing.
ReplyDeleteDeb, it's a good one, but not one I loved. I know what you mean about wanting fantastic reads right now.
DeleteThanks for the review! I accidentally picked what is apparently a super sad book for a January buddy read so I might have to leave this one for a bit at least, but it looks like one I'll keep on my "maybe" list!
ReplyDeleteKeira, yeah two sad books this month might be too much. Save it for the summer!
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