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sara_mackey's review
5.0
This little book knocked my socks off. It was an amazing, troubling, weird, engrossing read. A great surprise.
beth21's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sumayyaha's review
2.0
Honestly, what was this book?
Magical realism, yes, but what was it? It's not that I didn't pick up on the metaphors or understand the allegory but it was just very lacking. I thought "It can't be this straightforward right?" But it was. I have to say that I also missed Kelly Barnhill's prose in this book. I was introduced to it in her previous novels but this small one lacked it. Also, a few of the word choices made me wince hearing how very Gen Z it sounded (coming from someone of that generation). I know the girl was young but since it was placed in the future... I don't know I feel like I could've done without it.
Magical realism, yes, but what was it? It's not that I didn't pick up on the metaphors or understand the allegory but it was just very lacking. I thought "It can't be this straightforward right?" But it was. I have to say that I also missed Kelly Barnhill's prose in this book. I was introduced to it in her previous novels but this small one lacked it. Also, a few of the word choices made me wince hearing how very Gen Z it sounded (coming from someone of that generation). I know the girl was young but since it was placed in the future... I don't know I feel like I could've done without it.
cgsmks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sheisnovel's review
5.0
So much packed in a short read! A story about mothers and daughters, beautifully written.
jordanian_reads_'s review
5.0
I could not put down this gorgeous, unsettling novella. The Crane Husband combines magical realism and a touch of dystopia in a very loose retelling of the folktale “The Crane Wife.” Kelly Barnhill’s novella is narrated by a 15 year old girl, who is older than her years after taking care of her young brother and artist mother following the death of her father. She is used to men coming through their house, but one day her mother brings home a crane, who unlike previous boyfriends, is there to stay.
The storytelling is extremely dark and compelling, but for me the setting is the true star. Barnhill set this book in a Midwest farm town and somehow created a place that feels slightly futuristic and yet absolutely timeless. It’s the perfect setting for a grim fairytale about art, family, abuse and freedom.
BRB, I gotta go read Barnhill’s When Women Were Dragons.
Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on February 28, 2023.
The storytelling is extremely dark and compelling, but for me the setting is the true star. Barnhill set this book in a Midwest farm town and somehow created a place that feels slightly futuristic and yet absolutely timeless. It’s the perfect setting for a grim fairytale about art, family, abuse and freedom.
BRB, I gotta go read Barnhill’s When Women Were Dragons.
Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on February 28, 2023.
marisatn's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Such a strange, quick read. I love Kelly Barnhill.
cardboard_triptych's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5