Reviews

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

anaccfarinha's review against another edition

5.0

4.5

misscassylee's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked this. The writing was very good. The story was sad and set in an interesting future world. Drones, social workers wearing glasses with recording functions… but also sheep, shearing of wool, and practical farm girls. But also the overarching questions of domesticity, family, loyalty, and the nature of art. Also the connection between a woman and her daughter really resonated at the end for me. The imagery is as stark as the content. 

A woman is a bird, a bird is a woman, a woman is a crane with stunning white feathers and an inky black eye. A woman is a bird is a woman is a bird and so on and so forth until what is even real…

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

sschmalz's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

marylopez's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

itsemmaofc's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

strategineer's review

4.0

A short magical realism novel about a girl, her mother and her step father who's a human size crane, the bird that is.

Hijinks ensue.

chaser24's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

3.0

atamiinblue's review

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

allisonwise94's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

un4tunatalie's review

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5