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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…
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…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence
pagesofkenzie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Violence, and Physical abuse
mary_soon_lee's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"The Crane Husband" is one of this year's crop of Nebula-nominated novellas. Is it good? Yes. Did I enjoy it? No.
It's a beautifully-written but desolate story at the intersection of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The tale is a reworking of a Japanese folk story, this version set in a near-future where farming can be entirely automated and corporate, but there are also magical creatures. The story is narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who is in jeopardy and trying to safeguard her six-year-old brother. There's violence and harm, both physical and mental. The plot turns on abusive relationships and attempts to escape. The bleakness of the story's main events is rendered even sharper in contrast to the girl's memories of her tender father. The story speaks also of art, but the art of the story is a very harsh mistress.
It's haunting. I liked the writing very much. I was on edge and distressed as I read: I don't do well with sustained jeopardy to children.
Call it four out of five distraught stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
It's a beautifully-written but desolate story at the intersection of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The tale is a reworking of a Japanese folk story, this version set in a near-future where farming can be entirely automated and corporate, but there are also magical creatures. The story is narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who is in jeopardy and trying to safeguard her six-year-old brother. There's violence and harm, both physical and mental. The plot turns on abusive relationships and attempts to escape. The bleakness of the story's main events is rendered even sharper in contrast to the girl's memories of her tender father. The story speaks also of art, but the art of the story is a very harsh mistress.
It's haunting. I liked the writing very much. I was on edge and distressed as I read: I don't do well with sustained jeopardy to children.
Call it four out of five distraught stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Violence, and Domestic abuse
kaiyakaiyo's review
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
brutal yet beautiful book! I expected to like it based on how much I loved When Women Were Dragons, and did! Barnhill’s prose is so … something! emotive, throbbing, evocative. I felt so dearly for our main character, and felt so acutely the struggle of her family over generations.
this book was deeply sad and is not very hopeful, but it is powerful and does not devolve into hopelessness or despair for despairs sake. it just is, you feel and sit in those feelings.
idk much like most of my 5-stars, I can’t really articulate exactly what I liked. Just know that I liked it immensely
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Blood, Gun violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Animal death
Minor: Terminal illness and Alcoholism
farireadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Beautifully written and poignant retelling of the Crane Wife mythology. A short but effective story, that touches on domestic violence and the effects it can have on a family through the eyes of a unnamed teenager who, through circumstances outside of her control, has been forced to grow up young and take on the burden of protecting her family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Violence and Toxic relationship
zoelowe's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was recommended to me by a friend because he really enjoyed it. I sat down to read it today and I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up. The imagery throughout transported me to another world. The display of emotions from every character is mesmerizing. The layers of this story unfold so beautifully that it made it hard to think about anything else. I didn’t realize it was a retelling of a Japanese Folk Tale until after I finished and that just made me love it even more once I realized what it was all based on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
jessicafee86's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexism
booksthoughtsandtea's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book shows the lengths older siblings will go to protect younger siblings, that love isn't enough to live on, the power of selfishness and selflessness, and the burden of grief. I wish this book had a more satisfying ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cancer, Murder, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
annaavian's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.0
In "The Crane Husband," Kelly Barnhill reimagines the traditional Japanese folktale "The Crane Wife" for a modern Western audience through a devastating dark fantasy that explores domestic violence, cycles of abuse, fear of abandonment, and the exploitation of women. While staying true to the core theme of the original folklore - the mistreatment of women by men - Barnhill introduces additional layers of complexity and insight. However, the protagonist does not alter the story's ending from tragic to uplifting. Despite the crane's demise, nothing is truly salvaged.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Violence
lcg527's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Domestic abuse