A review by didireadthat
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

I’m left feeling a little baffled and I know I’m going to be thinking of this story for a while. I already know I should reread it again in the future because I know I didn’t get everything in the first read. 

This was a really fast read and very interesting. I loved the writing, it was descriptive but not to the point that the plot was lost in the narrative. 

The basic story of the eldest child finding her widowed mother is deep in an abusive relationship and will do anything to protect their younger siblings was a sturdy backdrop for the magical realism in the story. Knowing how the plot would most likely develop made it easier for me to accept the crane in this story and not get so distracted by the impracticality of it and I could really enjoy the fable aspect. 

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