I have been excited about The Crane Husband since I heard of it, and it’s late February release date. I love fairy tales and I love modern literary fiction based upon, or taking from the brilliance of classic and timeless fairy tales. This book was for me and I could not wait to have it.
Holding it in my hands last night was like winning the lottery - the size is perfect, the cover art is gorgeous, the feel and weight are a book lover's fantasy. I am really into books that can be read in an hour or two, or if you are a busy person with work and kids, a day or two and The Crane Husband is a slim novel perfect for getting lost in.
Barnhill’s writing is exquisite. Her first sentence is everything a first sentence should be, as is her last sentence. We are transported, as Barnhill’s artistic crane loving mother in the book says good art should do - we are taken and transformed reading this gorgeous masterpiece of a book.
It is art. It is about art. And it serves its purpose well. The story of a teen girl and her little brother watching as their mother is caught up in love with a crane who consumes her in almost every way is a story that is surprisingly relatable - we have seen women with ‘those eyes’ - who cannot see what is actually happening to their minds, their bodies, their lives, all because they are head over heels in love with someone who is not healthy for them. We know this happens.
The fairy tale that this book is based on comes from Japan and I love how Barnhill turns it on its head and makes it about a husband, a man, and not a woman, a wife. But the end result is the same - there is the beauty of the crane, but there is also the tumultuous and painful relationship that is rooted in inequity and differences in power and control and in the art of weaving, creating, and how yes this is transformation but respect must be given - taking and taking from someone and calling it love will always lead to destruction, disaster, and in this case, a room full of feathers and loss.
I highly recommend this book. I plan on showcasing it on my bookshelf, telling friends about it, and of course, thankfully, reading every book Kelly Barnhill has ever written because this book is a beautiful gift for those of us who love reading, fairy tales, books, and who cherish the transformative power of beautiful art.
Kelly Barnhill
Tor Publishing Group, New York NY 2023