A review by kari_f
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0



I love novellas, classic story retellings, and the dark whimsicality of Kelly Barnhill’s writing, so The Crane Husband was immediately put on my to-read list after it was announced! 

I’m constantly amazed by authors who can write multiple genres well; I have loved the atmospheric fantasy worlds Barnhill has created for children and wasn’t sure how that would translate to adult fantasy/magical realism. I shouldn’t have been surprised that I loved her debut adult novel, When Women Were Dragons, last year. 

While The Crane Husband is different in that it packs a lot into only about 100 pages, the writing style remains consistent in this next standalone adult story. There is magic in a world otherwise similar to ours. There is gritty sadness and a longing for something more. There are flawed characters who hurt others and characters who must be strong because they aren’t given any other choice.

Barnhill reimagines “The Crane Wife” in a heartbreaking and surreal way, blending horror and magical realism to put a new spin on this classic folktale. For a story so short, it has so much depth and symbolism. There are themes that include death, domestic abuse, parental duty and neglect, and how the system fails so many people in so many ways. 

I am glad to have read this and cannot wait for her next new work, whatever genre it may be!

Thanks so much to Tor/Forge for the advanced readers copy!


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