A review by dowleyrachel
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

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

3.25

artistic, weighty, transporting. This is a book I read to try to get outside my standard genres and the types of books I read. The story was fairly predictable, but to me it seemed like the point was less to be gripping that to share a story that may resonate with a lot of folks who have experience domestic abuse. The sorrow of watching someone you love wither away in a bad situation, the need to be an adult too quickly, and needing to block people out. I wish the main character sounded more like a kid or that we got to witness her life as an adult more. It didn’t need to be a happy ending, per say, but the story could have progressed or evolved more.  
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