What readers think of When the Cranes Fly South, plus links to write your own review.

2025
“At dinner one day, I snapped and asked what the hell the point of life was if I was too old for a dog.” Truly. I hate to think of the day I’m no longer capable of having a dog.
Bo is 89, is still living at home but with the help of caregivers. His wife has Alzheimer’s and has already been moved out of the house. Now his son wants to rehome his dog. Bo’s thoughts, which are basically a monologue to his wife, are a look back at his life - his domineering father, his loving marriage, his best friend and his fraught relationship with his son. These thoughts are interspersed with the log from his caregivers which provide a realistic look at his current life. Ridzen has done a wonderful job of fleshing out Bo, including his own beginning stages of dementia and his failing physical body. He realizes time is running out and there are things he wants to say.

This story just grabbed my heartstrings. It hit home, as I’m dealing with an elderly mother. I can see her world shrinking. And it’s definitely a balancing act between trying to allow her to make her own decisions and keeping her safe. I’ve even had the same discussion over the hospital bed but haven’t gone so far as to make the swap. I appreciated that other than the log, the story is solely from Bo’s point of view. It was easy to understand Hans’s motives, but Ridzen keeps us tightly focused on Bo and his desires. It’s not an easy book to read and it becomes more emotional as it goes on. Keep the Kleenex handy for the ending.

My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.

Bo is 89 years old and in failing health. But his long life has given him much to reflect on: his marriage to his beloved wife, his deep attachment to his dog, his relationships both with his son and also his own father as well as his best friend. As the days pass, as we spend time inside Bo's memories of the past and follow his daily activities in the present, we come to care for him and the life he has lived, imperfect as it may have been. I'm not an old man, I'm not Swedish, I'm not incontinent, I was never beaten by my father, but I nonetheless formed an intense bond with Bo that left me in tears at the end. This is a book that makes you think about what needs to be said, why we need to tell those close to us that we love them, and why it's important not to have regrets.

Thank you to BookBrowse, Vintage Books and Penguin Random House for this Advanced Reader Copy of When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén. This book was translated from Swedish and unsurprisingly, is the winner of the Swedish Book of the Year Award.

I enjoyed everything about this book. The writing is beautiful; and I completely agree with a review that describes it as a "feel-good tear-jerker". It is a glimpse into the life of a grumpy old man named Bo, as he approaches the end of his life. He reflects on all the people who have shaped his life for better and for worse. It is the story of a man and the unending love he has for his dog Sixten; the relationships he has with his caregivers and also with best friend Ture who is in a similar place in life; the complicated relationships he had with his father and with his son; and the relationship he has lost with his wife who is in a memory care facility.

It is about love, reflection, regrets, and appreciation of life as it approaches it's end; I very much enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to others.

When the Cranes Fly South introduces you to an unforgettable character, Bo, and to his life's story, family, human and animal friends, both traumatic and treasured. I especially liked the writer's style that mixes Bo's current thoughts with his memories. I found it to be a very believable way of relating his cognitive decline while sharing his life's experiences and relationships in a thoughtful, candid way.

Any reader who has dealt with the challenging family decisions as a beloved friend or family member ages can relate to this story. Any reader who has had a beloved pet can relate. Any reader who loves a well developed character can relate. Any reader who as the executive editor of the book wrote appreciates a "feel good tear jerker" will be glad they found this book.

A great look at death and dying without being maudlin. Loved the format which started each chapter with notes about the "patient" by caregivers and family. Interesting insight into the thoughts and feelings of a dying old man and his interactions with them.

The writing is very good and the story line is a good one. For me, it was a little too mired in daily details that gave it a plodding, bleak feeling. I understand that this pace is to mirror what is happening in Bo's life. Possibly it just wasn't the right timing for me to read this particular book.

Inspired by notes that the author found from the caregivers of her grandfather. She incorporated that journal-type style into telling the story of a taciturn elderly man, facing the end of his life, his dog and his son.

I think the author was very realistic at expressing the thoughts that a person goes through at this time of life and the struggle of the son trying to do what he thought best for his father.

My advice to the son throughout was "Get a dog walker." You will understand as you read. It was a heartbreaking story, and be sure to have a box of tissues readily available. I would recommend this book to all who want to better understand the older parent/child issue.