When The Cranes Fly South

When the cranes fly south is a beautiful story told from the perspective of an elderly gentlemen called Bo. Bo lives alone with his dog Sixten, since his wife was taken in to a home due to dementia. The story revolves around Bo reliving the journey that his life has taken, covering his childhood, the life with his wife and best friend, right up to the more recent times with his son and granddaughter. The book is mostly written as if Bo is speaking to his wife with the occasional note left by his carers in a journal that give glimpses of Bo’s failing physical and mental health.

This is such a poignant and sweet depiction of a mans struggle with dealing with the impending end of his life and with the words unspoken and people lost along the way. It shows a once strong and proud man having to succumb to his age and a body that no longer has the strength it once did.

Sixten the dog is a key character and the love between Bo and his faithful companion leaves a lump in the throat. I haven’t shed a tear at the end of book for a very long time, and this book ended that run. I thoroughly enjoyed it.