Cbr18bingo Season
This book hits hard right in the gut. If you have experience with a loved one who suffers from dementia and/or is near the end of life, much of what is here will be achingly familiar. Lisa Ridzen was inspired to write this novel after seeing her grandfather’s caretakers’ notes after his death. When the Cranes Fly South is set up as a series of such caretaker entries followed by the main character’s reflections on his life.
Main character Bo is an elderly man living in a remote town in Sweden. He lives in the house he grew up in, where he and his wife Fredrika raised their son Hans. Bo worked in the logging industry from the time he was a teenager, as his father had before him. He has had few close relationships in his life. Fredrika, who is now living in a dementia care facility, no longer recognizes Bo or their son. Bo and Hans have had a fraught relationship and frequently find themselves at loggerheads. Currently, the bone of contention has to do with Bo’s dog Sixten, whom Hans believes should be re-homed. Hans thinks the dog is too much work for Bo and that the dog needs a family that can provide a more active lifestyle for him. The thought of losing Sixten eats away at Bo, causing him stress and anxiety, anger and frustration. One of his caretakers, Ingrid, seems to understand how important Sixten is to Bo’s well being, and Bo’s old friend Ture, who is also now under constant caregiver supervision, is a sympathetic ear for their weekly phone calls. But Bo’s thoughts are with Fredrika, and his mental journal entries are all addressed to her.
Bo’s stream of consciousness roams from his childhood and his dysfunctional relationship with his father, to his independent streak that took him away from home to a new town and a new friend (Ture), to his burgeoning relationship with Fredrika and the early years of fatherhood. As an old man, he can now reflect on his mistakes, and he feels much regret along with a desire to try to mend the relationship with Hans. But he is also struggling with his anger, his loss of independence, and the loss of all that was dear to him.
This is a beautifully written novel, and as I read it, it did make me think about my own parents’ struggles with declining memory and loss of independence as they have aged. And I can certainly empathize (to a point) with Hans, as the child who now must care for aging parents. Hans has the extra burden of having to do this without sibling support, which is terribly stressful. As sad as it is, this is a lovely story and a reminder not to wait too long to mend fences and tell people you love them.
