A gentle, reflective story told in the voice of 89 year old Bo who is gradually failing, living on his own with his dog Sixten. Bo has always lived in rural Sweden in this same house that he inherited from his parents. His beloved wife, Fredrika is in a care home with dementia and no longer knows him. Carers are in several times a day and his son Hans is a frequent visitor. Hans is insistent the dog is too much for Bo and needs a more active life. Bo's stubbornness won't let him acknowledge the truth in this, he acts as if Hans is attacking him. He spends his time in his head, reliving childhood incidents with his very harsh father and happy moments with his wife and son. He still manages regular calls to best friend Ture but both are failing fast. A beautiful story, giving dignity and a voice to an elderly gentleman at the end of his life. #netgalley #whenthecranesflysouth

This is a simple story about an old man, his memories and his dog. It’s a quiet and unassuming book but it has huge heart and encompasses so much about life.

It’s beautifully written and demands that you take your time to digest and reflect on the words. It contains so many profound quotes; it’s an annotator’s dream. I loved the format. Bo’s narrative is broken up with notes from his care team, which add a different perspective to the story and show what a difference care givers can make to a person’s life.

Bo spends a lot of time looking back at the relationships from his past and considering those in the present day. Although he had a difficult and complex relationship with his father; Bo had a happy marriage and experienced a close and special friendship with Ture. Whilst his relationship with his son Hans was at times strained and frustrating, it was clear both his son and his granddaughter cared deeply for him.

Bo’s relationship with his dog Sixten really encapsulates the companionship and comfort that animals can bring to our lives and it will definitely tug at the heart strings of pet lovers.

It’s a wonderful story which brilliantly portrays the vulnerabilities and frustrations experienced with age. It’s an emotional read and one that will make you stop and consider the relationships in your own life and how your later years may look.

Beautiful, sad, warm, emotional, gripping - many compliments to describe just how lovely a read this book is.

This is a story of old age with its physical, mental and emotional challenges. Bo is an elderly Swedish widow, living with his beloved dog Sixten, his faithful friend. He's visited four times a day by various carers - some of whom he clearly loves, many of whom he can't abide. At other times, he's on the phone to his long time friend Ture, and at other times his son pops by - delivering toilet rolls, and cream cakes which Bo doesn't care for.

Everything starts to change when his son suggests that Sixten would benefit from family life. Suddenly Bo's life is falling away from him, and his fragilities become more and more obvious.

Beautifully written, with characters I really cared about, and a sad if heart warming story. Highly recommended.

When the Cranes Fly South is a book that touches your heart and soul and as I turned the last page there was a tear rolling down my face.

Bo is an elderly man living alone with his beloved dog Sixten. His wife Fredrika is in a care home. His best friend is sick and far away. And he has a frustrating relationship with his only son, Hans. This frustration reaches breaking point when Hans wants to take Sixten away from Bo.

As Bo is reaching the end of his days, he sleeps and dreams of the past. We learn of his difficult relationship with his cruel father. We learn of happy times with best friend Ture, and his marriage to Fredrika, though in this story the focus is on male relationships.

Bo has a team of carers, and the care notes are an effective literary device for allowing us to observe Bo's days from an outsider's perspective. From Bo himself we learn his deepest inner thoughts, the ones he can no longer express. Or the ones he doesn't know how to.

This book is written so beautifully and with such emotion. I think it's too often forgotten that the elders in our society have feelings and needs that go beyond the basic care that can be provided by paid carers. Ageing involves a loss of dignity and agency, and Hans most definitely finds Bo's stubbornness frustrating. But being stubborn is the only control Bo has left.

As the book draws to a close, the final scenes are moving and deeply sad, but also perfectly crafted. The sense of resolution and acceptance make Bo's transition peaceful and I believe he passed without regret and surrounded by love.

Oh goodness what did I just read. What a wonderful emotional and moving read this is. Set in rural Sweden this is Bo’s story as he sees out his final days. Told by Bo he tells us about his life as he ‘talks’ to Frederika, his wife, who has advanced dementia and is in a nursing home, and the caregivers notes about Bo and what they have done during their visit.

Briefly, Bo’s life revolves around his elderly elkhound Sixten, visits from his son Hans, telephone chats with friend Ture and caregivers who visit four times a day. But as he is getting more and more fragile his son wants to rehome his dog, his only real companion and friend. His reminiscing revolves around his life, parents, wife, son and friends and his dogs which were always allowed in the house. He rues his lack of closeness to his son and tries to remedy it before he dies.

This sounds like it is going to be a bit of a sad, even gloomy, read it’s certainly sad but definitely not gloomy. It is heartbreaking at times but Bo’s memories are so real and poignant they made me shiver. My mother lived with dementia and had to go into a home and my Dad struggled. He missed her every day and I often saw him “talking” to her, so this brought up all sorts of emotions in me. The last parts of the book hit me hard, heartbreaking but wonderfully beautiful and heartwarming. I have no more words!

'...I feel an ache in my chest. A sudden urge to talk to you'.

Bo now lives on his own in rural Sweden, with his Elkhound Sixten, visited by a range of caregivers to help him cling to his independence since his wife, Frederika, was sent to a nursing home with dementia. Bo is getting too old though to live like this, but Bo is also very proud and stubborn and when his son Hans's threatens to take his sole campion, Sixten, away too, anger threatens to boil over. But even this too becomes tiring. As Bo sleeps more, his dreams are of visceral memories: as a son, as a husband, as a father, and as a friend. All of this is addressed to his no longer present wife, 'Because of the void you left behind Frederika, I've started thinking about things I never paid much attention to'. Memories of his hard-working life are broken up by the very real notes left by his carers in their log. Slowly we mark his journey from Spring through to Autumn, 'Before they fly south again, I promise myself, I'll have left this place'.

My heart was flayed open and I was utterly destroyed by the end of this book. The last quarter was read with blurred vision. My dog became concerned with the number of times I sobbed. How can something so sorrowful, so heartbreaking, be so beautiful? It's a story of humanity, a story of love, and a story of gratitude. I would recommend this book to anyone.

'...I should have listened more. That I know now'.

When I recovered from my tears at the end of this book, I googled Lisa Ridzén to see how old she was. Surprisingly, she is quite young to have written such a powerful book on the frustration and vulnerability of old age.

Bo is elderly and lives alone with his elkhound Sixten in rural Sweden. Without the help of constant carer visits, he would not be able to maintain his independence. He is frustrated by his failing body and spends much time on his daybed reflecting on his childhood, his wife and son, things he used to be able to do but now cannot. He is reflective and generally neutral on his situation until his son raises the issue of rehoming Sixten. This is the last straw for Bo and sends the story down the path of sad inevitability.

To say this story is touching is an understatement. The reader fully empathises with Bo and wants to find a safe way for him and Sixten to stay together at home. The troubles Bo has with his son mirror, very much, that of Bo's troubled relationship with his own bully of a father. Or so Bo thinks.

This book is wholly authentic in its portrayal of old age. The day-to-day difficulties Bo faces, the thoughts he thinks and the way he feels within his skin creates such empathy in the heart of the reader. It has instilled in me a new understanding of the elderly, their needs, and a mindful approach, on my part, of patience and care. In today's busy society we have moved away from honouring our oldest familial generation, making time for them and their needs, and need to be more caring and considerate like Ingrid, one of Bo's carers.

This is a beautiful novel. One that will break and mend your heart in one fell swoop. Such a treasure, honestly.

The narrative centres on Bo, an 89-year-old man living alone in a village in rural northern Sweden as he struggles with his increasingly failing body and the lack of control he now has in his life, from simple things like whether he takes a shower or not to more complex issues like whether he is still capable of looking after his much-loved dog, his constant companion and solace. He spends much of his day now lying in bed, sharing with the reader his reflections on his life, on the joys and sorrows and the mistakes he has made, especially in respect to his son Hans with whom he has a complicated relationship, although one based on love, a love he finds it difficult to express. He is visited often by a team of carers, all of whom are well-meaning and kind, but as his independence is eroded, and his health deteriorates, there’s little joy left. With themes of ageing, autonomy, dependence, fatherhood and communication, it’s a compelling and poignant, indeed heart-rending, story, tender, sad and told with deep empathy and insight, an emotional read that lingers long after the perfectly executed final pages.

I found this book very hard to read in as much that I gave up reading it mainly it is not really my style of book. Thank you for allowing me to have the opportunity of reading it. The several chapters I read were very well written.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. It is a beautiful story set in Sweden. Bo, is an old man who is in his final months. His wife us in a care home with dementia and no longer recognises him or their son, Hans. Daily carers visit Bo everyday and Hans is also a frequent visitor. Bo, tells some of his story through his memories of growing up, meeting his wife, having their son and his friend Ture etc. The story is both nostralgic, sad and happy. A real emotional read.

Another beautiful book from Sweden. I was told that fans of A Man call Ove would like this and they were right.
Bo is reaching the end of his life and mainly sleeps. He is visited by his care workers and his son, Hans. His wife has since departed to a care home as she has severe dementia and no longer recognises him. They both need a lot of care and the decision was made. Now Hans is telling him that his beloved dog and companion, Sixten will be better off in a family home as he needs lots of exercise which Bo cannot give him. Bo feels like everyone is telling him what to do.
While he asleep he dreams of various things, his stern father, his docile mother, his wife and their early years together, Hans when he was little. His friendship with Ture, a colleague of his, whose friendship has endured.
The book sees Bo slowly decline and various things happen to those around him.
A lovely book which will leave you with a tear in your eye.

What a wonderful book that made me cry at so many places. The story is all about BO who is 80 and at the start is almost housebound and goes through with him to the end his life. He has lost his wife to the dreaded dementia and she is in a care home but as she does not recognise him anymore he does not want to go in to see her as it is so upsetting for him. I love the flashbacks to his growing up with his parents and the life with his wife and son and his continual comparison of both. Did I like Hans, Bo's son, yes and no as he is depicted as both caring and realistic with no indepth thoughts of his dad. The whole story is an emotional ride that really tugged at my heart. Any reader who has bee involved with aged family members or any with dementia will relate to this beautifully told story. The perspective given all along of how the carers relate to him, how he changes from removing his nappy to knowing that he needs it but above all the dignity expressed throughout of how the person facing the end of life feels and eventually copes with new understandings and hopes for the ever after.
Lisa has captured agism so well and expressed it in a way that any readers can feel for Bo and any friends or relatives that they have faced with the same situations. A book to be shared with others and one that will stay with me for many many years as I myself age and need to look after my mother. I now understand more about both sides of the process.

This is a novel about old age - not the period after retirement, but the very last years and months of life, when - no matter how you turn it - for most people there is little left to enjoy. The body and mind start to fail, friends and family fall away and the world becomes really small.

The book is told from the perspective of 89 year old Bo. It's not easy for him - all he has left is his dog, one good friend and his son and granddaughter that try to visit often, but seem to have become overly concerned for him.

Bo can't really take care of the dog anymore, so he risks this last bit of joy being taken away from him. He has also never been able to talk with his son. And the world around him is changing too rapidly to keep up...

It makes Bo a grumpy old man at times, but also a very realistic and confronting portrait of an ending life.

This book is a soft ache wrapped in warmth 💔✨.
It's about aging gracefully, quiet love, and those unspoken moments that leave a mark 💬🕰️. Sixten the dog 🐾 completely stole my heart… and Bo?
He shattered it and pieced it back together with the most fragile tenderness 🧩.

As I turned each page 📖, I felt this story settle deep in my chest. I cried when Bo’s son came for Sixten 🥺, felt every head scratch 🐶, every moment of stillness shared between a man and
his loyal companion. Bo...an elderly man with a soul full of memories 🧠🧡...just wants to hold on to his dog and repair what's broken with his son 🧒.
And when that bond is threatened, it wakes something powerful inside him.
This isn’t just a story about old age...
It’s about life 🌅, forgiveness 🤝, dignity 👴,
and the quiet power of love ❤️.
I don’t usually cry at the end of books… but this one? I bawled like a baby 😭.

When the Cranes Fly South is heartachingly beautiful. Set in a rural area of Sweden, the story revolves around eighty-nine year old Bo. His wife no longer lives at home and is at a nursing home due to dementia. His own body and mind are gradually failing him. He is looked after by carers and his only companion is his dog Sixten.

It is due to Bo's frailty that Bo's son Hans has to take Sixten away. It is this profound loss of companionship that broke my heart into pieces. There is more heartache to come and the book eventually left me hollow.

The narrative encapsulates Bo's innermost thoughts; his loss of dignity when being cared for, childhood trauma, the scent of his wife's scarf that he cherishes and other general reflections on his life.

When the Cranes Fly South is one of those books that will resonate with the reader and will no doubt leave a lasting impact.

A gentle story that is about the love between a dying father and his son. Bo's wife is in a care home lost to dimentia. He lives alone with his beloved dog Sixten in the countryside. He receives several carer visits each day whose short reports are recorded. Bo reminisces about his harsh relationship with his father and worries about how good a father he has been to his owns son Hans. Hans visits often and is at odds with his father about the care of the dog. An enjoyable read..

This is a story about 89 years old Bo who is nearing the end of his life and is being supported and cared for by carers and his son. His wife has been moved to a care home as she has dementia.

I found this book so profoundly moving and it made me sob!
It's about relationships, pets, regrets, love, children, marriage and so much more

"I don’t want to leave anything unsaid. That I don’t want it to be like it was with my old man. For some strange reason, I’m not angry any more"

Beautiful. Moving look at home care and an independent old man looking back on his life.

In some ways Bo is ready to die - he's losing control of his bladder. He can't wash up any more. His much-loved wife is is a care home with dementia, leaving him with a scarf that smells of her in a jar.

But he also has some fight left in him. To keep his dog, that his son Hans thinks should go to a family who can walk him.

Mixing past and present, Bo shows us the love, the work, the friendship that has made up his life. How his early life affected him, how his deep love for Fredrika and work friend Ture helped him as an adult, the joy of parenthood, and the sadness of seeing himself and his family age.

It's a book where tears prick your eyes regularly. Thinking of yourself ageing. Your parents. Your children. It's relevant to us all.

I really liked the inclusion of the carers' notes on Bo's daily food, mood and activities - apparently the inspiration for the book. Bringing the clinical side of things next to the personal story.

I also really liked Bo. He's all of us in our future, in one form or another. Left with memories and a broken-down body. Facing death and his last days.

So nice to see his home carers portrayed with dignity and love as well - their busy work lives still mean they have hearts and do what they can for patients and their families.

Really quite beautifully written.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

When The Cranes Fly South is an outstanding and beautifully touching account of the end of life, told from the perspective of the person who is experiencing it. An incredible book not least for the very poignant and emotive writing style but also for the very human and very down to earth characters. To add to the emotion even more, a dog is central to the storyline – and the importance of human connection with animals. It’s a bittersweet story but one that will stay in the hearts of readers for a very long time, probably forever.

I defy anyone not to be moved to tears when they read this magical book. I blubbered more than once - it is a paean to the author’s ability to make you walk in the characters’ shoes, to the vital role carers play, to the abyss of undeclared love. It acts as a crystal ball to the future of everyone of us, especially the loss of independence, however necessary. The descriptions of how men were (and are) imprisoned by social norms and their elderly regret is heartbreaking, as is the loss of a partner to dementia, that cruel disease that takes a mother from her children and husband and friends.
But it is not a depressing read – happiness and joy shine through. Friendship is shared and the kindness and humanity of carers so well captured. But have tissues handy.