4.75 stars. This book is not for the faint of heart. Within the first two pages I knew this book was going to be a sad, heartfelt, emotional book. An 89-year old man nearing the end of his life narrates this book as if he is speaking to his wife who has Alzheimer's. They are no longer able to live together as his wife now resides in a care home. Whew. I didn't know if I wanted to read something that would make me feel so much. Reflections. Frustrations. Anger. This man feels every emotion as he begins slowing down and evaluating his relationship with his wife, his son, his granddaughter, his best friend and his most beloved dog, Sixten.

What a beautifully sad book about life - those we love, those we leave behind and the life that was well-lived. Read this book when you need a good ugly cry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Ridzen and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for allowing me to give my honest opinion in exchange for the ARC.

This novel was reviewed as an assignment for Library Journal. The review will be published by the journal.

Bo is an 89-year-old man who lives in his home with his elkhound Sixten. Bo has only months to live, but his faithful Sixten stays by his side while Bo reclines on his daybed, weak in his final days. Various caregivers stop in to help him prepare meals, and his son Hans purchases his food and supplies. There is tension between the Bo and his son which comes to a head in the book, but this is not a depressing book, quite the contrary. It is about caring for the elderly, maintaining dignity, struggling with an aging body and choices made within a family. Bo recalls his early days with his wife and son, and it fills him with good memories and peaceful thoughts. This is a deeply moving book which propels the reader to think of their own family and the relationships that mean the most to us.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor publishing for an advanced reading copy of this book.

So many feels! I was leaning to a 3 star for a good portion of the book, I was struggling with the pace, I didn’t understand the fixation on the dog, until I did and then I cried through the rest of the book!

This is a story of life, told through an elderly man on hospice. It is told through multiple timeframes from memories he has ongoing throughout the book. An internal struggle of overcoming our life experiences and wanting to do better than maybe how we grew up, but unable to get over ourselves to communicate our true feelings!

Uh and then he gets to the point of not being to care for his beloved dog, get the tissues for the remainder of the book!

May we all find grace with our aging family members!

Wow. This was the best story I've read in years. Brilliantly written and translated, this is a story about family, the reflection on life, relationships, and lasting love. Told from the perspective of an aging man in Sweden, Bo shares his thoughts, reflections, and experiences in during the last months of his life. Descriptions of place were excellent, it was like I was there also seeing his memories appear to him. While Bo may be fictional, the feelings experienced and expressed are so very real. The story Bo shares with us is a reflection on his life with his beloved wife (who lives in a separate care facility due to dementia, and can no longer remember him), reflections on his relationship with his son, Hans, and his connection and unending love for his most loyal companion, Sixten. Interspersed with short logbook entries by his (hospice) home carers, you see that Bo is well cared for in his last months, but sometimes the actions that seem to be taken out of sincere care and love, are viewed differently by Bo, who of course only wants to live out his last weeks and months under his own control. But as the weeks progress, Bo becomes more weak and his personal safety is questioned and the control he had in his life is coming to an end.
Having been through my own loss of a parent recently, and reading this story from the perspective of the sick parent approaching the end of his journey, it gave me a whole new perspective on end of life care and death, which I wish I would have had to draw upon at the time of my own loss.
I read previous reviews and knew that there would be tears at the end....and the tears were absolutely flowing. I don't think I've ever been this moved by a book before. I absolutely recommend this book and would give it more than 5 stars if possible.
Thank you for opportunity to read this advanced copy of the English translation of this heartwarming and profoundly moving book.

Thank you NetGalley! Bo Andersson is 89 year old and now lives alone with his elkhound, Sixten. His beloved wife, Fredrika, is in a care home suffering from Alzheimers. Visited by care givers multiple times a day, Bo reminisces about his life. His son, Hans, tries to bring comfort and ease to his father but neglects to understand that Bo’s feelings aren’t being considered. Ingrid, his favorite home helper, understands these issues better than most and tries to side with Bo. Things take a sharp turn when Hans is determined to rehome Sixten to alleviate his burden, not realizing that he is more than just a dog to him and resents turning his life upside down. A heartbreaking story of how as we age and children become the caretakers they sometimes forget that in minds of the aged, they still want some control over their remaining days. Beautifully told by Bo and interspersed with home helpers notes. An honest look into the dignity and hopes of the elderly. Tissues Required for this book! Highly recommend!

"When the Cranes Fly South" isn't particularly unique, yet, it feels sincere, and as you read along, you are rooting for our main character, Bo, and his dog, hoping they stay together until the end. Since the novel is told through Bo's voice, and he's often times addressing his wife, who lives elsewhere in a dementia ward, we get to learn more about Bo's childhood with a harsh father, his relationship with his own son, Hans, and get some idea about his wife. This novel shows readers how little some people can hang on to what they really want as they age because someone else makes your decisions. Ingrid, one of Bo's characters, was quite a good sport throughout this short novel. Bravo, Ingrid!

Ugh. My heart.

This was an excellent and heart wrenching slow burn about life and death. Essentially a long monologue of an ailing old man reflecting on his life and relationships, past and current conflicts. Definitely choked up at the end but absolutely worth the read.

I have not cried for a long time over a fiction story, but this book turned the waterworks on - especially the bond between Bo and his dog Sixten. Anyone who has lost a loved one will connect with this story and its characters. Emortional and poignant this story will stay with you. Kuddos Ridzen for a well written story and thanks for the ARC.

When the Cranes Fly South is a beautiful, poignant story about getting older and the loss of dignity and choice. Bo’s story and the decisions that his son, Hans, makes for him really resonated with me and paralleled my experience with my mother. Bo is an elderly Scandinavian man in the last months of his life. His wife has Alzheimer’s and lives in a facility. He lives with his dog, Sixten, for whom he is having difficulty caring. His caretakers write notes after each visit, which begin many chapters. His son visits him weekly, but they have difficulty connecting. Bo’s life unfolds in chapters that alternate between the present and the past, where the reader learns of his abusive, cold father, his work in the sawmill, the marriage to the love of his life, and his friendship with another worker, Ture.

Some of the options we made for my mother were not necessarily what she wanted, but what she needed. There were so many things I wish I could have said to both my parents before it was too late and I’m sure my mother felt the same way as her memory faded. We were lucky to have amazing caregivers, as Bo did, who helped make his last years as comfortable as possible, even when losing his dignity as his caregivers showered him and changed his nappies. We all moved away and got on with our lives, as Hans did. You think you have all the time in the world until you realize it is too late.

Well-written, moving, thought-provoking story that anyone can relate to since we all have parents who hopefully will live into their eighties. I would highly recommend, especially for those who like character-driven novels as the plot moves slowly and there are no surprises. But you truly become involved in Bo’s life and can’t help rooting for him and hoping he can mend fences with his son before it is too late.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor as well as NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of this heart-warming book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This is a profoundly moving, beautiful book that should be on everyone's must-read bookshelf. I was surprised by how captivated I was by the book, and by how much I looked forward to reading this book each night, as the topic did not sound particularly gripping, I decided to read it only because it had been a best-seller in Scandinavia. I did not regret this choice, and I am now plugging this book to everyone I know. This is the story of an elderly rural Scandinavian man in the final months of his life. He lives with his beloved dog, has daily visits from a social services support staff, and weekly visits from his son (with whom he has difficulty connecting with). The chapters move between the present day when he is experiencing increasing limitations to his mobility, to the past where the reader learns of his life as the son of an abusive father, his work in a saw mill, his romance with his wife (who now resides in a memory care unit), and his experiences as a young father. While this all may sound mundane, it is deeply moving. I did not want this book to end --in fact, I slowed down my daily intake of the book in order to make it last a little longer. Those who read the book will find that it not only offers insights into the myriad losses entailed in the aging process (if one is so lucky to reach one's 80s and 90s), but it will also make one far more compassionate and respectful of those in their final years of life. While the topic may sound grim, it is often many of the pages offer beautiful imagery, lively characters and even humor. If I could give this book ten stars, I would. Highly recommended!

Bo is a character who will stay with me for a while because of his thoughtful reflection as he comes to the end of his life. By learning about his best friend, his wife suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, his son who is now trying to be a caretaker, you become friends with Bo. And although much of his story touched my heart, his concern of what will happen to his dog when he is gone is what I will remember. His dog is his world now that he is alone and as a dog lover, I can understand how much Sixten (his dog) means to him. This book is emotional but not depressing but anyone dealing with end-of-life family members may need to consider if this is the right time to read this book.

Thank you to Transworld Digital for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book hits so close to home for me… I UGLY CRIED! A story of not wanting to leave things unsaid, but being unsure of how to mend relationships with the strain of maintaining independence as an aging adult. Working in a long term care unit myself, this book articulates the feeling so many people have later in life, with less than stellar relationships with their children, and the vulnerability of being human.

Such a BEAUTIFULLY written book! Perfectly encapsulates the loss of independence and the emotional turmoil that so many elderly people face with aging.

Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Vintage and NetGalley for this ARC of 'When the Cranes Fly South' by Lisa Ridzén.

This is a lovely, sad, poignant account of the deep descent into old age and end-of-life and especially how agency and the ability to make their own life decisions are stripped - with the best of intentions - from the aging person. There is no malice in the people around Bo and the decisions they're making - they clearly feel a lot of love and affection for him in most cases - but, nonetheless, they are stripping him of his independence of thought and decision-making at a time of his life when he's already losing independence based on his declining physical abilities. 'Father knows best' becomes 'child and carers know best.'

Throughout the narrative we learn of Bo's life and relationships with his family and friends and there's a nice framing of those parts around the changing nature of cultural and societal norms in Sweden and the difficulty involved in older people breaking free of the conservative society they've come from, even when it's on their own doorstep, figuratively speaking. It explains, in part, the strained relationship Bo has with his son Hans - the changing times and the lack of ability to have an intimate relationship, reflecting or because of his own relationships as a young man.

Beautifully written.

5 stars. I cried in the Rome Airport finishing this book.
Bo is 89 years old and his son wants to take away his beloved dog, Sixten, because Bo cannot properly care for Sixten.
A moving book about a man's fight to maintain control of his life.
It was a truly beautiful story.

I think this was a really good book! It had some touchy subjects and was also lighthearted at the same time. I like the overall story and how it flowed. The author did a good job with relaying and telling a story!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

A wonderful read to start 2025. The book is the life of Bo- a dying man coming to peace regarding not only his death but his life. It is written from his perspective and examines his past and present life. As we read he makes it clear how he came to be a proud, independent man. It also sheds light on his regrets with his relationship with his son and the ache he feels having to miss the love of his wife because of her dementia. We also get to feel his dilemma regarding his dog Sixten.
This book brought the range of emotions : happy, anger as well as sobbing due to sadness. I feel it will be my most loved book of 2025. While emotional it is also a well written book. As someone who is older I could relate with Bo and his life review. I highly recommend this book as a must read
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Knopf/Pantheon/Vintage Books publishing for allowing me to read an ARC version of the English translated book.

5 stars

I ugly cried. Damn, this was so sad and felt so real.

This book made me feel so vulnerable as a human. It made me think about my parents getting older, about my future self if I grow old. Would I be like that? Wearing a nappy, unable to shower alone and would my kids still visit me? It made me so conscious of how fragile humans are, how much we depend on love and care.

It also made me think about all the things I should say to my parents, to my children, before it’s too late. How much I love them. How much they mean to me. Because someday, there won’t be time for those words.

The story was beautiful and bittersweet. I really felt Bo—his helplessness with age, unable to do anything without help, watching as everything he loved slipped away. But the way he loved his wife, it hit me so hard. The way he mentioned her as “you” made it so personal, so intimate, like she was still right there with him, even as everything else faded. It broke me.

And Hans... I understood him so well too. As a child, there’s always that gnawing feeling, worrying about your parents getting older, wanting to give them the best you can, yet knowing you can’t stop time. It all felt so real, so raw, like it was written straight from life.

This was my first read of the year, and what a beautiful way to start 2025.

Note: Thank you to the author and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor publishing for this ARC.

Bo is really old and only has so much time left on this earth. The lives with his dog and has a constant rotation of carers. His dog, sixteen, is really who keeps him company but his son says he's not able to care for the dog anymore. His son wants to take the dog away and Bo really doesn't want that. He keeps meaning to talk to his son about it if only he could remember and if his son wasn't so busy. This book makes you think of your choices as Bo reflects on the ones he made in his life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: August 5, 2025

This debut novel is heartbreakingly beautiful! Bo is currently living at home with his Elkhound Sixten. He has an around-the-clock care team who checks in on him and keeps track of his decline. His only son, Hans, who he has a rocky relationship with insists on taking the dog away. Bo wants to mend the relationship with his son, but the threat of possibly losing his dog makes matters complicated. . .

This story is for everyone. This is a story of wanting to say what you mean but not knowing how. A story about life, love, and loss, and not wanting to leave things unresolved. The author did an amazing job connecting me to Bo and what it means to truly live. This book will stick with me for a long time. Lisa had me crying like a baby! I feel honored that my request was approved for this ARC.

Lisa Ridzen was inspired to write this book after discovering notes from her grandfather’s care team during his end-of-life stage.