For reasons I can't explain this book took me forever to read.

Maybe it's because I could tell where it was going and it was tender and sad and I felt like I didn't want to sit with that.

Either way, it took me a long time to get through but it was gentle, tender, quiet, and also a sweet story about aging and companionship and loneliness. It was beautifully written and will stay with me for a long time.

with gratitude to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bo, an elderly man in Sweden, lives by himself now that his wife has dementia and no longer lives with him. Caretakers visit several times a day to ensure he eats and stays clean. His son and granddaughter also visit, but mostly he is alone with his thoughts and memories. This is a quiet, sad, yet hopeful book that looks at the last months of one's life.

(3.25 stars)
When The Cranes Fly South is a look at the final months of an elderly man in Sweden. It is told by him, “Bo”, with short notes from his carer team and his son Hans. Bo is 89 and his health is rapidly failing. He lives on his own, with his beloved dog Sixten, and there’s a team of carers that stop by his house to prepare food for him, clean him, and so forth. (This must be something that happens in Sweden. I don’t think we have anything like it in the United States.) He drifts in and out of the current day, with memories of his wife, who is living in a memory-care facility, and of his cruel father, among others. A large theme of the book is that he’s upset with his son, Hans (almost 60 himself), because Hans feels Bo can no longer care properly for his dog and wants to re-home him. Understandably, this is extremely upsetting to Bo.

It took me a little while to figure out who the “you” was he was talking to in his head, but eventually I figured out that he was “talking” to his wife.

This was a quiet, sweet book, but not the kind I usually gravitate to. If you like books where not a whole lot happens and is sentimental (get the tissues ready!), you will like this more than I did.

Thank you to Vintage and NetGalley for access to an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

When the Cranes Fly South is one of the most heartbreaking and real depictions of what it is to age, face your mortality, lose your independence, and reflect on your life and legacy of fatherhood. Combine all of this with the love of a dog, Sixten, and you have a book that will absolutely tear your heart out. I read this in one day, but at times I had to set it aside because of my tears... I can't say enough about this book - it will destroy you, but you'll be blown away by the story.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for this ARC.

As others have said, this brief book is heartbreaking. It takes on issues of end-of-life care and relationships in a way that are very relatable, especially if you've ever closely experienced end of life with a loved one. Though there were characters that angered me, I also felt a sense of understanding and sympathy, for caregiving at the end of life is never easy for anyone. The caregivers' notes were a perfect frame for Bo's experiences, and also highlighted the stark difference between social services in the US and in many European countries. And that's heartbreaking, too.

A heartbreaking reminder that our bodies may fail, but our spirits remain.

Bo, an elderly man living alone in rural Sweden with his beloved elkhound Sixten, spends his days mostly dozing on the daybed in his kitchen, with regular visits from his home care team. When his estranged son Hans threatens to take Sixten away, believing Bo can no longer properly care for him, it forces Bo to confront not only his physical decline but also the fractures in their relationship. With clarity and regret, he reflects on his own difficult childhood, the mistakes he made as a father, and his desire to repair things before it’s too late.

"When the Cranes Fly South" is a beautifully written, deeply human portrait of aging, loss, and the hope for reconciliation. The story is told primarily through Bo’s first-hand accounts, but each chapter ends with a brief note from his carers. These short, matter-of-fact observations offer a second perspective, and one that quietly reveals the gap between Bo’s rich inner world and how others perceive his frailty. This interplay is both poignant and heartbreaking, underscoring the difference between the dignity we feel inside and the indignities our bodies impose on us.

Lisa Ridzén tenderly captures the raw reality of old age - the struggle between what the mind still desires and what the body can manage - while never losing sight of Bo’s spirit and humanity. It’s a slow, thoughtful read, and while it is absolutely heartbreaking in its devastating finality, it’s also profoundly life-affirming. The author’s own inspiration, drawn from her grandfather’s carer notes, lends the novel an additional sense of intimacy and truth that lingers long after the final page.

A gentle reckoning between the mind that remembers and the body that forgets, and a tender portrait of aging, regret, and the love we struggle to express, "When the Cranes Fly South" offers an unflinching, beautiful look at how we live, love, and say goodbye.

For anyone who has ever lost a loved one, this will be a tender, devastating, yet life-affirming read - a novel that will break your heart and warm it at the same time.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Vintage and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"When the Cranes Fly South" is slated to be released on August 19, 2025.

DNF at 75%
This might be the saddest book I have ever read. As you may know, I jump around a lot with which way of reading it working for me. Right now, physical books it is and kindle reads are taking forever. I only had a kindle copy of this one which meant I was only reading a bit in bed before falling asleep. When I fell asleep reading and ended up dreaming about my Grandpa and woke up sobbing I knew it was time to call it quits on this one. I know that is a me issue and not a problem with the book, and I will say the book is beautifully written, but it’s just not one that will work for me right now, especially not while coming up on one year without him.

Sad, poignant, all too true to life😞

4-4.5🌟 stars
Old age, loss of independence and loneliness dominated this quiet, moving story about a man reaching life's end and the canine companion he loves. Former sawmill worker Bo's human interactions are mostly limited to caregivers, his son and the telephone conversations with an old friend also confined to his home.

It's a sad but realistic account of how advanced age steals his options and choices about his life are taken away. His powerlessness peaks when his son decides to rehome Sixten, Bo's loyal elk hound companion.

Much of the story reflects on Bo's past, including his difficult relationship with his own father. He hopes to avoid a similar distance from his son but finds it hard to accept son Hans taking charge as his body weakens and his mind falters.

It possibly hits so close to home that more mature readers will find Bo's story hard to bear. But very worthwhile.

Thanks to publisher Vintage and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 8/11/25 on Waterstones, Goodreads and Bookbub, and with Barnes & Noble and BAM. To be shared with kobo and Google Play upon publication.

The more I think about this book, the more I love it. Was I predisposed to love this because I saw Fredrik Backman mention it on his Instagram? YUP. But I think this stands on its own.

It's so hard for me to describe why I loved this book. I had so much empathy for Bo - throughout the story, we're seeing how frustrated he is with not being able to do things like he used to be able to do. I also really felt for his son, Hans. While we're never in Hans' perspective, you can still see that the situation is hard on him, too.

If you're looking for an emotional read, this is a great pick for you!

** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you want an emotional experience from a quiet but touching book, pick up a copy of Lisa Ridzén’s When the Cranes Fly South, a Swedish Book of the Year available in English on August 19, 2025

Bo, the 85-year-old narrator, lives with his beloved elkhound Sixten in Northern Sweden, and this unforgettable novel chronicles Bo’s life from May 18 to October 13. Each day, rotating caretakers come and go, keeping a record of their visits, the entries scattered throughout the book. Meanwhile, Bo spends most of his time dozing on an old daybed in the kitchen and dreaming of people and events from his past--his parents, his boyhood experiences, his work in a lumber mill, his courtship and marriage, his son as a young boy when the two of them had a good relationship, his granddaughter, his previous dogs, his best friend Ture, who collects knickknack monsters and has kept a secret for decades. Now these elderly friends can keep in touch only by cell phone. Rarely does Bo leave home, and whenever he does so on his own, trouble ensues. When Hans decides Bo is incapable of caring for the dog who sleeps by his side, their father-son relationship goes from bad to worse.

Fredrik Backman sums up Lisa Ridzén’s novel well: "One of those ‘you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to buy twenty copies and give them to everyone you love’ books.” The author, a doctoral student in sociology, who was born in and lives in Northern Sweden, was inspired by notes left by her grandfather's caregivers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Books for an advance reader egalley of this must-read new novel sure to be a hit in the U.S.

This novel had me actually crying by the end. An absolutely lovely read--heartfelt & poignant without being trite. The author has a nuanced exploration of aging, familial relationships and obligations, and personal autonomy. It often feels in the same vein as Fredrik Backman's books (for fans of his work). I would highly recommend this read.

**Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and NetGalley for advanced access to this book in exchange for my unbiased review.**

When the Cranes Fly South is a beautiful book that reflects on life as a man is nearing the end of his.

The character development in this one is phenomenal. Even though the main character is very flawed, the reader gets to know him so well and why he is how he is. This book has a very simple plot but the execution is wonderful. The end was perfection in my opinion.

4.5 rounded up. I could have done with less discussion of Bo’s phlegm 😆

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for arc

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC: This book is special. Ridzen follows 89 year old Bo through the spring and fall. She captures Bo's very aware mind as he deals with the losses: his physical abilities, his wife to dementia, his friends, his autonomy and his ability to care for his beloved dog Sixten. Throughout he is cared for by "carers" and his son, Hans and granddaughter, Ellinor. As Bo's physical body becomes less and less reliable, he explores his life. The book is lyrical, and despite Bo's increasing immobility, his mind wanders broadly. The end is lovely. His was a pleasure to read and I hope it gains wide readership.

If you are hoping for another A Man Called Ove (which I hated), you won’t get it here. Instead of a surly, cute-nasty old man who Learns Life Lessons From Perky Neighbors, Lisa Ridzén’s debut novel introduces us to an ailing, loving, tough-minded, lonely eighty-something retired sawmill worker whose life and health are draining away. His wife Fredrika of sixty-plus years (to whom Bo’s musings are often addressed in the first-person narrative) lives in a facility for those with dementia, and no longer recognizes Bo or their middle-aged only-child son Hans. Bo lives on his own, camped on a daybed, with his dog Sixten and a cast of carers who come by several times a day to feed and shower Bo, clean house, and walk the lovely elkhound. His workaholic son Hans stops by at intervals, with bags of groceries, to nag Bo about eating more, and to worry. At this point, when Bo is increasingly forgetful, unsteady on his feet, and confused, Hans is concerned about Sixten’s care and is pushing to rehome him. Bo is furious. It is revealed that Hans was the prime mover in “rehoming” Fredrika as well, as her dementia progressed. As Bo frets and rages, he is drawn back into memories of his own stormy relationship with his father, and is unsettled to recognize some of his father’s behavior erupting into his own, in spite of his best intentions not to allow that to happen. The memories of this, his childhood, his long and loving marriage, and his lifelong friendship with a co-worker who doesn’t quite fit into the rural community where they live, weave through his dreams, as the year and its seasons turn.

We bear witness to Bo’s remembrances, his regrets, his fears, his resentments and acceptance of the the aid of the kind and patient (well, all but one) caregivers that he doesn’t want, but needs. His body and mind fray, weaken, swell, and fail. He won’t let the carer give him a shower, he won’t eat; he comes to the angry recognition that “what they don’t understand is that refusing is all he can do now.” It does him no good. Bo staunchly meanders onward, toward the end that awaits us all.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this book. I live 1000 miles from my 90-year-old demented mother, an angry, critical, judgmental person who refuses or sabotages every effort to help or protect her. I’ve been Hans. I have rehomed the dog who was not fed, whose claws grew back into her pads, who left urine and feces in every room. I have bristled and groaned at the resistance, the refusals, the criticisms. I have also sat and watched caregivers turn my dying father in order to change his diaper. Ridzén gets it all right. That spring, the cranes were flying north as my father’s spirit took flight. I finished the book in pouring tears. It is a deeply moving, empathetic, humane exploration of aging, loss, and rage against the dying of the light.

The synopsis I read said this book was about an elderly man whose son didn’t think he could take care of his dog anymore and wants to find the dog another home.

Yes, Bo is aging and his health, both physical and mental, is rapidly declining, and his son Hans doesn’t think his father can handle Sixten the Elkhound. But this book is so much more.

This book is told in a stream of consciousness form as Bo talks in his thoughts to his wife who has severe dementia and is living in a memory care type facility. Bo’s thoughts wander from past to present, and the reader gets to know and understand Bo, his family, and his friend, Ture.

This is a story about family and relationships. It’s a story about life and death. It’s a raw look at getting older and tough decisions.

I felt so much compassion for Bo, and even though we only meet Hans through Bo, I deeply felt for Hans too. I also felt bad for Sixten.

This is not a feel-good book, and it’s not a book to read if you’re looking for an escape from reality. But if you’re willing to have your heartstrings tugged at, this is an excellent book. This an emotional read because, as people say, growing old isn’t easy.

This book was personal for me which is probably one of the reasons I’m so glad I read it.

Thank you to Vintage and NetGalley for an advance readers copy of this book.

This is a moving, unusual tale, in which Bo, 88 and in failing health, carries on an internal monolog with his wife of 62 years, Fredericka, separated for three years now by her move to a care home for dementia. Though Bo and their son, Hans, visit her, she no longer recognizes them, and is quick to become fiercely angered if Bo touches her, or Hans calls her “Mum.” But in Bo’s mind, she is as loving and understanding as she always was.

Bo still lives in the house where he grew up, helped by a rotating group of public and mostly compassionate caretakers, visited often by his son, Hans, and occasionally by his beloved granddaughter, and old neighbors. His closest ties are to his dog, Sixten, who rests beside or near him, and phone calls with his oldest friend, Ture, whom he met even before Fredericka.

The dilemma facing Bo and Hans is the care of Sixten, his relatively young elkhound. Hans, himself overworked and depressive, feels it is unfair to Sixten to leave him with Bo, as Bo can no longer give the dog the exercise and care he needs. But Sixten is a reassuring, steady companion to Bo, who feels his age and enfeeblement brought to the fore by this tug-of-war between him and his son. Does Bo have any agency, or power now?

We listen as for five months, he spends his days dreaming and remembering his relationships with his parents, Hans, and Ture. Although Bo doesn’t seem to realize it, many insights shine through his clouded mind, and a picture emerges of a quiet, steadfast love for his wife, son, friend, home, and the animals he cherishes.

In the text his thoughts are occasionally interrupted by the brief notes from the carers, which ground his memories and associations, and provide a welcome perspective for the reader.

This is a book that might best be read by adult children of ageing parents. While Bo seems stubborn and intransigent to his son, with his only weapon being silence, Bo really is trying to maintain what is left of his control and authority. And despite their power struggle over Sixten, their love for one another becomes clear to both.

As for the “cranes flying south” – this is a subtle, somewhat obscure allusion, but a meaningful one.

Eight years ago I spent a couple of years volunteering at hospice with my two sweet therapy dogs.

One exercise in my hospice training was when we wrote down 10 or 12 things that were important to us on slips of paper, and one by one, we had to remove one.

The devastation I felt as each slip of paper was removed was visceral and heartbreaking. I was in tears. One by one everything you love and care for is removed.

This is how I felt reading this book. This is what it’s like for many of our elderly and/or terminally ill. Slowly, they lose everything that is precious and important to them.

Bo is 89, living in Sweden. His wife has Alzheimer’s and is in a home, and he needs carers to manage his day to day activities of living.

He has his faithful dog, Sixten, who his son, Hans is trying to take from him because he doesn’t think Bo can properly care for him. (He’s not wrong)

Bo struggles to find control over his life. He reminisces about his long life, growing up in the home he lived in as a child, his angry controlling father, his loving mother, his loving wife, his lifetime friendship with Ture, and his son Hans, who he’s had a complicated relationship with.

Bo wants nothing more than to have a measure of control over his life. The indignities of old age are very apparent as he struggles to maintain control while his son attempts to protect him.

Just as his relationship with his dad was complicated, so too is his relationship with his son. Bo has clarity over the mistakes he’s made with his son and wants to repair their relationship before it’s too late.

Each chapter ends with the carer’s note which give us the reader a glimpse into Bo’s reality.

I’ve navigated these years with my in-laws and my parents. This was a raw and realistic look at aging and watching someone you love struggle with what the mind wants vs their physical abilities.

Bo’s rich inner life doesn’t match what his carers and his son see. The dichotomy is poignant and heartbreaking, but also a reminder that while our human bodies may fail, our minds, our spirits remain young and we who are carers, need to honor that.

The ending requires many tissues. Yet this is a poignant story with thought-provoking themes we should all keep in mind whether we are the carers or the ones declining.

When the Cranes Fly South, the new novel by Lisa Ridzen, is a breathtaking look at life, death, mortality and the family ties that can be painfully altered when these hit a family all at once. Such is the story of Bo and Hans...father and son who are already grieving the re-homing of Bo's wife/Hans' mom, due to dementia, to a memory care facility. Rapidly declining Bo is under the care of in-home health care, Hans, and most importantly by his beloved hound Sixten. Sixten is the key to Bo's emotional wellbeing, as well as his reason for living. When the Cranes Fly South is an intimate look at a family facing the hardships that a lot of us will face one day. It's a beautiful portrayal of love, understanding, and loyalty, with Bo being a character whom you won't soon forget.

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<b>A Right Smart Reflection on the Ravages of Time, Swedish Style</b>

When the Cranes Fly South (Tranerna flyger söderut) by Lisa Ridzén is a Swedish novel reflection on the ravages on time. She’s a researcher, they say, and a doctor-to-be, which means she probably knows a thing or two about the inner workings of a body and a mind – and it surely shows in this, her first book. And let me tell you, it’s a mighty fine debut.

<b>My Two Cents</b>

This here book is a genuine peach, written with a hand as steady as a as a Swedish fisherman making fishcakes. It’s readable, pulls at the heartstrings , and leaves you pondering deeper than a philosopher with a head full of highfalutin ideas. From the get-go, you just know you’re in for a sad little journey, but it’s a gentle kind of sorrow, like a quiet sunset after a long day. And hats off to that Alice Menzies, the translator; she’s done a bang-up job making these Swedish words sing in English.

Our main fellow, a chap named Bo, he knows his time is about up. And he’s facing all the undignified stuff that comes with getting old – the body rebelling, memories slipping away like sand through your fingers, friends moving on to the great beyond, and that pesky independence just plain vanishing. But even with all that, he’s still got a dignity about him, stubborn as a mule sometimes, but we’re just standing by and watching. We’re right there in his head, feeling every bit as vulnerable as he does.

Now, as an American, one thing that struck me harder than a hickory stick was the way those Swedes treat their old folks. Over here, unless you’re richer than a king, you’re pretty much on your own, depending on kinfolk. But in Sweden? Why, the elderly get folks coming by three, four times a day – making their vittles, washing them up, sitting a spell for company, and all sorts of things. Makes a man wonder if we ain’t missing a trick or two on this side of the pond.

Old Bo, he looks back on a long life, seems like it just flew by like a startled bird. He ponders his father, his boy, and his missus. His grand-daughter, bless her heart, and his old pals. And, of course, that faithful dog of his, Sixten, his one steady companion, who they’re trying to take away from him.
And that just isn’t right!

Sad and emotional as this book is, it’s harder to put down than a good hand of poker. If you’ve ever had to bid farewell to someone you cared for, this book’s gonna grab hold of your heart and not let go. Those characters, they’ll stick with you for weeks, setting up shop in your mind and making you think on all your own loved ones.

<b>The Gist of It</b>

So, our hero, Bo, he’s eighty-nine years old, and he knows the Grim Reaper is just around the bend. He misses his wife, Frederika, who’s got that memory-stealing sickness, Alzheimer’s, and the only comfort he gets is sniffing a scarf that still carries her scent.

Bo’s madder than a wet hen at his son and those caretakers, because they’re trying to snatch away his only buddy, that elkhound, Sixten. And all through the book, Bo just thinks back on his life, on all the folks he’s known and loved, and on the aggravating trials of a body that’s just plain wearing out.

This is an international best seller and winner of the Swedish Book of the Year Award. Translated for the American market for the first time. An exceptional read that proves how important fiction is in building empathy. Bo is an old man living alone with his dog and receiving care from visiting caretakers. His wife is in a facility with dementia, his son is trying his best to help, as is his granddaughter. He has a best friend that he can only talk to over the phone because they are both in the same situation…waiting. Bo struggles with the inevitable loss of control over his own body and his life. It sounds depressing as hell, but I experienced ALL the emotions including laughter. Sometimes laughter through tears.