When the Cranes Fly South
Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies
Doubleday
Fiction from Scandinavia has had a huge surge in popularity over recent years, particularly the “Scandi Noir” crime genre. However this debut novel, which has become an international best-seller, is not part of that. It is something very different, and, on the face of it, a synopsis of the plot would sound deeply depressing.
The central character and narrator is Bo, an elderly man living in a remote rural village and moving slowly towards the end of his life. He lives alone except for his beloved dog, an elkhound named Sixten. Three times a day one of a team of carers comes in to visit him, attend to his needs and give him his meals. The novel is punctuated by the brief reports from their day book, which add another perspective to Bo’s story.
In his narration, he is “speaking” to his wife who, suffering from dementia, is in a care home, where Bo hates to visit her. His son, Hans, sometimes insists his father accompanies him on the visits, but to Bo they mean far less than his imagined communication with her. His relationship with Hans is difficult — as a father he has never found it easy to express his feelings — and things are coming to a head over Hans’s determination to rehome Sixten, claiming his father can no longer care for a big dog, and that it's too dangerous for him to try to take Sixten for daily walks. Even Bo’s beloved granddaughter feels Hans is right.
The only person Bo feels he can talk to is his friend Ture. They talk on the phone, but Ture is also old and frail, so they can no longer meet. We learn a lot about Ture, and about Bo’s life and relationships, from childhood, through his marriage and to his present circumstances. The carers’ notes, occurring throughout the novel, are an important part of the development of the plot. One of the team, Ingrid, cares the most about Bo, and sympathises with him about Sixten, but there is little she can do other than offer him her warmth.
Though the story moves slowly, and the subject matter — which is ultimately the slow march towards death — is sad, When the Cranes Fly South is a compelling read, skilfully developing the character of an ordinary man, flawed, thoughtful and all too human. It is poignant and ultimately thoroughly satisfying.
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