The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
This fantasy novel was inspired by a story the author heard in kindergarten.
George Duncan, American living in London, divorced amicably, father of a divorced daughter and grandfather to a four-year-old boy, is awakened in the middle of the night by an outlandish cry that reaches him viscerally. He, without looking, rushes outside towards the sound, only to find a crane, injured by an arrow shot through one of its wings, He struggles to free it from the arrow, and succeeds. After the crane flies away, he is unsure whether it was real or a dream.
The next day, at his print shop, a woman, Kumiko, comes in with a piece of art to frame, and he makes a connection with her. As he spends more and more time with her, he cannot believe that he is lucky enough to get a woman like this to love him.
When his daughter eventually meets her, she loves her too.
But there is always a piece of her that he doesn't know, that he can't reach, and he continues to want this despite what he has. Will this aching need destroy what he has?
Interspersed with George's story and his daughter Amanda's story, is the story of a woman who can fly and a volcano. This story is moving and meaningful. How does it relate to George and his life. That is the heart of this book. What it means to love, especially what it means to love oneself.
A wonderful treasure of a book.
sounds good
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