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A review by cmloia
The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser
4.0
Though I sometimes got lost in their analogies and allusions (listening on audiobook probs didn't help with this for me), I ultimately thoroughly enjoyed Hauser's reflections on the role of romantic love in our lives, and we often experience it at the expense of other loves and humans in our lives, illustrated through their life stories.
Hauser does love drawing comparisons to films, shows, and books throughout the novel (and I can't blame them b/c who hasn't heard me related a life experience to an episode of HIMYM??), so some recommended reading/watching that aren't necessary prerequisites but might enhance your appreciation of certain chapters:
The X-Files
The Philadelphia Story
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Rebecca by Dauphne du Maurier
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
***fav quotes***
"Late capitalism is not a good moment for believing in either of these kids of magic. As an adult, the real world often disappoints me. I'm a person who prefers to live in my head, in books and fantasies, where everything shines slightly brighter than reality." (1:47:19)
"Perhaps I knew better than to look for the man behind the curtain...There are inconvenient truths behind the curtain of most American dream stories. Capitalism seldom offers a free balloon ride. Stories of someone rising up are often at the expense of someone else we don't talk about. That's the wizardry of most lovely stories, the slight of hand, the misdirection, the "look over here, not over there.'" (1:57:30)
"What if boundaries and borders are actually the only way people can love each other equally and freely? What if without those boundaries, love becomes an act of humanitarian aid." (3:30:27)
"Because we have diluted ourselves that a human can be happy living alone with one or two other people in this world, but we need so much more than that." (7:28:12)
"Maybe good love stories don't crowd out all the other narratives in the room." (7:37:45)
"I'm starting to think that living a dramatic, story-worthy life and happiness are, at worst, mutually exclusive, and at best, giving each other a run for their money." (8:31:15)
Hauser does love drawing comparisons to films, shows, and books throughout the novel (and I can't blame them b/c who hasn't heard me related a life experience to an episode of HIMYM??), so some recommended reading/watching that aren't necessary prerequisites but might enhance your appreciation of certain chapters:
The X-Files
The Philadelphia Story
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Rebecca by Dauphne du Maurier
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
***fav quotes***
"Late capitalism is not a good moment for believing in either of these kids of magic. As an adult, the real world often disappoints me. I'm a person who prefers to live in my head, in books and fantasies, where everything shines slightly brighter than reality." (1:47:19)
"Perhaps I knew better than to look for the man behind the curtain...There are inconvenient truths behind the curtain of most American dream stories. Capitalism seldom offers a free balloon ride. Stories of someone rising up are often at the expense of someone else we don't talk about. That's the wizardry of most lovely stories, the slight of hand, the misdirection, the "look over here, not over there.'" (1:57:30)
"What if boundaries and borders are actually the only way people can love each other equally and freely? What if without those boundaries, love becomes an act of humanitarian aid." (3:30:27)
"Because we have diluted ourselves that a human can be happy living alone with one or two other people in this world, but we need so much more than that." (7:28:12)
"Maybe good love stories don't crowd out all the other narratives in the room." (7:37:45)
"I'm starting to think that living a dramatic, story-worthy life and happiness are, at worst, mutually exclusive, and at best, giving each other a run for their money." (8:31:15)