Picked this up at Goodwill to put in a future bookbox.

Released on Monday, May 24, 2004 at Morgail & ProtoOni's Fiction BookBox in Morgail & ProtoOni's Fiction BookBox, Bookbox Controlled Releases.

Adding to my bookbox.

Enjoy!

Thanks Morgail! Looks like it might be interesting.

This book is mostly about a family of three in which the son, Philip (in his 20s living on his own) decides to come out to his parents about his homosexuality about the same time that his father, Owen, is just admitting his own secret of being gay after hiding it for decades (from himself as well as others) The mother, Rose, seems to know about them, but would rather ignore the clues until Philip comes out and their family changes forever. It is interesting that the father and son have no idea about each other because they have distanced themselves from each other because they feel like they will be disappointing the other.

I actually enjoyed this story more as I read furthur into it. It is about relationships and how we look at them, especially gay and lesbian ones. The point is that we (homosexuals and hetrosexuals) are all more alike than different and are looking for the same things.
I liked, but was saddened by the story of the crane boy (from where the title came) The title makes sense after one reads the story. Each group and each couple have their own "language" and way of communicating.

Overall, I liked the story, tho I thought at first that there were too many characters, it does come together in the end.

This book looks like it was a college textbook, as it has lots of written notes throughout and at the end. They are a little distracting, but the end ones are facsinating to think about.

This book is not appropriate for wild releasing due to the sex and subject. (I would not want a child to find it). So I will offer it up or put it in a bookbox.

I am adding this to skcreader's Spring Cleaning Bookbox.

received in my spring cleaning bookbox - thanks!

Adding to the "Hard to Release" Bookbox

I recieved this in the "hard to wild release" bookbox. Looks interesting.

The cover picture I have included at left is different from the actual cover of the copy I have.
This book was very interesting for the most part. The issues the characters were having and the way they related to each other really kept me intrigued by this story.
At times I felt things got a bit tedious though. People didn't just go home together; they walked home together, went down the streets, to the building, up the steps, down the hall, to the door, unlocked the door, went in the door, and were there. I don't need all that. It didn't build suspense and it didn't relate anything about the characters as they went.
The main focus of the book was Phillip, then Owen, then Rose. I liked them all, but I was really pulling for Rose to be understanding towards her son and in touch with her husband. Sometimes her behavior was akin to a small child covering his ears and screaming, "I can't hear you" and I wanted to see her get past that. You can read it to find out if she did.
I got a little disconcerted as the book bounced from past to present, but for the most part managed to keep it straight.
I found it interesting that some of the minor characters' lives were delved into so deeply. For instance, Jerene was a pretty minor part of the book and her past was more than noted. It was told in detail. It had loose connections with the story and was interesting enough that I did not mind it.

Rose, Owen, and Phillip took a vacation when Phillip was about 13. I was interested in some of the smaller tourist attractions that Phillip recalls being a favorite part of a trip that included hot spots like Disneyland and the Grand Canyon. I looked up these small attractions on the internet and since I already had them, decided to include the links to them in this journal entry.

Mystery Spot

Trees of Mystery

Giant Artichoke Restaurant

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I have offered it to someone who had it on their wish list and am waiting a return PM in regard. If that doesn't pan out, I will try the wish list forum.

RELEASE NOTES:

RABCK---Enjoy!

I got this a while back and forgot to journal. Thank you so much! And thanks for reminding me :) Can't wait to read it!