The Sparkle Shelf

Reviews by Donna Lee Miele

Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser

Europa Editions, $30

ISBN 9798889661115; also available in large print, ISBN 9798889661559

When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Rizdén

Vintage, $18

ISBN 9798217006731

These two international bestsellers are available in English for the first time: Mona’s Eyes is translated from French, and When the Cranes Fly South from Swedish. I highly recommend both.

Of the two, the premise of Mona’s Eyes is most arresting. Mona, age 10, might be going blind. When her doctor advises psychotherapy, her grandfather Henry offers to take her. Instead, he and Mona embark on 52 weeks of visiting 52 works of art, each one revealing a lasting truth about being human. Meanwhile, in examining the trouble with Mona’s eyes, mysteries about Mona’s grandmother come to light too. Henry’s art history lessons are penetrating and illuminating; Mona’s inner and outer vision seem to sharpen rather than weaken over the course of the story. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,” Henry reminds Mona, quoting The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. “What is essential is invisible to the naked eye.”

Does the focus on art history slow the pace and distract from narrative development at times? Perhaps; yet the story Henry tells through the history of art is also the story of his granddaughter’s soul. Through experiencing art, Mona is able to make sense of her journey from childhood toward adolescence, accelerated and complicated by the trauma of her eyes.

While Mona’s Eyes will take readers on a heady and beautiful journey through images, When the Cranes Fly South elegantly narrates a more inward journey. The story absolutely shines, although the premise is difficult. Bo, an aging man, comes to terms with all that he must let go of as he comes to rely more and more on the caregivers who tend to his needs. His son even wants to take away Sixten, his dog. While I confess that I came to the story for the dog, I will cherish Bo’s journey for life.

Full disclosure: Sixten is an elkhound, the same breed as my own dog. When Bo buries his hands in Sixten’s fur for comfort and reassurance, I know just how soft and comforting that fur is. When the dog sighs and leans against Bo for companionship, I know its exact weight. Separation seems unthinkable. But I’ve also seen the trials of aging and fragile people and I understand: separation is inevitable.

Rest assured that while the reader may well shed tears during Bo’s journey, the novel is in the end a great comfort. It asks the questions we all ask as our loved ones, or we ourselves, face Bo’s difficulties, and it provides quiet, true answers. This is a treasure of a book.

Worth noting: while Mona’s Eyes and When the Cranes Fly South both highlight universal human experiences, one obstacle is never mentioned: the cost of a pediatric eye specialist and that of 24-hour elder care. The families are not particularly well-off; Mona’s mother is an educator, while Bo is a retired millworker. For the American reader, a world where rising healthcare costs have no bearing on our stories may seem novel, indeed.

Donna Lee Miele is a writer, freelance editor, and bookseller from Rockland County. She owns The Sparkle Bookstore in Sparkill, New York.

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