I often find that my favourite reading experiences come from when I’m taken by surprise, and The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly was definitely one of those times. I picked it up mostly because it was short and I was in the mood for something wholesome, and with the promise of a story about a plucky mother hen it seemed to fit the bill. It certainly delivered on that front, but I was not expecting it to become one of my favourite reads so far this year.
Sun-Mi Hwang’s story concerns a hen who calls herself ‘Sprout’, after the shoots of leaves that signal the start of new life, who is kept in a coop on a farm. Sprout is old and cannot lay eggs, and is in line for culling, but within her is a deep desire to hatch an egg, so she escapes the cull and sets out to get what she wants. However, the order of the farm dictates that hens must stay in their coops, so Sprout faces a struggle if she is ever going to be a mother.
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly is in the vein of classic children’s books such as Charlotte’s Web and Animal Farm, but it has a spirit of its own. Though it uses simple language, the story it tells is complex and nuanced in its depiction of someone going against their given role in society and facing danger and rejection as a result. It shows both the difficulties and rewards of this kind of life, and ultimately comes down on the side of nonconformity and individualism against tradition and compliance.
Sprout is a wonderful character: lovable, strong, determined, and empathetic. It’s very easy to root for her as she strives for what she wants, and I was quickly invested in her story. She faces obstacle after obstacle, and overcomes them with both grit and warmth, and in the process grows and changes as a person (hen?). The other characters – among them Straggler (another social reject), the rooster (the head of the barn), and the vicious weasel – are memorable and well-rounded, proving worthy counterpoints to Sprout herself.
The story itself is sad, somewhat hard-going, and in places surprisingly dark, but with moments of real joy and triumph. Sprout’s journey is a long and hard one, and as she embarks on it, you experience the ups and downs along with her. The narrative is rewarding and thought-provoking, character- rather than plot-focused, and when all is taken into account, extremely moving.
If I have any criticisms, it’s that some of the supporting characters could have been more fleshed out. As it is, they’re built to serve narrative purposes than seeming like three-dimensional characters themselves. This is a minor point, though, and doesn’t do any harm to the book itself.
The Hen Who Dreamed That She Could Fly will definitely go down as one of my favourite reads this year. It might be a children’s book, but its depth and complexity mean that there’s a lot for adults to take from it too. It will resonate with anyone’s who’s ever felt like they don’t fit in.
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly is in the vein of classic children’s books such as Charlotte’s Web and Animal Farm, but it has a spirit of its own. Though it uses simple language, the story it tells is complex and nuanced in its depiction of someone going against their given role in society and facing danger and rejection as a result. It shows both the difficulties and rewards of this kind of life, and ultimately comes down on the side of nonconformity and individualism against tradition and compliance.
Sprout is a wonderful character: lovable, strong, determined, and empathetic. It’s very easy to root for her as she strives for what she wants, and I was quickly invested in her story. She faces obstacle after obstacle, and overcomes them with both grit and warmth, and in the process grows and changes as a person (hen?). The other characters – among them Straggler (another social reject), the rooster (the head of the barn), and the vicious weasel – are memorable and well-rounded, proving worthy counterpoints to Sprout herself.
The story itself is sad, somewhat hard-going, and in places surprisingly dark, but with moments of real joy and triumph. Sprout’s journey is a long and hard one, and as she embarks on it, you experience the ups and downs along with her. The narrative is rewarding and thought-provoking, character- rather than plot-focused, and when all is taken into account, extremely moving.
If I have any criticisms, it’s that some of the supporting characters could have been more fleshed out. As it is, they’re built to serve narrative purposes than seeming like three-dimensional characters themselves. This is a minor point, though, and doesn’t do any harm to the book itself.
The Hen Who Dreamed That She Could Fly will definitely go down as one of my favourite reads this year. It might be a children’s book, but its depth and complexity mean that there’s a lot for adults to take from it too. It will resonate with anyone’s who’s ever felt like they don’t fit in.
review written by Charlie Alcock
RSS Feed
