Renowned author Richard Rashke’s new book, Wounded Wing, is a magical love story for children from nine to ninety-nine. It’s about betrayal and forgiveness, greed and justice, healing and hope, courage and delight. Set in the ancient kingdom of Japan, this retelling of a folktale is brought to life by Julie Psenicka’s elegant paintings inspired by the traditional Japanese ink-wash style.
In this enduring tale of love and loss, an injured crane named Tsuu falls in love with the poor farmer who nurses her back to health. She takes human form and marries him, protecting him from the unreasonable demands of his greedy landlords by weaving an exquisite cloth for the empress. She asks only that her husband never look upon her at the loom. When he breaks his sacred promise and learns her secret, a heartbroken Tsuu must navigate the complexities of betrayal and forgiveness.
This beautifully written fantasy novella is a retelling of the Japanese folktale known as The Crane Maiden and one you won’t soon forget! The story focuses on an injured crane that’s rescued by a poor farmer and repays his kindness, only for a sacred promise to be broken—doesn’t that sound intriguing?? The author takes the folktale and transforms it into an enchanting story full with magic, romance, and wonder. If you haven’t read any of Rashke’s work before like me, this novella is a great intro to his imaginative and immersive writing. Despite being only 134 pages, the story took me on an emotional journey, and I was really invested in the crane protagonist, Tsuu, who lives through her heart and shows so much empathy. And I was surprised by how many other elements were woven in—shape-shifting magic, hidden identity, star-crossed lovers, sacrifice for love, forbidden secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness!
Told mostly from Tsuu’s POV, you get to experience the ancient Japanese forest (and farm land) through the eyes of a pure-hearted, intelligent crane. The prologue and afterlog are narrated by the Game Warden of the Mighty Emperor, and he makes the story feel like an ancient legend that’s been told forever—and he also plays a key role in the story!
I loved how much folklore is seamlessly woven. In Tsuu’s inner dialogue, she talks about her close relationship with her mother, the sacred rules that the crane folk must obey, the dangers that humans pose, and the connection they have with the forests and skies. Once Yohei finds her injured, their magnetic connection is immediately felt—and because Tsuu has been secretly watching him from the trees, she trusts him. As Yohei spends his only money on a healing salve for her wounded wing, you can’t help but love him and be intrigued by how their relationship will evolve. Without giving anything away, crane tradition requires Tsuu to repay him for saving her life, and a magical sequence of events leads to a star-crossed connection.
What made this book so special were the beautiful lyrical verse passages that appeared in meaningful scenes. Some of the verses sound like tender folk songs exchanged between Tsuu and Yohei as their feelings deepen, while those from Jiro and Kane, the greedy landowners, are dark humor vibes—but they all have interesting messages and add to the enchanting tone of the story.
The short chapters, immersive writing, lyrical verses, and vivid fairytale-like descriptions make the novella engaging from start to finish. The chapters have intriguing titles that foreshadow what’s about to happen and the themes that will be explored next. There are also many great themes beyond the fantasy and romance that make the novella suitable for “children 9 to 99,” just as stated at the beginning. The importance of kindness, the consequences of greed, loyalty, selflessness, forgiveness, and respect for nature are themes that really stand out.
The climactic scenes deliver a satisfying sense of poetic justice, and the ending includes a compelling sacrifice and transformation that will pull at your heartstrings—so be sure to have some tissues nearby! 😭 I loved how the afterlog made the story feel complete, kept the magical vibe of the book, and lingered with me afterward. If you enjoy folklore, fairytale retellings, lyrical writing, memorable characters, or whimsical stories with meaningful themes, don’t think twice about picking this one up—you’ll love it!
Narrator Performance
Wounded Wing is narrated by seasoned voice actor Rebecca Avery. She gives protagonist Tsuu a gentle, warm, and almost ethereal voice that conveys her kind-hearted, innocent nature and works perfectly for a folktale retelling. In Tsuu’s inner dialogue, as she talks about watching over Yohei from the trees and about her crane flock, Avery’s delivery emphasizes her compassion for Yohei and respect for her fellow cranes, her mother, and the forest.
A real highlight of the narration is how Avery conveys the relationship between Tsuu and Yohei. When Tsuu is first observing him in her crane form, Avery uses a curious, affectionate tone that makes their connection feel inevitable. Once they begin communicating, there’s a warmth in their exchanges, and you can literally hear the bond developing between them. Another major highlight is the delivery of the interspersed lyrical verses. Avery narrates these passages with perfect pacing and rhythm to draw you in and enhance the fairytale vibe—and they add a musical vibe to the listening experience!
Yohei is portrayed with a humble, sincere-sounding voice that captures the farmer’s good nature and kind spirit. As the story unfolds and Yohei is forced to deal with the corrupt landowners Jiro and Kane, Avery subtly shifts her performance to show a stronger, more resourceful side to his personality that you may not be expecting—and you’ll love the character even more. In contrast, Jiro and Kane are given voices that emphasize their greed and arrogance. Jiro, in particular, is given a larger-than-life personality that reeks of entitlement and obsession with wealth—and you’ll be rooting against him. When poetic justice finally arrives, Avery’s delivery makes it that much sweeter!
The final chapters are where Avery’s performance really shines. As Tsuu faces difficult choices, there’s so much emotion—joy, sadness, and relief—that comes through, and I felt overwhelmed and emotional alongside the character. The scenes that follow involving love, sacrifice, and transformation are eloquently narrated, perfect for a thought-provoking ending. In the afterlog, told from the POV of the Game Warden of the Mighty Emperor, there’s a noticeable (and refreshing) shift in tone that gives more closure and gives the sense that you’ve just listened to a story that’s been passed down generations. If all of this sounds appealing, don’t hesitate to grab a copy of this audio—Rebecca Avery’s narration will take you on an emotional journey that you won’t soon forget!
Narrator Performance
Wounded Wing is narrated by seasoned voice actor Rebecca Avery. She gives protagonist Tsuu a gentle, warm, and almost ethereal voice that conveys her kind-hearted, innocent nature and works perfectly for a folktale retelling. In Tsuu’s inner dialogue, as she talks about watching over Yohei from the trees and about her crane flock, Avery’s delivery emphasizes her compassion for Yohei and respect for her fellow cranes, her mother, and the forest.
A real highlight of the narration is how Avery conveys the relationship between Tsuu and Yohei. When Tsuu is first observing him in her crane form, Avery uses a curious, affectionate tone that makes their connection feel inevitable. Once they begin communicating, there’s a warmth in their exchanges, and you can literally hear the bond developing between them. Another major highlight is the delivery of the interspersed lyrical verses. Avery narrates these passages with perfect pacing and rhythm to draw you in and enhance the fairytale vibe—and they add a musical vibe to the listening experience!
Yohei is portrayed with a humble, sincere-sounding voice that captures the farmer’s good nature and kind spirit. As the story unfolds and Yohei is forced to deal with the corrupt landowners Jiro and Kane, Avery subtly shifts her performance to show a stronger, more resourceful side to his personality that you may not be expecting—and you’ll love the character even more. In contrast, Jiro and Kane are given voices that emphasize their greed and arrogance. Jiro, in particular, is given a larger-than-life personality that reeks of entitlement and obsession with wealth—and you’ll be rooting against him. When poetic justice finally arrives, Avery’s delivery makes it that much sweeter!
The final chapters are where Avery’s performance really shines. As Tsuu faces difficult choices, there’s so much emotion—joy, sadness, and relief—that comes through, and I felt overwhelmed and emotional alongside the character. The scenes that follow involving love, sacrifice, and transformation are eloquently narrated, perfect for a thought-provoking ending. In the afterlog, told from the POV of the Game Warden of the Mighty Emperor, there’s a noticeable (and refreshing) shift in tone that gives more closure and gives the sense that you’ve just listened to a story that’s been passed down generations. If all of this sounds appealing, don’t hesitate to grab a copy of this audio—Rebecca Avery’s narration will take you on an emotional journey that you won’t soon forget!
Wounded Wing is narrated by seasoned voice actor Rebecca Avery. She gives protagonist Tsuu a gentle, warm, and almost ethereal voice that conveys her kind-hearted, innocent nature and works perfectly for a folktale retelling. In Tsuu’s inner dialogue, as she talks about watching over Yohei from the trees and about her crane flock, Avery’s delivery emphasizes her compassion for Yohei and respect for her fellow cranes, her mother, and the forest.
A real highlight of the narration is how Avery conveys the relationship between Tsuu and Yohei. When Tsuu is first observing him in her crane form, Avery uses a curious, affectionate tone that makes their connection feel inevitable. Once they begin communicating, there’s a warmth in their exchanges, and you can literally hear the bond developing between them. Another major highlight is the delivery of the interspersed lyrical verses. Avery narrates these passages with perfect pacing and rhythm to draw you in and enhance the fairytale vibe—and they add a musical vibe to the listening experience!
Yohei is portrayed with a humble, sincere-sounding voice that captures the farmer’s good nature and kind spirit. As the story unfolds and Yohei is forced to deal with the corrupt landowners Jiro and Kane, Avery subtly shifts her performance to show a stronger, more resourceful side to his personality that you may not be expecting—and you’ll love the character even more. In contrast, Jiro and Kane are given voices that emphasize their greed and arrogance. Jiro, in particular, is given a larger-than-life personality that reeks of entitlement and obsession with wealth—and you’ll be rooting against him. When poetic justice finally arrives, Avery’s delivery makes it that much sweeter!
The final chapters are where Avery’s performance really shines. As Tsuu faces difficult choices, there’s so much emotion—joy, sadness, and relief—that comes through, and I felt overwhelmed and emotional alongside the character. The scenes that follow involving love, sacrifice, and transformation are eloquently narrated, perfect for a thought-provoking ending. In the afterlog, told from the POV of the Game Warden of the Mighty Emperor, there’s a noticeable (and refreshing) shift in tone that gives more closure and gives the sense that you’ve just listened to a story that’s been passed down generations. If all of this sounds appealing, don’t hesitate to grab a copy of this audio—Rebecca Avery’s narration will take you on an emotional journey that you won’t soon forget!
