Books › The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
144 pages
A spare, philosophical fable that explores the profound sacrifices of motherhood and the quiet triumph of living life on one's own terms.
What it feels like
Reading this slim, beautifully illustrated volume feels like stepping into a timeless, philosophical fable. The prose is simply told yet deeply absorbing, carrying a steady pace that balances the harsh realities of fate and tragedy with the tender joys of chosen family. It wraps the reader in a mood that is at once melancholy and profoundly hopeful, exploring the deep sacrifices required to nurture the next generation and the healing power of unexpected friendships. With its spare but evocative style, the narrative offers a quiet meditation on individuality and perseverance. It will deeply resonate with readers who appreciate emotionally rich, allegorical tales that confront life's hardships while celebrating the enduring strength of a mother's love and the courage to forge one's own path.
- Mood
- melancholy
- hopeful
- reflective
- tender
- Tone
- philosophical
- earnest
- evocative
- subtle
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- sacrifices of parenthood · finding purpose · chosen family · perseverance through hardship · nature versus nurture · embracing individuality
- The writing
- Simply told and spare, yet deeply evocative and absorbing, reading much like a timeless fable.
- The arc
- Moves from restless longing and isolation through the joyful sacrifices of motherhood, culminating in a poignant acceptance of life's hardships and fate.
- Who it's for
- Readers seeking a philosophical, emotionally resonant fable about motherhood, perseverance, and finding one's place in the world.
Content notes
- tragedy
- death
- animal hardship
- social isolation
About the book
The road of life is paved with hardships, even tragedy. Fate is implacable; we all must die. Yet it's possible to achieve happiness, and to make a positive contribution to humanity, if one perseveres. This is the lesson of this simply told but absorbing fable, a two million–copy bestseller in South Korea, and a story that will appeal to readers of self-help. The protagonist is a philosophically restless hen who yearns to raise a chick, but her eggs are collected daily by the farmer's wife. The hen encapsulates her longing in the name Sprout, which she gives to herself, signifying the fecundity of nature. Determined to do something with her life, Sprout escapes from her cage into the barnyard, but she's shunned by all its denizens except another outsider like herself, a mallard duck called Straggler. His lifesaving friendship enables Sprout to achieve one of her dreams: she hatches an egg she discovers in a briar patch, at first unaware that her offspring is not a chick, but a duckling. The book explores the joys of parenthood and the sacrifices required to nurture the next generation, the healing bonds of friendship, and the tug-of-war between nature and nurture. Spare but evocative line drawings by the Japanese artist Nomoco add to the subtle charm of this slim volume.
Description from Open Library.
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