Equally poignant is Rob's compassion for one of the swans, Uncle Tallulah, when he suffers a broken left wing and has it woefully dragging down beside him, feathers fraying.
Rob must choose between a mercy killing or having the wing surgically removed. This novel becomes an honest-to-god tearjerker while Rob agonizes over what life would be like for a swan with one wing.
The farmer and the swan get safely beyond that on a journey of mutual survival. En route, the sly and saddened Uncle Tallulah will steal your heart away. You'll never forget him. You'll surely want to say a prayer for him when hope arises that he'll fly over the lake once again.