Bear
By Julia Phillips
Adult Fiction
I found the book Bear by Julia Phillips in a charming bookstore in Pike Place Market in Seattle. I was drawn to the simple title and its mesmerizing watercolor cover. And I’m so glad I picked it up. Bear brings us a story of two sisters living in the Pacific Northwest whose predictable lives become flipped upside down when an unusual black bear appears at their home.
The sisters, Sam and Elena, have always been inseparable: always together while caring for their terminally ill mother, they battle medical bills and the waves of poverty. However, the arrival of the bear tears at the joints of their bond. Sam is immediately fearful of the bear; she believes the bear’s presence is a threat to their family. But Elena becomes obsessed, viewing the bear’s presence as a magical escape.
As the weight of managing their sick mother buckles, the bear’s visits increase. Dealing with the bear exposes Sam and Elena’s long-held resentments and traumas. In time, the bear’s presence reveals the girls’ true dreams and desires as well. The author allows us to explore how grief and isolation can distort the closest of bonds, while also diving headfirst into the truth of economic struggle. Bear is a beautiful story that blends the magic of nature with the psychological pressures of heartache and deprivation. It reminds us of the true wonders of the natural world and how our true longings lie beneath our layers.
Reviewed by Carrie Pung
Butman-Fish Library
