A bear sighting on an island in the Pacific Northwest changes the lives of 2 sisters who are caring for their dieing mother. A solemn book filled with tragedy but a solid plot kept me turning the pages.

I really enjoyed Phillips’ debut novel, Disappearing Earth (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2020/01/review-of-disappearing-earth-by-julia.html), so looked forward to her next novel. It’s very different but just as great a read.

Sam and Elena are sisters living on San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest. They have unrewarding jobs in the hospitality industry as they struggle financially to make ends meet. Besides a mortgage and living expenses, their mother’s terminal illness has resulted in spiraling medical bills. One day a bear turns up outside their home. Sam is terrified but Elena is enchanted and exhilarated by its presence, so much so that she encourages further encounters. The bond between the sisters frays as they clash over their perceptions of the bear’s repeated appearances in their lives.

The story is narrated from the third person point of view but entirely from Sam’s perspective. As the novel progresses, the reader cannot but question the reliability of her viewpoint, especially when it becomes clear that Sam may not know her older sister as well as she thinks.

The sisters, though very close in age, are very different. Self-absorbed and very reliant on Elena, Sam is emotionally immature. She rages against her lot in life, always complaining about the world’s injustices: she sees the “whole world . . . [as] twisted and threatening and completely unfair.” She is resentful of anyone she perceives as having more than she does, whether that be money, education, or opportunities. Her resentments often have little basis in reality because she always assumes the worst. For instance, she assumes that Ben, the man with whom she has regular sex, thinks she is ignorant because he has seen more of the world, and she is angry because he has more freedom than she has. Restless, she yearns to get away, dreaming of a better future once their mother dies and they can sell the house and leave the boredom and oppressive nature of their lives. She is a fantasist, coping with life by telling herself stories, with a skill “of picturing things better than they would ever be.”

Elena, on the other hand, is the pragmatist who faces obstacles calmly. She’s the one who deals with life’s practicalities such as paying the bills. She’s the organized and reliable one who takes most responsibility for the care of their mother. It’s very telling that when Sam helps her mother to the bathroom, her mother asks her not to be rough and not to rush. Elena has the patience Sam does not. Unlike Sam, Elena is always smiling and friendly with others.

How the sisters respond to the bear illustrates their personalities. One sees the bear as a threat, the other, as a wonder. Sam wonders and worries why the bear chose their house while Elena thinks they’re so lucky that it did. Sam wants to flee the situation whereas Elena wants to embrace it, saying, “’What’s going on here is not dangerous. It’s magical. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to us.’” She speaks of it as “a specter, a spirit, an extraordinary beast. A visitor from someplace enchanted. A vision of the mysterious world.”

And the arrival of the bear unravels their closeness, bringing to the forefront frustrations, worries, and resentments. The bear is really a metaphor for all that is keeping them apart. Both have secrets not shared with the other sibling. Sam realizes how different she and her sister really are, though to the reader it’s more obvious that Sam doesn’t really know her sister as well as she thinks. Like about other people, she makes assumptions about Elena, and she has expectations of her that are not grounded in reality.

What speaks to the complexity of the character development is that both sisters are both relatable and frustrating. Elena’s behaviour, enticing the bear with food, is both illegal and an inappropriate obsession. The wildlife expert warns of the dangers of feeding, both to humans and the animal. On the other hand, it is possible to understand how the constant stresses in her life can lead to her seeing the bear as a friend, as a symbol of possibilities in life; even the wildlife expert says that when people are overwhelmed, they “’act without thinking. It’s completely understandable.’” A bear is a wild and potentially dangerous animal so Sam’s worries are not without merit, but then I couldn’t help but wonder if her concerns are for Elena’s safety or because of jealousy of the bear. Some of her actions are manipulative, selfish attempts to get Elena to agree with Sam’s plans for the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is a great deal to ponder: the symbolism of the bear is one topic worthy of analysis, and the purposes of the parallels to the “Snow-White and Rose-Red” fairy tale is another. The causes of rifts in relationships as portrayed in the novel would also make a good essay topic. My first reading left me with a lot to think about, and I think a second reading would reveal more layers and nuances.

A lovely story of two sisters. I enjoyed the writing and the setting. However I had a hard time staying in the story. This is one I will have to reread at another time.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title for my honest review.

A beautifully written story of two sisters living at the poverty line on San Juan island thanks to medical bills whose lives are changed by the arrival of a bear. Sam and Elena are cobbling together work to keep themselves fed and their mother, crippled by lung illness caused by having inhaled nail polish over the years, in medicine. Sam works concessions on the ferry (great atmospherics) while Elena waitresses. And then the bear comes to their house, a bear that frightens Sam and entrances Elena, who can't quit it. Sam's put all her hopes and dreams on selling their house and land when their mother dies but Elena has secrets, secrets that lead to a break between them. This deserves to be read without spoilers- it's carefully crafted with tension, emotion, and a big heart. Phillips has created an indelible portrait of a young woman who wants more. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A terrific read - highly recommend.

Julia Phillips has written another flawless book that plays the long game; melding extreme psychological suspense of a beautiful, sometimes sinister, Northwest coast island landscape with the complexity of a very insular sister relationship, where silence and the accrual of secrets can wring horror and betrayal out of the tedious repetitive details of everyday life. There is so much is going on here; Sam and Elena have lived in the very conflicted tangle of being responsible for their beloved dying single mother for a very long time. The mounting medical bills and the constant care she requires have dictated the deferral of their dreams for the future, both are stuck in a falling down too small house, in mind-numbing minimum wage jobs and a kind of fierce isolation that is fed only by the eventual escape plan that fuel their lives. They need no one but each other. Or at least that’s what Sam thinks as she suffers through another shift at the concession stand on the ferry that circles the island, while Elena works at a dead-end server’s job, and tries to manage their furiously accumulating debt with dead eye resignation. But then a bear enters their lives, a very large one, and Elena is strangely taken with it, and seems to be drawn into a dangerous secretive game of seeking it out. Sam will do anything to protect her sister and their fragile lives from this bear, but will anything be enough? And has Elena already been taken from her by another agenda that Sam is only starting to be aware of? Phillip’s gorgeous precision of language when describing the unsteady exterior and interior life of Sam and her family, living on the edge of economic disaster as the bear closes in, is a white knuckled workout. And the ending, so masterfully executed, is a wonder. Do not miss this book!

Gorgeously written book about two sisters in a small island town of San Juan, Washington. Told from the perspective of Sam, who is both sad and tough yet delicate. Sam’s mother is ill, money is scarce and all the the sisters have is one another. Or so Sam thinks until a bear shows up outside of their house. The Bears appearance creatives waves in the town.

I really was drawn in immediately to this story: the writing was stunning, from the descriptions of the water, the town, the women, the mom. I was really captivated. I’m sure this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but for those that love more literary prose, exploration of sibling relationships and even grief this one will be a knockout.

4+ stars

SYNOPSIS
- Two sisters, Sam & Elena, live with their dying mother on San Juan Island. Money is tight. Sam works the concessions on the ferry, and Elena is a waitress at a golf club.
- After a bear swims onto the island, he starts making appearances.
- The bear’s appearances ripple through the sisters’ lives.

MY THOUGHTS
- Very unique premise.
- 1 POV (Sam’s).
- Sam is such an unlikeable character. She has no redeeming qualities.
- Enjoyed the writing style & the setting & exploring the theme of sisterhood.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️unique premise with enjoyable setting & writing style. heavy on theme sisterhood & relationship of 2 sisters.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchanges for an honest review. This book will be published on June 25, 2024.

Let me start by saying this book is sad and will make you reflect on the story and life. You need to be in the mood for a book that will make you dig a little deeper to truly enjoy and appreciate the story the author has written. The story is very loosely inspired by the fairytale Snow-White & Rose-Red.

This story is told from Sam's POV. She's 28 years old and is the younger sister to Elena, who's 30 years old. They live in the San Juan Islands in a dilapidated home, caring for their mother who has been ill for some time. Both are working in the service industry and are barely scraping by. This story does touch briefly on the Covid pandemic, and how this put them further into a mess.

Sam's character may come across as selfish and depressing, and I think that's because her character IS selfish and depressed. Her life is nothing like she expected it to be, and she's been clinging to the dream of leaving the island for better opportunities when her mother passes and she and Elena can sell the home and land and get a fresh start. As someone who also barely makes it by most of the time, I related to Sam's character. There's a part where Sam is talking about how they just can't get ahead because it's one emergency or urgent thing after another. She's unhappy in her job and trying to make additional funds where she can, but the opportunities aren't necessarily realistic or lucrative. The author makes Sam's sadness and desperation come through very clearly.

One thing that would have made this story more believable is if Sam and Elena had a few years more between them. There were times were Elena was so responsible, and Sam was clueless but it seemed odd since they were only two years apart (I think it even makes the distinction of 14-17 months difference in age, if I remember correctly). I think had Sam been a few years younger, some of her naivete would seem more authentic.

The ending of this book is hard to describe. It's simultaneously heartbreaking, and yet you do get some satisfaction at seeing some goals reached. Again, I think had Sam been just a few years younger, her actions at the end would have made more sense, and been more believable and it would have had a larger impact. Instead, it felt like an odd combo of sadness, and misunderstandings, and it made you wonder how well the characters really knew and cared for each other.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I do think you need to be in a certain mood for this novel, but the imagery and atmosphere are beautifully composed, and I felt the author captured Sam's desperation and sadness exquisitely.

This book had a lot more to it than the publisher's blurb included. You are thrown into the head of one sister, and watching the secrets of their family continue to unravel throughout the story. The ending surprised me. I wanted more for the sisters. The writing was exquisite, and there were many quotable lines. You feel like you are stuck in the small town right along with the sisters.

This had a great premise but the synopsis (2 sisters looking to get out of their hometown but anchored there by there sick mother have 2 very different reactions when a bear appears at their door) pretty much tells you the entire story. Almost nothing else happens - which would normally be fine - I love literary fiction with little to no plot, as long as there is a compelling story. Unfortunately there wasn’t. It ended as expected and was terribly sad. I wish it had a little more substance!

A character driven book, this story is set around a tightly knit family of two sisters and their dying mother. It set in on San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest. Their strength is their love for each other. They struggle to care for their mother and have fallen into the dark hole mounting debt as a result of medial bills and Covid related job loss.
Sam works on a ferry and is the protagonist of the book. She is also a someone without a clear sense of purpose or independence. She feels like a cog in the wheel, less than those around her with no goals other than to sell her mother's house and move somewhere different. Elena, the sister, carries the brunt of the responsibilities. She has a job as a waitress with more of a social life. While Sam feels her future is tied to Elena's, that is not necessarily true of her sister.
They each encounter the Bear. The feeling he brings is different to each girl. To Sam he is danger, fear, instability. To Elena he is magic, fantasy, escapism, In reality he is a wild bear and respect for all that beauty and power should not have been forgotten by either woman. The story unfolds as we follow the woman following their mother's death. We see relationships they have built and effects one of these relationships has on the sisters themselves. The bear always lurks in the background. The ending is surprising. I liked the characters and the fact that they were flawed and raw. I found some of the story forced, it did not flow together as cleanly as I had hoped. Great storyline and a unique book to read. 3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth Publishing for an advance copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

This is a genuinely well written to book. Even though I found it a bit dry, it was very readable because of the excellent writing.

Unfortunately it was dull for me and probably full of symbolism I frankly didn’t want to try to figure out.

The characters are realistic in that they have flaws and get stuck in inertia, but they aren’t perfect and not necessarily likable.

This wasn’t an out of the park book for me, but I know many will love it.

This was not at all what I was expecting, and I felt a bit let down by the overall execution of this second novel by Phillips. The eerie and atmospheric setting in the San Juan Islands of Washington state seemed like the perfect spot for a Bear encounter. And while it changes the lives of the two sisters, Sam and Elena, their relationship was extremely frustrating. I felt sad for Sam - clearly struggling with emotional trauma that no one recognized - but also found her detachment and condescension equally annoying. Elena wasn't much better.

The secrets, the struggle to care for their dying mother, and Elena's obsession with the bear that appears one morning at their home, was a frustrating read for me. I finished it and there were definitely parts I liked - the setting, the descriptive writing, and the bear itself. The tragic ending was a bit too heavy handed for me and no one escapes unscathed.

I've read other reviews that offer a more positive outlook on the novel. I also learned that this is loosely based on the fairy tale of Snow White and her sister Rose Red, one I'd never heard of. In the fable, the sisters also encounter a mysterious bear and begin to care for it. But that seems to be where the similarities end.

Very unique story about two girls suffering a long life on an island with a mother who is dying who once put them in a precarious situation with an abusive boyfriend. One of the sisters turns to a bear for comfort and guidance - Very interesting - not a book I would normally read but the writing was excellent.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC for Bear to read and review.

The concept of this book was fascinating and enticing. Unfortunately, this book just didn't hit for me.

Between the words "Once upon a time..." and "...they all lived happily ever after" lives a vast chasm of fairy tale dreams and optimistic, rose-colored hopes. So proclaim the Brothers Grimm in their allegorical tales of yore. Though far more sanitized offerings in this genre have been offered up more recently, in this novel, the author offers neither characters nor reader any such pass.

In Julia Phillips' newest work entitled "Bear," we find a modern tale of two "lost in the woods" sisters. Having lived a less than fairy tale perfect life on San Juan Island off the coast of Washington since birth, the now adult siblings must deal with the aftermath of more than their share of life's inequities. In uniquely different ways, each chooses to believe their own sort of "fairy tale dream" of someday replacing their painful circumstances with a happier and far more carefree life.

As we all know, fairy tales are at their core cautionary tales. "Bear" is most certainly a beautifully and poignantly written example of a modern take on this genre. However, please note that it is adults (and most certainly not children) who are its intended audience. From beginning to end, this story is quite grim. (Please note my purposeful use of the lowercase g here.) Phillips liberally layers much that is bitter among the less plentiful layers of sweetnesses that comprise the lives of those who dare to dream themselves a better life.

There are some novels that stay with a reader. "Bear" will be one of those books for me. There is much to reflect upon here, not the least of which is the book's contemplation of how much do our dreams really shape our lives. And if they indeed do so, does that necessarily mean one will be happier in that life?? "Happily ever after" within that framework really is a very complicated proposition!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank author, publisher, and NetGalley for sending this galley copy my way! Once I began the tale...I could not stop until the tale was full and thoroughly told! Few books of late have compelled me to pause my "real" and far less than "fairy tale perfect life" in order to see a book through in such a sooner than later fashion!

This novel enjoys a publication date of June 25, 2024.

#Bear
#JuliaPhillips
#NetGalley

Okay- This book is very weird, which I usually really enjoy. It's not that I didn't enjoy this, but I wanted to like it more. I do think that some of it went over my head and there were some aspects that I was overthinking about. I'm going to be thinking about it long after reading, but it wasn't my favorite experience while reading.

What an unexpected, vibrating, lyrical fable about sisters, the Pacific Northwest, and a bear.

Elena and Sam, barely a year apart in age, have moved through life as one. Their mother, young when she’d had her girls, has become gravely ill, and as the two care for her, wait for her imminent death, they formulate a plan.

They will leave as soon as they can, leave the burden of an island that offers no charm, no future, only sadness and the most difficult of memories. Working class girls tending to the wealthy feel like a felled tree the chasm between what they have and what they don’t, can’t, won’t have. They must escape.

But then the bear shows up.

First, Sam sees it swimming through the narrow channels, then it appears at their home, sitting outside one morning, where Elena awakens to find it. She’s enthralled, seemingly possessed by the bear.

And as Sam begins to see the danger Elena is choosing - perhaps in an effort to feel something other than the great burden her young life has become - she also finds that her truth and Elena’s diverged years ago. Sam doesn’t know anything about the girl who has become a woman, the person who was like an appendage of her own body but is now in a fairy tale of her own making opposite an enormous grizzly.

And the aftermath of the truth has no choice but to be devastating.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC. This one comes out June 25, 2024.

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I was drawn to this arc because of this description: “A mesmerizing tale of two sisters living on a Pacific Northwest Island whose lives are upended by an unexpected visitor - a tale of family, obsession and a mysterious creature in the woods.”
Sisters Sam and Elena are caring for their sick mother, and are generally having a really hard time coping with all that life is throwing at them. A bear mysteriously appears in their yard and Elena is fascinated and somewhat obsessed with his presence. Sam is struggling to understand her interest and as their mother’s health deteriorates so does their relationship.
This was such an odd and sad story. There are stunning scenes that describe the love between these two sisters and their deep bond. The setting on San Juan Islands was excellently described and the way in which Phillips suggests that we long for “home” is very well done. This was a short read that I felt at times was slow, repetitive and all a bit beyond me. I did read a review that said this novel was a mythical retelling of Snow White and Rose Red.) Am I just finding out now that Rose Red was the sister of Snow White? Yes I am. This novel would have worked better for me having both sister’s perspectives instead of just having Sam as narrator. Still mulling the ending! 🧐
Not a big fan of this… but have seen many reviews that are very favorable. Just my honest thoughts here friends!

*many thanks to @randomhouse for the eARC of Bear, to be published June 25,2024, in exchange for an honest review.*

I really liked this one! I’ve been meaning to read Disappearing Earth for years and was excited to get the chance to read Bear by the author.

Looking at other reviews I’m seeing this is a sort of Grimm’s Fairytale retelling, which makes sense now that I’ve finished. But not having read the inspiration material, I enjoyed this at face value nonetheless.

The appearance of a bear upends the lives of two sisters struggling to make ends meet and care for their dying mother. The sisters react in very different ways to the bear and as the story unfolds you learn neither sister is who you thought at first. I really enjoyed the slow unfolding of the personalities of these sisters.

The ending absolutely took me by surprise and I honestly really appreciated the direction it went.