Totally original! Some of the scenarios felt so natural to me, such as the mundane jobs and communication issues between the sisters. I truly felt the infatuation with the bear in their otherwise predictable lives.

Set on the San Juan Islands, “Bear”, by Julia Phillips is the story of two sisters living with and taking care of their terminally ill mother and struggling to make ends meet. In the midst of all this, a surprise visitor arrives, a giant Bear, that shows up unexpectedly on the island.

I was immediately drawn to this cover and am always pulled to the San Juan islands as a setting for a book despite the fact that they are still on my bucket list to visit. This book delivered on the moodiness and sense of place of Friday Harbor. However, this book struggled to deliver what I was hoping to find as far as plot and characters. In my opinion this book had multiple themes with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, none of them were flushed out for me to really understand the main thread. I had to keep guessing at the “point” that the author was trying to make, and because of that, I might have missed what the author was trying to achieve. And despite the multiple themes, there wasn’t a lot going on as far as action. The book was somewhat repetitive and read more literary, but without the character growth that I was anticipating. In fact, the ending was Incredibly disappointing because I did not see the growth of the characters. All of this said, I finished the book in two days and struggled to put it down while I was reading. The themes that I was building up in my mind, and the growth that I was expecting created a good book.... it just didn’t deliver in the end.

This book is a good choice for someone that doesn’t require a happily-ever-after and looks for hidden meanings in what they read. The story is centered around Sam, a selfish character that lives in a world of her own thoughts and desires and is oblivious to the real world happening around her. She takes no responsibility for her actions nor does she make any effort to better her situation.

I struggled with how to rate this book. I loved the setting on an island in the Pacific Northwest. But overall, I thought the book was depressingly sad and didn’t care for the storyline or the characters or the ending. It just wasn’t for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I expected there to be a hint of paranormal in this unusual book. Seems like there was room for that but the author stuck with the mostly realistic. I found the story bland, depressing and was glad to be finished.

I really tried to like this book. It started off great but throughout the story I lost interest. The writing style was great and I continued reading because I was interested enough to want to know how it ended. This book was not for me, and I’ll explain below, but it might be the book for you, so please read other high star reviews!

Bear was a story about two sisters and their experience with an actual bear that is roaming their hometown. I didn’t appreciate the fear mongering and normalization of approaching wildlife in this story. I could usually look past these things for the integrity of the book, but this book honestly wasn’t good enough for me to feel captivated into believing the rhetoric. I didn’t love the dependence and obsession that one sister had with the other. The ending was terrible.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Bear by Julia Phillips in exchange for my true thoughts.

Bear, by Julia Phillps, is a mesmerizing tale of two sisters, Sam and Elena, struggling to survive as their mother’s health slips away. Living in a crumbling house on a remote island off the coast of Washington, the two sisters work as waitresses on the ferry from the mainland and in the local golf club, while they dream of escaping to find new lives. Sam feels like “Cinderella picking lentils from the ashes,” and her fleeting relationship with a fellow ferry worker does little to provide her any spiritual comfort, but when she spots a bear swimming in the waters off the island and tells her sister about it, everything in their lives begins to change. Elena is entranced by the bear, a grizzly that marks the side of their house with his secretions and returns to devour the food left out for him, but Sam is frightened by the bear and contacts authorities and biologists in the hopes of removing him from their property.

Readers of fairy tales will recognize the patterns of The Brothers Grimm “Snow White and Rose Red” beneath Julia Phillips’ stark and stunning prose, but although Bear features two sisters (one light and conforming and one dark and rebellious), a devoted mother, a bear that enters the women’s domestic space, and even a bearded dwarf constellation, the novel is anything but a fairy tale. Phillips sets her novel solidly in contemporary, post-pandemic times, and her plot replaces storybook enchantment with an appreciation for the harsh and unforgiving natural world, with Elena explaining that the bear is magical and the best thing that ever happened to the sisters. Woven with flashbacks to their childhood, the novel presents Sam and Elena, now both close to thirty, attempting to reconcile their different approaches to life in the wake of their mother’s illness and the bear’s appearance.

I loved the authentic exploration of the sister’s tense but endearing bond in the novel. Together, they have faced an isolating childhood in a small community, and they have survived their mother’s abusive boyfriend, though his shadowy presence haunts the relationships both sisters enter into in their adulthood. As Sam and Elena’s life goals and responsibilities start to diverge, they must ask themselves where their devotion to each other ends and their individual desires begin. Phillips’ harrowing novel rings with the dark truths of life itself, and although it is heavily informed by fairy tales, the only happily-ever-after is found in the stories the sisters tell to comfort their heartbreak and loneliness. This book is a must-read for those who enjoy realistic, contemporary fairy tale retellings and nuanced explorations of family relationships. I will be thinking about Bear for a long time to come!

Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

ulia Phillips' "Bear" is a mesmerizing tale that delves into the complexities of sisterhood, the allure of the unknown, and the profound impact of unexpected encounters. Set on a remote island off the Washington coast, the story follows Sam and Elena, two sisters yearning for a life beyond the limitations of their surroundings.

Phillips' writing is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the rugged beauty of the island and the emotional depth of the sisters' bond. The arrival of the bear, a mysterious and enigmatic creature, serves as a catalyst for change, forcing Sam and Elena to confront their deepest desires and fears.

The novel's exploration of sisterhood is particularly poignant, highlighting the love, resentment, and unwavering loyalty that bind Sam and Elena together. Their contrasting reactions to the bear add a layer of complexity to their relationship, revealing their differing perspectives on life, escape, and the power of connection.

While the bear is undoubtedly a central figure in the story, it also serves as a symbol of the wildness and unpredictability of nature. Phillips masterfully weaves together the themes of family, obsession, and the natural world, creating a narrative that is both captivating and thought-provoking.

However, the novel's pacing can be uneven at times, with the middle section feeling somewhat drawn out. Additionally, some readers may find the ending ambiguous and open to interpretation.

Overall, "Bear" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that explores the power of nature to transform lives and challenge our perceptions of the world around us. While it may not be for everyone, those who enjoy lyrical prose and stories that delve into the mysteries of the human heart will find this novel a rewarding read.

I was into this while reading it but its the type of book where i feel like shes building up to mak "a point" and idk if she stuck the landing. I left confused like there was both too easy of closure but actually none at all.

An achingly beautiful story; I barely set it down. The bone-deep love between Sam and Elena made me think of my own sister. The depictions of life on San Juan island brought to mind that Noah Kahan song, “The View Between Villages, and the sense of loving a place but being crushed by it.

As for that ending, while I wanted something different, I can’t deny it abides by what the epigraph told us all along: this is a fairytale, and as anyone who’s read Grimm knows, fairytales have teeth.

I was a huge fan of Phillips's debut novel, Disappearing Earth, especially for the way it created the highly immersive atmosphere of Kamchatka's wild and forbidding landscape. She accomplishes a similar feat in her second novel, set on San Juan Island, a slightly gentler, foggier landscape set in the straits between the Washington state mainland and Vancouver Island, reachable only by ferry.

Rather than a loosely-connected series of short stories, this is a tightly-focused family narrative, with a subtle (until it turns heavy-handed halfway through) overlay of dark Grimm fairy tales (which are alluded to, a little on-the-nose, in the novel's epigraph).

Elena and Sam are two working-class sisters in their early twenties who are nursing their terminally ill mother, who is dying of exposure to toxic chemicals she inhaled while working at a nail salon. Now her daughters are holding down low-wage jobs in the food service industry while submerged under mountains of medical debt. Sam is especially cynical and full of class-based resentment of the tourists she serves on long shifts at snack bar on the ferry, and clinging to the hope of selling the threadbare family home for a fortune and starting a new life elsewhere with Elena.

Elena is the responsible, level-headed, well-adjusted sister, but we only see her through the eyes of Sam, who is a highly unreliable observer, living under a series of adolescent delusions and self-delusions. In the novel's final third, Phillips skillfully detonates a series of narrative landmines that reveal just how maladaptive her fantasies and projections actually were.

When a male grizzly bear swims to the island during summer mating season, and starts threatening their house, the sisters have extremely opposed reactions to this enormous and powerful intruder, who is entering their lives just as their mother is leaving them prematurely. Sam perceives the bear as a threat to the family, and badgers the state wildlife authorities to remove it. Elena becomes enchanted by her (to her, magical) encounters with the bear in the woods as she starts feeding it on her way to and from work (gentle reader: do not try this at home, or on your next camping trip).

Phillips ratchets up the tension between the sisters, and between them and the authorities, and between them and a wild predator, as the situation escalates to a terrifying climax. This was a satisfying and disturbing reading experience, and much recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hogarth for providing me with an ARC of this novel, in exchange for an unbiased review.

While this book has an interesting premise it honestly just wasn’t for me. The plot is slow and unstructured in a way I didn’t love. It’s focused on two sisters who are dealing with their mother’s sickness and keep seeing a bear. The sisters react very differently to the bear (which maybe represents change?) which drives most of the novel.

While some people might find this book thought provoking I really struggled with it. Again I’m sure someone will love it but it just wasn’t my thing!

This story is about two sisters, Sam and Elena, however it follows in Sam’s POV. They’ve struggled throughout their childhood and adulthood, due to trauma, not having a lot of money, and their mom getting sick. Things got way worse for them during the pandemic, and a lot of pressure rode on Elena’s back during this time.

The two sisters are very different in their approach to life. They end up having very different experiences when a bear comes into their town. Sam is very fearful of the bear whereas Elena befriends the bear.

The story is very heartbreaking but beautifully written. I found myself feeling emotional throughout their mom’s sickness, plus the other stressors in their life and how it took a toll it took on them.

The ending wasn’t what I was expecting and I don’t feel satisfied with how it ended, but I think that was the point. This is a book that will definitely stay on my mind for quite a while. It makes for a very good book club book since there is so much to discuss.

I was SO excited for this novel - I adored Phillips' previous novel Disappearing Earth immensely, recommended it to everyone that would listen. She has such a talent for environmental descriptions and setting the scene, so I was very much looking forward to Bear set in the PNW.

It started off slower than I'd hoped with a much, much smaller cast of characters than Disappearing Earth: an insular family of one mother, two daughters. The adult daughters are understandably miserable, trapped in their small town working demanding minimum wage jobs and caring for their terminally ill mother. Until a bear is sighted in town, seemingly following the women's path.

I had high hopes but feel the pace and content was just not "it". It felt so simple compared to Disappearing Earth - plot, characters, story arc, etc. The scene writing was still beautiful, but the rest left something to be desired.

2.5 stars, rounded up. I appreciated this book, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. Phillips's writing is beautiful, but this story of sisters who are barely eking out a living while supporting their dying mother was a tough one for me, and left me feeling pretty depressed. I was very frustrated with Sam, the main character, and I didn't enjoy spending the entire story in her head. I loved the setting in the San Juan Islands, and the appearance of a migrating bear in the lives of the sisters was interesting - but that ending! Oof! No spoilers, but it was brutal. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hogarth for a digital review copy.

This novel is truly wonderful. I was completely entranced by the characters, the vividly depicted setting, and nods to fairy tales. Julia Phillips is an exceptional writer who skillfully draws readers into her richly imagined world. The story does get intense at times, adding to its emotional depth and complexity. Despite these intense moments, the book remains captivating and thought-provoking. I can wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone looking for outstanding and engaging literary fiction. Phillips' storytelling talent makes this a must-read.

Bear, by Julia Philips, is a compelling but dark novel about two sisters, close in age, and their mother, who is terminally ill from the toxic chemicals in her former work in a hair and nail salon. The story is told by Sam, the younger sister (by 15 months), and the more vulnerable of the two sisters. Sam has a tedious job on a ferry working at the concession stand, and Elena, her older sister works as a server at the local country club. Throughout much of the book, Elena appears to be a loving, supportive, and helpful sister toward Sam. However, much of her life is recondite, and we really only understand her motivations and emotional instability as the book progresses.

One evening while she is working on the ferry, Sam is surprised as she observes a bear swimming alongside the ferry. She is more surprised when the bear seems to develop an affinity for the family house, physically chewing on it and rubbing against it. Then Sam realizes that Elena is the primary reason why the bear approaches the house. Elena has developed an almost gothic affection for the bear, and as this obsession increases, she sees herself as the bear's friend and almost a kind of confidant. Sam realizes that Elena has a frightening and unsettling predilection for the bear which worries Sam. She contacts a wildlife biologist who meets with Sam, and who discusses the danger associated with Elena's affection for the bear.

Sam and Elena and their mother live in a gloomy house that needs a lot of improvements that they are unable to pay for. They are on the San Juan islands and their house is surrounded by many trees and lots of greenery. Elena tells Sam that once their mother is gone, they will be able to sell this house and leave this island, a declaration that turns out to be untrue.

There are two men Sam is somewhat interested in, but it turns out that one of them is in love with Elena. Sam has a physical relationship with the other young man, and he does mature as the book proceeds.

The violent end of the book is rather predictable, but at the same time it is shocking. It also reveals the truth about Elena and opens the truth of the relationship of Elena and Sam.

Bear is a captivating book with a distinctive story line.

Thank you to Random House and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

4 stars

Phillips's _Disappearing Earth_ is in the top five of books I recommend most often, and as an English professor, I get asked for A LOT of book recommendations. I could not wait to read this newest effort, which is entirely distinct from its predecessor in all but their similarly fabulous stylistic notes. It is also an absolute gem.

Sam and Elena are sisters bound not only by blood but also by a challenging past and present. While there's intense intimacy in their shared experiences, there is also a remarkable distance that - especially with a post-pandemic world as their setting - is extraordinarily depicted and even highlighted by Phillips. In some ways, both are literal and figural outcasts, and this separation from the norms of society sets them up to really revel in a seemingly remarkable event: the appearance of the titular bear on their property and in their community at large.

It's full disclosure time. I've taught folk and fairy tales in several distinct college literature courses for over 20 years, so I could not separate this text from my incoming knowledge of certain tales that tie in exceptionally well to the plot, themes, and characterization here. I'm not sure what it's like to read this novel as a standalone (i.e., without that incoming knowledge), but having that background really made me appreciate another layer here.

This is an understated, but gripping, read, and it made me appreciate Phillips even more (which is saying a lot). I am looking forward to all future writing from this author.

I found Julia Phillips' Bear an odd and compelling read. The novel builds on the story of Snow White and Rose Red, but also charts its own direction. Like the original story, readers meet two sisters, their mother, and a bear. They (meaning the sisters and mother) live in a crumbling house on one of the islands off the Pacific Northwest coast. Money worries are ever-present.

Elena, the older sister, who tends bar at the local golf club, has been handling the family's finances, unable to prevent their falling further into debt as their mother needs continuing medical care.

Sam had hoped to get a state job on one of the ferries circling among the islands and the mainland. A state job would mean insurance, possibly a pension. Instead, Sam winds up working in the food and drink stands on the ferries—but food and drinks are provided by an outside contractor, which means Sam doesn't get the benefits she's hoped for.

Their mother, who spent her life working as a manicurist, is dying as a result of lung damage she incurred from the solvents and other chemicals she was exposed to daily.

One night, Sam spots a bear swimming alongside the ferry. The next morning, the bear has planted itself on the walkway to the family's home. The sisters respond to the bear in diametrically opposed ways. Sam is terrified and wants park services or wildlife control—or whatever the right government division is—to move the bear off the island. Or kill it. Elena is entranced by the bear: she approaches it with increasing closeness and begins feeding it as well. As far as she's concerned, the bear is no threat and is the most exciting thing she's experienced living on the island.

There are other characters: a male neighbor who has begun to help the family with home repairs; a man working on the ferry with whom Sam is having a not-quite-friends-but-definitely-with-benefits relationship; a mainland doctor who is becoming increasingly aggressive about past-due bills; and that someone Sam was hoping for—a woman who works in the state department of wildlife. But none of these characters appears to be a real ally.

The novel is told from from Sam's perspective, so readers best understand her frustrations, dreams, and responses to the bear's presence. Sam has spent her life counting on her sister Elena, who she believes will always be beside her. She knows that once their mother is gone, they will sell their home and the land it stands upon and will move to the mainland to live a life of relative ease.

Gradually Sam begins to suspect that she doesn't know Elena as well as she thought she did and that their hopes for their lives are not as closely aligned as she'd always thought they were. Like Sam, we readers are unsure about who Elena is and what motivates her. The world we're experiencing is definitely Sam's world.

The novel Bear walks balances the fine line between realism and magic and leads readers to guess (in a good way) about what the final outcome will be in the relationship between Sam and Elena and between both sisters and the bear. If you're looking for an interesting and compelling read, Bear can provide exactly that.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Bear.. was something.
It is a very atmospheric novel about two sisters, Sam and Elena, who live on the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. They live in a dilapidated house that their grandmother bought, who passed when the girls were very young. Now, their mother is in that same bedroom withering away from a terminal illness. Sam and Elena are the sole caregivers.
The medical bills are piling up along with a multitude of others, even with working double shifts and almost no days off their heads are barely above water. However, they have a plan: once their mother passes on they can sell the house and take the money from the sale to get off this godforsaken island. That was the plan anyway; until a bear appeared at their front step.

I have some things to praise and some things to gripe about. I'll start with the praise.
You don't notice it until after you've finished the ~300-page read, but there is A LOT packed into Bear. Flashbacks, inner monologues, and self-reflection accompany the normal dialogue and present-day plot. Phillips also does a wonderful job of making you feel the sister's struggles. While their dire situation brings you down, the friendship between Sam and Elena lifts you back up still making it an enjoyable reading experience.

Now, the gripes.
There are no chapters in this book. It makes it hard to soldier on when you see multiple hours "left in this chapter". There are breaks in the book that slightly mimic chapters so at least there are stopping spots, you just don't know how long it will take you to get there.
I loathe Elena. I was pretty neutral on both sisters, given their circumstances, but in the back quarter of the novel I couldn't handle Elena anymore. Sam had her immature moments and throughout the whole book, Phillips feeds you the narrative of "big sister" and "little sister" when in reality there are only fifteen months between them. Sam is 28 and Elena is 29, almost 30. They are both adults. Some of Elena's choices did not sit right with me, I'm #teamsam.

Books like Bear push me out of my comfort zone, which is something I think every reader should do from time to time. You never know when you will find a new genre or book you love if you keep yourself in a box. Unfortunately, not all of them will be winners and Bear was not one for me.

P.S.
Don't feed bears.

I appreciated the atmosphere of this book but I found it to be a bit of a slough, I wish it could have ended in a less depressing way.