This is a hard-to-describe novel. It is both a novel of family (sisters, mothers and daughters), and an absolutely propulsive story of the wildness of the natural world impinging on the domestic. The fairy tale elements are haunting and atmospheric, and the counterpoint to the dreariness of family and work life is really compelling. There were many times when I wanted to shake the main character and I absolutely questioned her take on the world many times, but I also felt for her with all her misconceptions and misplaced dreams. And the ending is absolutely explosive. I'll definitely recommend this one, and it might even be a book club pick for our store.

This is a difficult book to review and not sure how I feel about it. The main character Sam is not particularly likeable and after awhile I wanted to just give her a jolt. It was also a bit perplexing as to why her sister, Elena, was so obsessed by the bear. Although the ending is disturbing, it took me by surprise. 3 1/2 stars.

I really enjoyed Julia Phillips’ Disappearing Earth and I liked Bear even better. This novel is my very favorite kind of literary fiction… it’s not a “great man” narrative, the writing is clean and lyrical (not showy or self-indulgent), and the story is about ordinary women doing ordinary things… in this case, two sisters in the Pacific Northwest who are struggling to scrape by and earn a living while caring for their dying mother. The story takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of a black bear, which tests the sisters’ relationship and introduces an element of thriller-crossed-with-fairytale to the book. Julia Phillips does an amazing job at creating a quiet (yet deeply creepy) sense of foreboding. What will you find when you go into the dark, dark woods where the bear lives? (What you find when you explore the hidden, shadowy parts of your soul?) And will you make out okay or not?

Thanks so much to Random House and NetGalley for my review copy!

🗓️ Releae date: June 25, 2024

I'm sad this one didn't work better for me. I loved Disappearing Earth, but Bear did not have the same intensity. We have two sisters who are keeping secrets from each other as they struggle to take care of their sick mother. Their financial struggles are portrayed authentically, giving the reader a good sense of the working poor lifestyle. The arrival of the bear lends the story a fairytale quality. However, overall, there's way too much exposition and not enough story or organic character development. In my opinion, the story would be better paced and keep the reader's attention if it were much shorter, perhaps a novella. Nonetheless, there is a certain fairytale/mythic elegance to Bear, and I will look forward to more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-galley; all opinions in this review are completely my own.

I liked this fine. If I hadn't loved this author's Disappearing Earth so much, I would have found Bear a satisfying enough read. Disappearing Earth was impressive, unbelievably well-structured, vivid in its depiction of Kamchatka, which I found fascinating. Looking back, though, I wonder if the way narration passed from character to character made me not notice that it was a little light on character development? Because in this book, I never felt like I really knew the characters very well, I never got inside. I also didn't even know the bear.

What this book did well, though is to show what it's like to be the working poor, trying to stay on top of things, but one financial setback can cost you everything. This novel is about two sisters who live on San Juan Island, a tourist town off the coast of Washington. They're taking care of their mother, who is dying of cancer, and getting further and further behind on paying for medical bills and everything else. And then a bear shows up and seems to be hanging around their yard, and Elena, the older sister, and usually the most responsible one, becomes fascinated with it. Oh, yeah, and this is kind of a retelling of the old fairy tale, Snow White and Rose Red, in which a bear plays and important part.

BEAR ended up being the slowest of slow burns, but it was absolutely, undeniably worth seeing through to the end. Julia Phillips is a sensational writer, whose ability to capture and illuminate the strands of darkness lurking just beneath the surface of ordinary human lives appears, at this point, almost effortless. I was fascinated by her characterisation of the two sisters, Sam and Elena, and by the ebbs and flows in their relationship across the course of the novel. My sole criticism would be that the symbolism felt heavy handed and obvious, which detracted from the emotional gut punch of the ending.

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy! --Robert Burns

Just ask Sam. She can tell you. Sam and Elena are sisters and Sam absolutely adores, perhaps worships, her older sister, Elena. But things are always more complicated than they seem and add to an already complicated life a needy grizzly bear and you’ve got a twist on that Brothers Grimm classic: Snow White and Rose Red.

This novel is so sad and so real. Having dipped my toes in the frigid waters of insanity a time or two myself, I absolutely understand how easy it is to hang on to one’s delusions, one’s magical thinking.

Like Sam, I ended the book thinking, “what if, what if what if?” But reality has no room for “what-ifs” and but hopefully, this book will leave you prepared to always look a little deeper and be a little less selfish and a little more caring.

Bear was about two sisters, Elena and Sam, that held jobs in the service industry on the island of San Juan, Washington, while they took care of their terminally ill mother. Their lives had been pretty routine until their close encounter with a living, breathing, curious bear.

This was a slow burn story that primarily dealt with the hot/cold relationship between these sisters. I occasionally found their actions baffling, and reading Sam's thoughts wasn't always a joy, but I enjoyed how the bear played a role in their ongoing turmoil. The ending was jarring and disturbing, but I appreciated how much of a reaction it got from me.

The writer's previous book, Disappearing Earth, has been sitting unread on my shelf for far too long. After finishing this, I'm looking forward to finally picking it up.

Bear is the story of a creature who disrupts the lives of two sisters living on San Juan Island in Washington State. Sam and Elena are caring for their terminally ill mother and barely eking out a living, their financial status made even worse by the pandemic and their mother's medical bills.. One day a large grizzly bear seems to take up residence on the Island, despite Animal Control's assurances that it is just passing through. As the novel progresses, the two sisters, Elena and Sam, react to it differently. Sam is wary and frightened, while Elena senses a bond with the bear and meets it frequently as she walks to and from work. Elena assures Sam that the bear means no harm, and that they seem to have some kind of magic connection, as Sam grows more and more frightened and angry.

The bear seems to symbolize each sister's outlook toward their life. Sam is depressed about her life and longs to escape from the island after their mother's inevitable death. Elena looks with positivity on her future on the island. Will the sisters, who have been together all their lives, realize that they have different goals for the future and go their separate ways? Will each deal with the bear in the way then have chosen to deal with their lives? Or will the bear help them find common ground?

Julia Phillips' prose is beautiful and even poetic at times. There is an air of magic and mystery surrounding the presence of the bear, and its relationship with Elena. The book is short and a quick read, but it will stay with me for a while. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Bear by Julia Phillips.

Phillips is a fantastic writer, immediately drawing me into the life of these two sisters who encounter a dangerous/magical beast in their Pacific Northwestern town. The relationships of the people in the town, particularly the sisters, felt so real, while the story as a whole carried some fairy tale elements - from the excerpt from Brothers Grimm setting up the tale, to the stories Sam tells herself about her sister's death.

I did not expect that ending, but I suppose it was inevitable. A little weird, and a lot good.

Two sisters are living a difficult life on the small island where they were born. One night, a bear shows up. Sam is terrified, but Elena is enchanted. The bear keeps appearing, and their monotonous life begins to change. The book is descriptive and atmospheric. It meanders slowly through Sam's emotional journey. If you're looking for something plot-focused, this is not the book for you. I personally did not care for this book and would not have finished it if I didn't feel committed to reviewing it, but I suspect it will do well in literary circles who value eloquent prose over interesting plots.

Thank you Random House for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel via NetGalley.

Bear, by Julia Philips, is an atmospheric read that tells the story of two sisters caring for their dying mother on a small Pacific Northwest island when their island has an intriguing visitor.

The author created a rich family story while showing the hardships of simply surviving. The sisters parallel one another by giving two perspectives of the same life. One can't wait to get off the island and seek adventure while the other sees the magic and adventure, which is intensified by the appearance of the bear.

I wish the characters were more vibrant and developed, although this could have been a deliberate choice by the author to play up the hopelessness of the story and add more magic to the bear. This is a unique read that lends itself to readers looking to enjoy a slowburn.

Whether you like, love, or hate this novel, it will stay with you long after you read the last page.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Hogarth, for this ARC to get my honest review

Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Two sisters struggling with the care of their ill mother, the upkeep of their home, and their feelings about a bear that is spending time in their vicinity. Their options for work, health care for their mom, and sovial interactions are limited on their small coastal island. The bear becomes island fodder.

The sisters' relationship is challenged, and then it is exposed that there was unknown fissures that were present before the bear arrived.

The ending was shocking. It stayed with me. What is freedom?

This is a difficult review to write. The story is about two sisters who seem close and yet have many secrets from each other . They are taking care of their dying mother and struggling financially to survive. And then a bear appears. The story is very slow moving and i did not get a good sense of who the sisters truly were.. The relationship between one of the sisters and the bear felt like a fairy tale.

Sam & Elena are sisters living on the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. Their mom is in the final stages of cancer due to the many years of inhaling fumes as a nail stylist. Sam works the concession stand on the ferry, preparing food (microwaving) & beverages for the tourists going to the islands. Elena works at the country club. A bear is spotted swimming near the islands and the sisters spot him as they open their front door. Sam dreams of a life away from the islands where she will not have to worry about their family finances. The story follows Sam as she navigates her job, her friendships, her mothers illness and subsequent death and most importantly her relationship with her sister.

Capturing the essence of familial bonds and personal growth, Julia Phillips's the Bear is a masterful portrayal of two sisters navigating the complexities of adulthood. The narrative weaves through their triumphs and tribulations, painting a vivid picture of their evolving relationship against the backdrop of their mother's illness and the metaphorical bear that represents their past and current struggles.

The author's eloquent prose invites readers into the sisters' world, making their experiences palpable and their emotional journey resonant. With each page, the characters' development is crafted with such depth that we, the readers, find ourselves deeply invested in their outcomes. The story gradually builds in a slow-burn that culminates in an ending that is truly a piece of masterful writing, leaving an indelible mark on the reader. This book is richly layered and exquisitely told, I highly recommend it!

3.75 rounded up to 4.

I was drawn in right away to Sam and Elena’s story and found myself immersed in their existence.

Right away you realize the struggle for this little family to survive. Their mother is literally dying and the girls are her caretakers. Sam is dreaming of leaving the island and the life she and Elena will have once they do.

Then, a bear swims to their island and literally knocks everything in their lives of course. Sam begins to see what she’d been avoiding, their mother’s health declines and their lives are altered beyond recognition.

Advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and Hogarth. All opinions are my own.

Bear by Julia Phillips

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC ebook to read.

This is my first read by Julia Phillips and I wasn’t sure what to expect in, Bear.
Living on San Juan Island, Washington, two adult sisters, thirteen months apart are caring for their dying mother. Medical bills are piling up and they are struggling to stay afloat. Sam, works on the ferry and Elena, as a waitress in town. They carry on with their mundane life and dream of one day to be able to leave the island. The dreaming of getting away from all this, is what gives Sam hope. Sam is always raging on about their lot in life and Elena has a calmness and strength that Sam relies upon. Then a bear shows up at their doorstep one day and changes everything.

They both become obsessed with this bear, which brings out emotions of hopelessness, sadness and grief, as well as, feelings of joy that perhaps haven’t been felt in some time. The tension builds as the bear keeps reappearing.

I think the writing was fine, but I guess I didn’t grasp the whole meaning of the ‘bear’ as others seem to have. I think you should read reviews of people who loved this to glean a better understanding of what this book is truly about.

I wanted to like this book. The setting is local to me, and the description sounded intriguing. The book itself, though, is tedious and repetitive. I actually gave up on it half way through.

This book, set in the San Juan Islands at the north of Washington state, begins with an epigraph from the Grimm fairy tale, “Snow White and Rose Red.” It’s critical to familiarize yourself with this tale if you want to reach the meat of Bear. In Bear, Sam and Elena, close sisters living below the poverty line, tend to their failing mother. When they were younger, they understood that their mother’s prognosis was bad, but as they creep towards their thirties and their mom is still alive but very sick, they recognize the price of care.
When a bear swims over to San Juan and makes its way to their front door, the girls have widely different responses: Elena sees a magical interlude, and Sam sees danger. The encounter with the bear exposes and continues to widen a rift between the sisters. The fairy story ends well for Snow White and Rose Red, but life for Elena and Sam is couched in reality.

I like Julia Phillip's prose. It’s effective at commuting hopelessness and grief, as well as keeping the reader guessing about the magic. I wanted so much for there to be magic. The book focuses most attention on Sam, the younger of the two girls, and her coming to terms with the truths she has overlooked, whether voluntarily or not. My initial response to the book was that I felt Phillips made Sam too dull; as Sam moves from naive to enlightened, I’d expect her character to also gain some dimensionality. Perhaps this is intentional– Phillips doesn’t develop the men; they seem to be interchangeable place markers. Men, the reader understands early on, are not trustworthy, so it makes sense to keep them at a distance. In the end, this is a social novel that examines the effects of poverty and isolation on a tight-knit little family. If you’re a fan of realist fiction, you’ll appreciate Bear.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for access to the ARC. All opinions stated here are my own, and I don’t receive any remuneration for my review.