Julia Philips' novel "Bear" has moments of sheer brilliance, though I have to admit, there were times when one of the main characters got under my skin. Despite that, I couldn’t help but appreciate the cleverness of the story. Using the framework of a rogue bear visiting an island in Washington state, Philips weaves a tale of two sisters as they navigate the complexities of growing older and facing the often harsh realities of life. The dynamic between the sisters feels incredibly authentic, with their relationship evolving at an alarming rate amidst the chaos of their changing lives.

"Bear" reads like a modern-day fairy tale, but if you're in it for a tidy, happy ending, you might want to look elsewhere. This was my first experience with Julia Philips' work, and I've got to say she knows how to craft strong, vivid characters. Her story is as unique as it is compelling, leaving me eager to explore more of her writing.

Overall, "Bear" is both fascinating and heart-wrenching, but that ending… whoa. It’s a book I won’t soon forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

A haunting story of two sisters living in the Pacific Northwest and caring for their terminally ill mother. Their hopes of someday leaving are upended when a large grizzly bear appears and becomes a magical but dangerous obsession. With a nod to Grimm’s Red Rose and Snow White, a wonderful tale with beautiful writing.
Loved it!
Thanks to Net Galley and Hogarth for an early read.

Bear is a work of literary fiction that follows a brief time period in the lives of Sam and her older sister Elena. They live with their ailing mother on a Pacific Northwest island. Both girls work hard to take care of the financial responsibilities their mom’s condition has left them with as well as all of the physical care she needs day in and day out. Their young adult lives have been difficult and monotonous, but they have always had each other to lean on, believing in the same goal to one day sell their mother’s property and find out what the world is like outside of their small island.

One day, a bear is spotted swimming across the isle and unexpectedly visits Sam & Elena’s house. From the moment both girls see the bear, the story begins to reveal a rift between the sisters. The story of the bear includes fascination, fear, disagreement, loss, and obsession.

I can see the creative storytelling in the words of this novel. I remember reading with wonder about where the story was going to go with each page. I also found myself skimming words at times because the story felt slow or as if it had unnecessary details. The book left an impact on me, and yet I do feel a bit disappointed or as if I wanted more from these characters.

I appreciate the chance to read this advanced copy!

A sweet and sad tale about sisters, class and freedom. Set in the lovely San Juan islands, which are an escape for the wealthy and a trap for the girls in our story.

Well written, although a bit dull at times it built to a climatic ending that will stay with me. I appreciate how the book explores grief and fear.

This novel is set on an island off the coast of Washington state. Main character Sam and her older sister Elena grew up there without much money living with their single mom, and always dreamed of escaping, but since their mom got sick they were stuck there working menial jobs and trying to take care of her, and are now both in their late 20s. And then a bear arrives on the island and starts coming around their house, and Sam is terrified but Elena is excited and entranced.

Sadly this one was a bit of a miss for me. I thought the writing was good but that was about all I liked. I didn’t like either Sam or Elena, who were both just annoying characters and who seemed way more immature than their age. I didn’t get the significance or meaning of the bear - if it was a metaphor it’s one that went over my head. And I REALLY didn’t like the ending. That being said, I’ve seen a lot of reviews that loved this one including from trusted reader friends. Luckily the friend I buddy read with agreed with me though!

Sadly this didn't work for me. Overall I just found it to be very lackluster: nothing about it stood our in any particular way. The writing was fine, the plot was fine, the characters were fine. There wasn't much that made me want to keep reading this, unfortunately.

This book was very slow and anti climactic. Over halfway into the book still all that had happened was two sisters see a bear. I think this all could have come together much quicker. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was very thought provoking and stuck with me for a long time after reading. I was slightly disappointed as I loved Julia Phillips debut so much, but this was definitely not bad. I will be recommending this to readers!

The Bear is for readers who like super sad and depressing reads. I had a hard time getting into the book but by the end, I was reading it a bit quicker. The author's writing is a 5/5 and want to read other things she has out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The setting on Bear is what won the day for me. I loved getting to know these sisters but I truly most loved getting to visit the San Juan Islands again!

This book was simple in its story and so amazingly complex in its interpretation. What a feat of remarkable storytelling!

Captivating, complex and poignant. I teared up a few times. The ending felt unnecessary and did take away some of my appreciation for the book, because I really enjoyed it all until then.

Bear by Julia Phillips is a literary fiction read about two sisters living in the Pacific Northwest, who encounter an unexpected visitor in their yard. I think this book is overall well written and the audiobook narrator did an excellent job, however I simply could not get into the story. I did not feel connected to either of the sisters and didn't seem to really pick up on the deeper points/conversations I think the author was trying to make. Overall, this read was boring to me, but it could still be a good fit for readers who like a slow burn literary fiction that makes one think.

***The author of Disappearing Earth offers a story of bleak prospects, poverty and illness, a sister bond with fault lines ready to crack open, and a slow build to a destructive end.***

Along with their ill, bedridden mother, young-adult sisters Sam and Elena struggle to get by on an island off the coast of Washington.

Frustrated by the challenge of supporting themselves on Sam's pay from driving the tourist ferry and Elena's job bartending, the sisters dream of escaping to somewhere new.

But when Sam spots a grizzly bear swimming alongside the ferry--a bear that then shows up near their home--she is terrified. Elena chooses to see the bear as a sign of something positive, and she begins drawing the bear in with food and believing she is safe in its presence.

A wildlife expert offers assistance but threatens to drive a wedge between the sisters, and Sam is torn between wanting to protect her sister from this terrifying, deadly creature (and, jealously, wanting to destroy the bond Elena is feeling with it) and wanting to trust Elena's instincts and allow her to feel wonder like she has never experienced.

Their mother is failing, the bear is beginning to destroy their home, Elena is increasingly convinced of her connection with the beast, and Sam is shocked to her core when Elena seems to be abandoning the long-held plan of eventually leaving the San Juan islands with Sam.

The bear is a lumbering, drooling, stinking metaphor for the brutal truths set to implode Sam and Elena's lives. Sam has always believed she and Elena were a lifelong team, about to spring to freedom, whereas Elena never realized the half-truths and comfort she murmured to Sam when they were young have been taken as truth, against all evident clues to their grim financial status and how stuck Elena feels. Sam has always kept herself emotionally distant from anyone outside the household, believing this to be loyalty, but comes to understand that Elena has secretly been building bonds all along. Everything Sam has stubbornly understood to be true and real is suddenly coming unfurled and undone.

I took a really long time--unusual for me--to read this book, all the while dreading what feels like inevitable destruction barreling toward the sisters. The bear does ultimately shift everything for their family, and the story is brutal in its climax, yet glimmers of hope do emerge.

I mentioned Julia Phillips's fascinating novel Disappearing Earth in the Greedy Reading List Six Chilly Books to Read in the Heat of Summer.

I received a prepublication edition of this title, which was published earlier this summer, courtesy of NetGalley and Random House.

I think this book takes itself too serious. The narrator is obnoxiously immature and I was way too bogged down in unnecessary details and description. A bear showed up in Washington...shocker? I think a short story covers this better than a 300+ page novel.

Set on an island off the coast of Washington, Bear follows two sisters spending their days working dead-end jobs and caring for their ailing mother. That is, until a bear turns up outside of their home and upends their lives. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this quiet, captivating story and the powerful ending tied it all together. This beautifully written novel examines the bonds of sisterhood, the wonders of nature, and the pain of grief and change.

I really enjoyed Phillips's Disappearing Earth, so I had high hopes for this novel. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me.

The narrative surrounding the two sisters at the heart of the novel, Sam and Elena, didn't have much meat to it. With the focus almost always on Sam, we didn't really get much detail about what Elena was feeling, particularly her obsession with the bear. I wanted more in-depth discussions/interactions between the sisters. I kept thinking, "But why is she so obsessed with the bear? What's driving this connection?" Even th novel's frankly odd ending didn't clarify things.

Phillips's writing is as gorgeous as ever, but the lackluster storyline and shocking but unfulfilling ending don't match her talents. I'm absolutely going to read her next novel, but this one was a disappointment.

Thanks, Hogarth, for the review copy via NetGalley and @PRHAudio for the #gifted audiobook. #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored

“Sam and her sister, Elena, dream of another life. On the island off the coast of Washington, where they were born and raised, they and their mother struggle to survive. When a bear turns up by their home, Sam, terrified, is more convinced than ever that it’s time to leave the island. But Elena responds differently to the massive beast.”

I loved the cover and the concept, but the story was not a good fit for me as a reader. The unrelenting sadness, the selfishness of the younger sister, Sam, the secretiveness of the older sister, Elena, and the permeating sickness of their dying mother all added up to too much gloom and misery for me.

The bear was a magical element, but I kept wanting more. I constantly watched for clues about who or what was behind the bear’s “mask.”

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!