Genre: Mystical/Domestic Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: June 25, 2024

The novel “Bear” begins with a preface from the fairytale, “Snow White (unrelated to the famous one) and Rose Red” by the Brothers Grimm. “Poor bear, said the mother, lie down by the fire, only take care that you do not burn your coat.”  In the fable, there is a poor widow with two daughters: Snow-white is the quieter and gentler of the two, while Rose-red is more adventurous. This novel also follows two sisters on present-day San Juan Island, Wash.  In the fable, the mother lives a long life. Here, the mother is terminally ill. The author’s prose in this modern fairy tale is vivid as she tackles the complications of sisterhood when faced with life-changing experiences.

The two sisters are in their twenties and separated by only one year. They are unusually close. Sam, who represents Rose Red, is the younger sister. Elena is the Snow White character. The novel begins with a realistic portrayal of the sisters’ difficulties caring for their dying mother. There are only minimum-wage jobs on the island. The author gives us vivid and precise descriptions of the working poor. We feel that the girls are trapped by their love for their mother. Their dream has always been to sell the house and leave the island once they can. Their plan changes when a wild grizzly bear swims to the island and appears at their front doorstep. Phillips weaves magical thinking into reality here, and a dark fairytale emerges.

Sam fears the bear, but Elena responds differently to the animal. Its presence enchants her. Initially, I was reminded of the film “The Shape of Water” when she and the bear began a strange friendship, almost courtship-like. Tension builds when Elena is no longer keen on leaving the island due to her relationship with the creature. The sisters begin to distance themselves from each other. I read the bear as a metaphor for the future of the sisters’ lives. One stays on the island, and the other leaves for a more exciting life. That may be true, but I’m guessing that “Bear” is also a version of “Beauty and the Beast” with an unnerving ending. If I say more, it would be a spoiler.

In the Brothers Grimm fable, the moral is that good girls will get married and live happily ever after. I believe the moral of “Bear” is never to waste your life looking for a handsome prince. The author left me wondering if Elena’s relationship with the grizzly is an inappropriate obsession. On the other hand, did she befriend the bear, as Jane Goodall has done with apes? Did Sam call the animal control to keep her sister safe from the bear? Or was she jealous of the grizzly? I am curious if other readers will also be left with questions. This book is out of my comfort zone compared to what I usually choose to read, yet I enjoyed the story more than I thought I would. I recommend this bear-gripping novel.

I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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