BEAR - Julia Phillips
Hogarth
ISBN: 9780525520436
ISBN10: 0525520430
June 2024
Fiction

Island off Washington State - Present Day

Adult sisters Sam and Elena live on a small island off the coast of Washington state. They live in the home where they grew up, and care for their mother who is slowly dying. Sam works on one of the many ferry boats that traverse the San Juan Islands, selling food and drinks to the many tourists and summer residents. Elena works in the restaurant of the local golf club. Both women have dreams of eventually selling the family home and moving to a more exciting life on the mainland. The pandemic restricted their incomes, and now, even though both are back to work, their lives are stagnating as they watch their mother slipping away. 

One night as the ferry headed into her island, she and the crew and passengers spot a bear swimming beside the boat. It is fascinating to see, and Sam relates the story to her mother and sister. Sam had seen whales before, but never a bear. It was an amazing sight. A few nights later, however, Sam hears some snuffling noises outside, and the next morning as she leaves for work, she spots large droppings in the front yard, much larger than any dog would have left. And then, the sisters wake up one morning to a bear sitting on their front steps.

Despite the obvious danger of a bear on the small island, Elena continues to walk home from work along the forest edge. It is there that she and the bear "meet" - both seemingly curious about the other before the animal shuffles away. Elena is mesmerized and tells Sam that she and the bear seemed to have an agreement that they would peacefully observe each other. Sam, horrified, speaks to a wildlife person who warns the sisters not to encourage or feed the bear. But Elena is convinced that the bear is just curious, like her.

BEAR is an incredible novel of magical, and very human emotions. The two sisters have endured much hardship in their lives, and are very close. But the bear seems to have come between them in many ways as Elena's trust in the bear, and Sam's confusion about that sets them both off in different directions. 

ani Brooks