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justinkhchen's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
Surprisingly tender and lyrical, I have to admit I picked up Bear primarily to experience it's bizarre premise firsthand—a woman's sexual awakening with an actual bear—while its absurdity is pretty tame when comparing to the monster romances currently being hyped on TikTok, I was still very curious to what type of narrative this 1970s novella would encompass.
It turned out to be a well-articulated exploration on female loneliness, set among the quiet scenery of a remote Canadian island. The unlikely relationship between human and animal was developed with believable yearning and reason, and her interaction with the bear didn't feel cheap or exploitative, but surprisingly profound. I actually wouldn't have mind if Bear was a bit longer, as there were moments where transition between scene felt quite choppy.
I went in expecting a schlocky tale existing primarily for shock value, but Bear turned out to be a legitimate literary work—very happy I checked it out!
Surprisingly tender and lyrical, I have to admit I picked up Bear primarily to experience it's bizarre premise firsthand—a woman's sexual awakening with an actual bear—while its absurdity is pretty tame when comparing to the monster romances currently being hyped on TikTok, I was still very curious to what type of narrative this 1970s novella would encompass.
It turned out to be a well-articulated exploration on female loneliness, set among the quiet scenery of a remote Canadian island. The unlikely relationship between human and animal was developed with believable yearning and reason, and her interaction with the bear didn't feel cheap or exploitative, but surprisingly profound. I actually wouldn't have mind if Bear was a bit longer, as there were moments where transition between scene felt quite choppy.
I went in expecting a schlocky tale existing primarily for shock value, but Bear turned out to be a legitimate literary work—very happy I checked it out!
victoriaguild's review against another edition
4.0
A completely normal, somewhat relatable book... until about page 78. I mean, I went in to this book hearing the insane reviews so I was expecting nothing less, but...wow.
morganpitz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
liamriley1987's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
poppyclover's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tizzy_eileen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
3.75
oenophile_bibliophile's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
pastelhellion's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
An interesting read. It's beautifully written, and I definitely felt transported to the time period and to the Canadian wilderness.
However, she does fuck a bear. So there's that. Lol
However, she does fuck a bear. So there's that. Lol