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paytograce's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“Who the hell do you think you are attempting to be alive?”
Time to go read more Marian Engel. What a delightfully weird little book. My initial takeaway was a story of a woman discovering herself after years of conforming to a patriarchal society and the male gaze. And I do think that that story is told particularly well. If you view the bear as who Lou could be, as freedom and wildness and a return to your nature then she certainly did…ahem…connect with her more natural self.
I watched some tiktok videos and I also think the story has a powerful message surrounding colonialism - especially the white woman’s ability to be an oppressor. If the bear is a pet tamed by the rich white family that tried and failed to settle the island Lou is documenting, and Lou takes advantage of the bear’s domesticity then it’s a not very subtle nod at the rape and pillaging of Canada and its indigenous people by white colonizers.
It was written in the 70’s and the treatment by the author of indigenous people is not kind so it’s probable that the narrator would hate that read. Also be prepared for some unkind stereotypes about indigenous peoples while reading this novel.
I thought this book was fabulous. It had such a strong sense of place. The one star reviews disgusted by the carnal bear relations are fair…but also not. Engel has beautiful prose. I don’t think it was pretentious at all, but very frank in its story telling. And often funny. I am walking away with a list of quotes and quite a bit to think about which is surprising for a 128 page story. I am so glad someone jokingly recommended this to me when they heard I love smut because this isn’t at all smut but it is a new favorite novel to talk about at cocktail parties.
I would pay a lot of money for a copy with the naked woman and the bear on the cover.
Finally - if I had to pick between being stuck with a strange man or a strange bear on an island? I’d take the bear, every damn time.
Time to go read more Marian Engel. What a delightfully weird little book. My initial takeaway was a story of a woman discovering herself after years of conforming to a patriarchal society and the male gaze. And I do think that that story is told particularly well. If you view the bear as who Lou could be, as freedom and wildness and a return to your nature then she certainly did…ahem…connect with her more natural self.
I watched some tiktok videos and I also think the story has a powerful message surrounding colonialism - especially the white woman’s ability to be an oppressor. If the bear is a pet tamed by the rich white family that tried and failed to settle the island Lou is documenting, and Lou takes advantage of the bear’s domesticity then it’s a not very subtle nod at the rape and pillaging of Canada and its indigenous people by white colonizers.
It was written in the 70’s and the treatment by the author of indigenous people is not kind so it’s probable that the narrator would hate that read. Also be prepared for some unkind stereotypes about indigenous peoples while reading this novel.
I thought this book was fabulous. It had such a strong sense of place. The one star reviews disgusted by the carnal bear relations are fair…but also not. Engel has beautiful prose. I don’t think it was pretentious at all, but very frank in its story telling. And often funny. I am walking away with a list of quotes and quite a bit to think about which is surprising for a 128 page story. I am so glad someone jokingly recommended this to me when they heard I love smut because this isn’t at all smut but it is a new favorite novel to talk about at cocktail parties.
I would pay a lot of money for a copy with the naked woman and the bear on the cover.
Finally - if I had to pick between being stuck with a strange man or a strange bear on an island? I’d take the bear, every damn time.
kirbyworming's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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
jlgn13's review against another edition
0.5
Didn't read it so much as skimmed and only because I got it in a book exchange. I want the hour of my life back.
hmatt's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Whatever else there is to say about this book (there's a lot lol), I really liked the writing itself and I would read more by Engel.
inkylabyrinth's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
serco_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cocoanut's review against another edition
1.0
Suffering through 100 pages of pedantic description that goes nowhere only for our musty, sex-deprived protagonist to fondle a bear’s balls at the end. And he didn’t even really put it in?! Where’s my Ao3 payoff?
The only scene I remember that roused any emotion in myself as I read this book was that one passage where Ms. Bestiality takes a hot, fat shit in front of her love interest and he grunts in fascination as the shit pile begins to steam on a cold winter’s day. PLEASE refund my lifespan.
The fact that this got nominated by the CBC on their book list is the reason why Canada is masquerading as a first world country with an eroded social fabric and recessed economy.
The only scene I remember that roused any emotion in myself as I read this book was that one passage where Ms. Bestiality takes a hot, fat shit in front of her love interest and he grunts in fascination as the shit pile begins to steam on a cold winter’s day. PLEASE refund my lifespan.
The fact that this got nominated by the CBC on their book list is the reason why Canada is masquerading as a first world country with an eroded social fabric and recessed economy.
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.