DESCRIPTION

A mesmerizing novel of two sisters whose lives are upended by an unexpected visitor--a tale of family, obsession, and a mysterious creature in the woods, by the celebrated, bestselling author of Disappearing Earth.

They were sisters and they would last past the end of time.

Sam and 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. Sam works on the ferry that delivers wealthy mainlanders to their vacation homes while Elena bartends at the local golf club, but even together they can't earn enough to get by, stirring their frustration about the limits that shape their existence.

Then one night on the boat, Sam spots a bear swimming the dark waters of the channel. Where is it going? What does it want? When the 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. Enchanted by its presence, she throws into doubt the desire to escape and puts their long-held dream in danger.

A story about the bonds of sisterhood and the mysteries of the animals that live among us--and within us--Bear is a propulsive, mythical, richly imagined novel from one of the most acclaimed young writers in America.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia Phillips is the bestselling author of the novel Disappearing Earth, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Books of the Year. A 2024 Guggenheim fellow, she lives with her family in Brooklyn.

REVIEWS

"A bold and brilliant modern fable of sisterhood, class, and our relationship to the natural world."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Mythical and enchanting, Phillips's second novel delves into sisterhood and the mysteries of the animals that live among--and within--us all."--Oprah Daily (One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2024)

"There is something unsettling and uncanny about Julia Phillips's wondrous second book, less a novel than a fairy tale for the strange times in which we live."--Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind

"Julia Phillips's rare and marvelous new novel weaves fairy-tale magic into a story of sisterhood, daughterhood, care, and devotion. Building with quiet fury to its astonishing ending, Bear will capture your heart and mind. I read in a state of wonder."—Jessamine Chan, author of The School for Good Mothers

"Bear is the brutal cage of the real world and the magical animal within--a book of untamed, glorious, abundant interpretations."—Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning