Review: The Bear
Five-year old Anna is camping with her parents and her younger brother when a bear attacks the campsite. Anna’s parents do all they can to protect their children but they’re still vulnerable, so Anna’s mother urges her to take her younger brother away in the family’s canoe. Anna wants to be a good girl so she does as she’s told and the children find themselves fighting to stay alive.
Claire Cameron remembered the story of a bear attack that occurred during the 1990s in a park where she worked as a counselor. Bear attacks are pretty rare so it was a hot topic of discussion at the time. Cameron has taken her memories and research from that event and used them as the basis for her latest novel, The Bear.
The Bear is told from the point of view of five-year old Anna so it’s quite disjointed and unfocused at times. I was excited to start the book and was initially put off by Anna’s voice. She seemed younger than the five-year olds I know. I thought I would adjust to her voice but I never really did. I got used to it but I never grew fond of it, if that makes sense.
The story is told through Anna’s thoughts and Cameron uses their flightiness (for lack of a better word) to fill readers in on Anna’s back story. Sometimes it took me a little while to catch on to what Anna meant. I guess that was the whole point but it kept me from getting truly invested in Anna’s story. In the end, I enjoyed the book but didn’t love it the way most people have.
Oh too bad. But I know what you mean about not being able to relate to a character’s voice. I’m not sure I’d do any better with young Anna’s story.
At least you liked it enough to finish it.
Oh too bad you didn’t enjoy it. I have this one on hold at the library. I’m #29 on the hold list.
I admit to not being really drawn to this book just from the description. I am sorry you didn’t like it more, Kathy. Even with the rave reviews of it, I am not sure this book is for me. You never know though.
I tend to feel the way Literary Feline feels…I have seen this around but have not wanted to read it.
I agree-I keep seeing this book on various blogs and it just doesn’t appeal to me.
I am not sure if this is for me, but people do seem to be loving it… It kind of makes me think of ROOM and how I didn’t connect with the young voice in that book, either. Have to think about it.
Thanks for sharing your review!
Kathy, thanks for your honest review!
thanks for stopping by, YES we are very tired of snow/cold.
I don’t think I can do this one. It sounds parental-terrifying in much the same way ROOM was.
That’s pretty unusual about a kids’ voice seeming too young. Usually the kid, be it 5 or 10, sounds more like 20!
I have heard a lot about this book and have been wanting to read it. But if Anna’s voice did not work you, it most certainly won’t for me. I really struggle with young narrators.
what a shame this one didn’t resonate but I can certainly understand not investing with the narrator ~ can really make a novel not quite up to par
I loved ROOM, even though that really had a unique child’s voice. But generally I have trouble with books narrated by kids. It is even worse when it is an audio. It almost doesn’t even matter if the author has 10 kids, it is hard to get the voice right.
Having Anna tell the story was like reading ROOM for me. It was hard to get use to a young narrator but enjoyed it a lot.
I’m interested in the true story but not so much with the book.
nice honest review. Not sure it would grab me
I can see why it was a little hard to get used to a young narrator.
Thanks for your honest review. Child narrators are a hit or miss kind of thing.
A child narrator might be tough for me. I think I’ll hold off on this one. thanks
One of my coworkers loved this, so I may still give it a try. Sounds like a difficult read, but I’m intrigued…