2022 UPDATE:  Universally misunderstood, Bear is a second wave feminist fable that is worthy of a deep, thoughtful read. My first review literally said “I think I’ll need to read this again to really get it” and since then, I feel like I could write a book on it, but this space will have to do (for now). 

Bear is the story of Lou, a bibliographer in Toronto, who is sent to a Northern Ontario property bequeathed to “the Institute” for whom she works. There, completely alone, she catalogs the contents of the house, and develops a relationship with the previous owner’s pet bear. Initially innocent, the relationship develops into a sexual one before the end of summer.

This is why the book is usually stripped down to “a WOMAN has SEX with a BEAR!”. But context is important: even in Toronto, Lou is lonely, feeling very unwanted by men. Her only intimate contact is an unsatisfying routine with the Director of the Institute. And, without giving too much away, she experiences both pleasure and frustration with bear. But the crux of the story is away from human society Lou feels welcome to explore her sexuality and identity. Bear can’t judge if she asks for what she wants, even if she doesn’t get it. The walls can’t talk about what she gets up to. The only guilt she feels is from the blame and shame she applies to herself, and for once, she has the space and freedom to explore and deconstruct that guilt. Through the summer, she plays, lounges, reads, relaxes, explores, and literally identifies herself in a more and more positive light as time goes on -- physically, mentally, and sexually.

Bear is a fable: a book meant to reveal a journey and a lesson and not necessarily be taken literally. After finishing Bear, I read a part of The Heroine with 1001 Faces that talks about interactions between beasts and women in fairy tales (beauty and the beast, anyone?) -- it isn’t new. Just the context, and explicitness was, in 1976. Everybody should read this book for a beautiful story of self-exploration and self-love.

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2016: I needed to read the Afterword to really get this novel and its literary significance, but even without I enjoyed the novel. A bit bizarre, but there was a peaceful pace to the lead character's self-exploration, offset by her experiences with Bear. I probably need to read this novel again to really get it.