Description

Controversial, unsettling, shocking. This is the story of a 27-year-old, lonely, woman who, alone on an island, who discovers an obsessive passion–one that breaks an ancient taboo and that could very well become deadly. A quietly sensual, feminist story. –The New Yorker Lou, a shy and secretive young librarian is called to a remote Canadian island to inventory the estate of the recently deceased Colonel Cary. In a cabin on the island, she discovers the colonel had a secret as well. A bear is chained inside. Fascinated, Lou brings the bear into the house and slowly gains the animal s trust. She sinks her fingers into the bear s fur–and soon realizes her darkest desire is for this large, powerful animal to be her lover. But there s more to the story than the price to be paid for forbidden passion. This novel by award-winning author Marian Engel works within the logic of a fever dream as the young woman comes to an even greater, and unexpected, understanding of herself. Bear was first published in 1976 and won the Canadian Governor General s Award for English-language fiction. The novel has retained its power to shock, disturb, and move readers today.