Book Count (since 1 January 2012)

Book Count (since 1 January 2014): 30

Monday 14 November 2011

The Summer of the Bear by Bella Pollen


I found this novel surprisingly emotive.  It follows a family of three children and their mother who move to an island in the Outer Hebrides after the death of their father.  All four of the main characters deal with their grief in different ways.   Two of the three children are particularly strong characters, with very well drawn and realistic personalities and dialogue.  Although the mother and the older sister are both quieter voices, they still add colour to this novel. 
 
The bear is introduced as one of the narrators fairly early on in the book and is initially hard to integrate into the thread of the plot.  However, as the book progresses, the bear's contribution becomes more and more poignant.  It is of course, all a little bit silly, but the way this novel is written makes a near-human bear not only believable but also surprisingly touching and that in itself is a pretty remarkable feat.
 
I enjoyed this book and recommend it is a well written summer read.

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