BEAR AND GIRL

In Behr’s fantasy novel, an unlikely friendship helps two lost souls find the strength to carry on and find happiness.

In this fantasy adventure, the main character, who’s known only as Girl, has lived a life of fear and terror. Her husband abused her for more than 30 years and nearly killed her. She managed to escape, only to be caught by him again; she then escapes once more, but she’s knocked unconscious. When she wakes up, she finds herself safe in a cabin in the woods with a friendly, talking polar bear, known as Bear. Girl decides to stay in the cabin with Bear as she hides from her spouse, who’s still searching for her. Over time, Girl and Bear learn more about each other as their friendship develops into one of trust, and they slowly reveal details about their pasts. Bear explains that he was once a human named James and married to a woman named Maddie, whose life he saved at the cost of his human life. Now, as Bear, he just needs a friend he can talk to. However, as the two are beginning to heal from their traumas, danger lurks nearby. Over the course of Behr’s unusual fantasy tale, he delivers an engaging story that interweaves themes of trauma and recovery with religious philosophical discussion; at one point, for example, Bear recalls to Girl a thought he had when he was a human—a thought devoted to math and scientific inquiry: “I’ve spent all these years assuming that God doesn’texist. What happens if I assume God does exist?” There are also intriguing scenes involving magic, which effectively connect to Bear’s origins, as well as Mother Nature. Girl’s story of persevering through terrible hardship to build a new existence of safety and care is one that many readers will find inspirational. Others will relate to Bear’s narrative, which focuses on his learning to trust Girl and find a new way of living.

A heartwarming story of magic, philosophy, and love.