The Summer of the Bear by Bella Pollen is a wonderful examination of a family’s reaction to the father’s somewhat mysterious death. It’s 1979 when Nicky Fleming, a British diplomat posted to Bonn and working closely with East Germany, is discovered at the base of the embassy building. Politely escorted out of the country, his wife Letty and their three children retreat to Letty’s family home in the remote Outer Hebrides. As Letty sinks further into anger, abject grief and confusion, Georgie, Alba and Jamie each cope with their father’s death in different ways. This sounds grim, but the tone of the story is more quirk than quiet and the story zooms along as the children bump against each other and wrestle with their rambling, misinformed thoughts. Of course there are various queer island folk to perk up the already perky story, as well as an escapee sentient bear who plays a pivotal role in the mind of Jamie, who processes information in a less-than usual manner. Rotating chapters precisely capture the tone of each family member (as well as the bear) and the story wraps up with a very satisfying conclusion. I wanted The Summer of the Bear to continue on for many more seasons.

Laura J.