The Mountain That Stands Alone - THE BEAR

A review of THE BEAR by Andrew Krivak

Last summer I was gifted The Bear by Andrew Krivak. From the back copy I knew this was a book that I needed to step into at the right time. It follows a girl and her father who live in the mountain that stands alone and they are seemingly the last people on earth. We see her grow and learn about the world around her, the cycle of the seasons and ultimately the cycle of life and death and what we do when faced with loss and a long, cold winter.

I can’t say enough about this story, and ultimately, all I can say is you must read it. It’s short and a quick read, technically, but it will linger long, long after you’ve turned the last page. I, too, grew up in the shadow of the mountain that stands alone, and I too, know the loss of the man who taught you everything about the world, including the last, lonely lesson life has to teach. We see the turn of the seasons with the girl, and the daily life one lives to simply keep themselves alive, but under the surface of that story is another one, that I feel is universal.

For you, and for everyone. 5 out of 5 stars.