Bear Daughter in Into the Forest

Dec 22, 2010 Jalilah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mythic-fiction, first-nation-native-american

After reading Bear Daughter for the second time, I still feel it merits 5 stars. It is no wonder that Terri Wendling, the author and founder of the Endicott studio, praised it so highly and put it on her Mythic Fiction list. I was told it is out of print when I wanted to buy my own copy. I guess it did not sell well. This is unfortunate because it is really an amazing novel! I think some of it may have to do with the cover. I read that the author was also not happy with it calling it “problemat After reading Bear Daughter for the second time, I still feel it merits 5 stars. It is no wonder that Terri Wendling, the author and founder of the Endicott studio, praised it so highly and put it on her Mythic Fiction list. I was told it is out of print when I wanted to buy my own copy. I guess it did not sell well. This is unfortunate because it is really an amazing novel! I think some of it may have to do with the cover. I read that the author was also not happy with it calling it “problematic”. Not only does the girl on the cover look Caucasian, but the cover is misleading because it gives the impression that the novel is both YA and Native American. In fact the story takes place in an alternative universe resembling the Pre-Colombian Pacific West Coast. Berman, an anthropologist combines both First Nation and European myths and legends to create a new story. In her interview Begman says that while Bear Daughter is indeed inspired by the indigenous traditions of the Pacific North West, she was also influenced by Old World traditions:
http://www.strangehorizons.com/2005/2...

This second read I paid more attention to what the Native American elements and the Old World Traditions. might be. The Native American influences are of course The “First People” and just in general the lifestyle of the characters their clothing, food, canoes, housing and so on, while the Old World influences would be the idea of a quest, the wizards, the many hidden boxes Cloud had to open. I was struck between the similarities between the First People and Faeries. The ”Center-of –Heaven” part reminded me of a European Fairy Tale, but I cannot remember which one. The feeling of this book is much more like an Epic Fantasy. Parts of Clouds journey-quest seemed too long and could have been condensed, but that would be my only criticism of this book. It is also very much a coming-of age story with great character development. Cloud with her struggles to come to terms with both her Human and Bear self seems like a real person and it is both wonderful and sometimes painful watching her grow. After reading this novel I wish Judith Berman would write more novels taking place in this universe that she is created. I would simply read on and on!
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May 21, 2016 Margaret rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2nd-world-fantasy, fairytale-myth-inspired

One day a bear wakes up as a 12-year-old girl, and her life is changed.

Cloud is the human Thrush's daughter, but also Lord Stink's--the bear king. When she awakens as a girl Thrush's current husband Rumble ostracizes her, and her Aunt Glory takes her into her own home and teaches her how to be human. But when Rumble killed Lord Stink and Cloud's brothers, he took on some of Lord Stink's power, and that power is corrupting him and the human world.

Haunted by dreams of her ghost brothers, Cloud mus ...more

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