They were sisters and they would last past the end of time.

Sam and Elena dream of another life. On the island off the coast of Washington where they were born and raised, they and their mother struggle to survive. Sam works on the ferry that delivers wealthy mainlanders to their vacation homes while Elena bartends at the local golf club, but even together they can’t earn enough to get by, stirring their frustration about the limits that shape their existence.

Then one night on the boat, Sam spots a bear swimming the dark waters of the channel. Where is it going? What does it want? When the bear turns up by their home, Sam, terrified, is more convinced than ever that it’s time to leave the island. But Elena responds differently to the massive beast. Enchanted by its presence, she throws into doubt the desire to escape and puts their long-held dream in danger.

A story about the bonds of sisterhood and the mysteries of the animals that live among us—and within us—Bear is a propulsive, mythical, richly imagined novel.

Enchanting is one of those words that is overused and frequently misapplied. But in the case of Julia Phillipps’ new novel, Bear, it is very apt. When I first began reading this remarkable story about the fraying relationship between two sisters, I felt like I was being put under a spell with the boundaries between real and unreal becoming strange and unsettled.

Sam and Elena have long dreamed of escape. The two sisters have spent their whole lives on a remote island off the coast of Washington—their days defined by deadening routines. Even with both of their incomes, they are barely scraping by and struggling under the weight of heavy debts. They live in a rundown apartment and split caretaking responsibilities for their terminally ill mother.

One night, Sam sees a strange bear swimming in the channel near their island. Then later the bear turns up outside the sisters’ home. Sam receives the visitation as a portent of trouble. But her sister sees something different, quickly enchanted by the burly beast. As Elena seeks every opportunity to commune with the creature, she puts long-held plans for escape from the island in question.

At heart, this is a story about how our dreams and desires can drift apart from those we hold dearest. And the confounding relationships that develop between humans and the natural world. It surprised and delighted me at every turn. I urge you to get your own copy and explore Bear’s strange pleasures.