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Pearly Everlasting
Win a freeprintcopy of this book!
6daysand02:16:24
25copies available
U.S.only
In a narrative sown with rural folklore and superstition, Pearly Everlasting is an enchanting woodland Gothic about the triumph of good over evil and the forgotten beauty of the natural world.
New Brunswick, 1934. When a cook in a logging camp finds an orphaned baby bear, he brings it home to his wife, who names the cub Bruno and raises him alongside her newborn daughter, Pearly Everlasting.
During the Great Depression, amidst severe poverty and dangerous work conditions, Pearly’s family and the woodsmen form a close-knit community that embraces the tame, young bear in their camp.
But when a new camp supervisor—who increasingly endangers the lives of the loggers for profit—arrives, he is less accepting of Bruno. When the supervisor is found dead, Bruno is blamed, and soon after is kidnapped and sold to an animal trader. Pearly, now a teenager, has no choice but to find Bruno and sets off on a hazardous solo journey through the forest—her first trip to “the Outside” —to rescue him.
To make her way home again, Pearly will have to tramp more than fifty miles through ice and snow, elude the malevolent spirit of Jack in the Dark and confront the modern-day cruelty of villagers fearful of her family’s way of life. Over those harrowing miles, Pearly will discover what it really means to be family to a bear.
New Brunswick, 1934. When a cook in a logging camp finds an orphaned baby bear, he brings it home to his wife, who names the cub Bruno and raises him alongside her newborn daughter, Pearly Everlasting.
During the Great Depression, amidst severe poverty and dangerous work conditions, Pearly’s family and the woodsmen form a close-knit community that embraces the tame, young bear in their camp.
But when a new camp supervisor—who increasingly endangers the lives of the loggers for profit—arrives, he is less accepting of Bruno. When the supervisor is found dead, Bruno is blamed, and soon after is kidnapped and sold to an animal trader. Pearly, now a teenager, has no choice but to find Bruno and sets off on a hazardous solo journey through the forest—her first trip to “the Outside” —to rescue him.
To make her way home again, Pearly will have to tramp more than fifty miles through ice and snow, elude the malevolent spirit of Jack in the Dark and confront the modern-day cruelty of villagers fearful of her family’s way of life. Over those harrowing miles, Pearly will discover what it really means to be family to a bear.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 29, 2024
Wow! I couldn’t put the book down! I felt like I lived the journey alongside Pearly and Bruno. An instant favourite!
June 18, 2024
4.2 Unique and memorable Canadian tale of a girl raised in the forest with a bear for a sibling.
*Edited to add: I just realized this book hasn't even been published yet! I was reading an uncorrected proof.
*Edited to add: I just realized this book hasn't even been published yet! I was reading an uncorrected proof.
Read
September 9, 2024Really glad I got the opportunity to read this after winning it from a giveaway. While not quite what i was expecting, it was definitely...interesting. After reading a little over 1/3 of the book it was too slow for me. Skipped a bunch and read the end to see if I wanted to read everything. I did not. A little predictable.
July 9, 2024
This lovely tale of a girl and her bear-cub brother is a delight. Though not without its share of sorrow, “Pearly Everlasting” remains light and true at heart. A cross between Dickens and Twain in the New Brunswick logging camps of the Great Depression, Tammy Armstrong has written a wonderful tall tale to go alongside Huckleberry and Pip, Tom and Oliver. Her prose is beautiful, even though it slips from time to time feeling the need to move the story along rather than basking in its vibrancy, and the adventures are, indeed, thrilling.
August 9, 2024
4 1/2 stars
Some bonds are forged by blood and some by circumstance but the bond between these siblings is one that is unbreakable. Pearly and her family live deep in the Canadian woods near a logging camp where her dad works as a cook. The night that Pearly is born her dad comes home with an orphaned bear cub and to everyone's surprise Pearly's mom accepts it as her own child nursing and raising them both as siblings. Pearly and Bruno become inseparable but when tragedy strikes that acceptance at the camp is tested and they run. The journey is long and nothing short of miraculous until Bruno is injured and they are forced to take refuge in a small town. Pearly's courage and unshakable devotion to Bruno speaks to the townspeople who lend their support. There is also someone else searching to bring them home. This story takes place during the Depression where people with so little have so much taken from them and they still manage to help. A tale based in truth this coming of age story of a girl and her brother the bear will restore your faith in humanity. The language is spot on and the author paints the wonder of the north woods beautifully. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction of pioneers, adventure seekers at odds with the land or strong bonds between human and animal will fall hard for this. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
Some bonds are forged by blood and some by circumstance but the bond between these siblings is one that is unbreakable. Pearly and her family live deep in the Canadian woods near a logging camp where her dad works as a cook. The night that Pearly is born her dad comes home with an orphaned bear cub and to everyone's surprise Pearly's mom accepts it as her own child nursing and raising them both as siblings. Pearly and Bruno become inseparable but when tragedy strikes that acceptance at the camp is tested and they run. The journey is long and nothing short of miraculous until Bruno is injured and they are forced to take refuge in a small town. Pearly's courage and unshakable devotion to Bruno speaks to the townspeople who lend their support. There is also someone else searching to bring them home. This story takes place during the Depression where people with so little have so much taken from them and they still manage to help. A tale based in truth this coming of age story of a girl and her brother the bear will restore your faith in humanity. The language is spot on and the author paints the wonder of the north woods beautifully. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction of pioneers, adventure seekers at odds with the land or strong bonds between human and animal will fall hard for this. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
September 26, 2024
Pearly Everlasting was very clearly written by a poet.
Which means the language is gorgeous and has a sense of rhythm about it. But I also at times found it a bit confusing and very heavy on descriptions.
Taking place in a Canadian logging camp during the Great Depression, Pearly Everlasting is the daughter of the camp cook, weaned alongside a black bear he found. Bruno the bear becomes her brother and playmate. After he's kidnapped and sold, Pearly must venture to the Outside to find him and bring him back.
The horrible working conditions and poverty of the camp contrast sharply to the beauty of the forest. Pearly feels at home here and knows it intimately, both the light and darkness of this world. The outside world comes as a shock, and one she's poorly equipped to navigate.
The first 100 pages are slow. While the words felt evocative, sometimes I wasn't sure what was being described (like "chickadees flickered down for crusts of bread, softened in the gin-clear puddles of our melting or seizing prints." )
But the plot picks up after Bruno is taken, with adventures and journeys and finding a way back home. I loved the wistful, melancholy tone of the end and the images the author leaves us with.
It's a myth made real, based on a photograph the author had seen of a mother nursing both a bear and a child. Made "all that more ancient because bears are made of myths, constellations, deep hollows, and long stories of their escapes from men."
Which means the language is gorgeous and has a sense of rhythm about it. But I also at times found it a bit confusing and very heavy on descriptions.
Taking place in a Canadian logging camp during the Great Depression, Pearly Everlasting is the daughter of the camp cook, weaned alongside a black bear he found. Bruno the bear becomes her brother and playmate. After he's kidnapped and sold, Pearly must venture to the Outside to find him and bring him back.
The horrible working conditions and poverty of the camp contrast sharply to the beauty of the forest. Pearly feels at home here and knows it intimately, both the light and darkness of this world. The outside world comes as a shock, and one she's poorly equipped to navigate.
The first 100 pages are slow. While the words felt evocative, sometimes I wasn't sure what was being described (like "chickadees flickered down for crusts of bread, softened in the gin-clear puddles of our melting or seizing prints." )
But the plot picks up after Bruno is taken, with adventures and journeys and finding a way back home. I loved the wistful, melancholy tone of the end and the images the author leaves us with.
It's a myth made real, based on a photograph the author had seen of a mother nursing both a bear and a child. Made "all that more ancient because bears are made of myths, constellations, deep hollows, and long stories of their escapes from men."
October 13, 2024
I was thoroughly charmed by this story about a girl growing up in a logging camp with her brother Bruno, who happens to be a black bear. Life is difficult in the camp, where the workers are paid little for dangerous work and injuries are frequent. When the crooked and cruel new manager of the camp winds up dead, his nephew accuses Pearly and Bruno of being involved. When Bruno is bearnapped and sold to an animal trader, Pearly leaves the camp for the Outside to rescue her brother.
Although Pearly and Bruno find kind people in the outside world, they also find danger and cruelty. I wish more of the prose focused on Bruno, but Pearly is a heroine that will steal your heart.
Although Pearly and Bruno find kind people in the outside world, they also find danger and cruelty. I wish more of the prose focused on Bruno, but Pearly is a heroine that will steal your heart.
September 3, 2024
An overall feel good novel. I liked the main character, Pearly - she was a stubborn tomboy, chain smoking cigs at any given opportunity (big feat for a 15 year old). I enjoyed the woodland descriptions and the folksy, ominous plot undertones. The relationships were all very wholesome and heartwarming. I felt that a lot of the conflict could have been avoided if there was a bit better communication and a bit more common sense used, but I guess there wouldn’t have been much of a story without it.
July 4, 2024
I read the advanced readers edition. The adventure, the love, the heartbreak and grief are all illustrated with beautifully sculpted language that sings with the local cadence of the Canadian backwoods folklore that permeates the story. Highly reminiscent of Jack London's Call of the Wild, with the same kind of gritty survival.
October 13, 2024
Brother Bear 2.0
October 1, 2024
I got to about 80% and skimmed the rest. There were moments I enjoyed but I found it harder and harder to pick it up. It leaned heavily on lyrical language and wasn't really character driven which I prefer.
September 30, 2024
Heartwarming and harrowing in turn, this is not just the story of Pearly Everlasting, born and raised in a logging camp during the Depression, it's also the story of Bruno, her brother who just happens to be a bear. It's also the story of Ansell, the cookee struck by lightening who loves them both. The people of the logging camp are fond of Bruno, respect Pearly's mother who heals them, and enjoy the food her father cooks but then one tragedy after another strikes. Pearly and Bruno go on the run and their journey will take them through uncharted territory much as it does Ansell who goes after them. Between them they meet fascinating people (not all good) and learn not only about the natural world but also the town and themselves. This deserves to be read without spoilers, to allow the tale to unfold. It's got as many downs as ups and know that some of it is distressing. But then there are the elephants and the kindness of some, like the Prues, they meet. Thanks to Edelweisss for the ARC. Great characters, wonderful storytelling- it's a terrific read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
September 1, 2024
I went into Pearly Everlasting thinking it was on the magical realism side. I have since learned the book though fiction, was based on something a wildlife photographer caught in a picture: a woman nursing her child alongside a bear cub. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.
The book tells the story of Pearly Everlasting and her family's struggles during the depression while working in a logging camp for which the father is a cook. To make the story magical, Bruno the bear cub grows up alongside of Pearly as her "brother". Both Pearly and Bruno got under my skin and I was all in for wherever they lead me.
A tragedy happens, Bruno disappears and I followed Pearly's life threatening adventure as she headed out of the camp and into the "outside" to find her brother the bear. A cast of colorful characters of every type are encountered along the way.
Parallel to Pearly's adventures are those of Ansell, the young man who works alongside of Pearly's father in the cookhouse. Ansell is determined to find Pearly and bring her back before anything can happen to her. His story was just as engaging as Pearly's and I found myself wanting to know more of him.
Pearly Everlasting is a wonderful book that I'd recommend.
My digital galley copy was provided by Publisher Weekly and HarperBooks via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The book tells the story of Pearly Everlasting and her family's struggles during the depression while working in a logging camp for which the father is a cook. To make the story magical, Bruno the bear cub grows up alongside of Pearly as her "brother". Both Pearly and Bruno got under my skin and I was all in for wherever they lead me.
A tragedy happens, Bruno disappears and I followed Pearly's life threatening adventure as she headed out of the camp and into the "outside" to find her brother the bear. A cast of colorful characters of every type are encountered along the way.
Parallel to Pearly's adventures are those of Ansell, the young man who works alongside of Pearly's father in the cookhouse. Ansell is determined to find Pearly and bring her back before anything can happen to her. His story was just as engaging as Pearly's and I found myself wanting to know more of him.
Pearly Everlasting is a wonderful book that I'd recommend.
My digital galley copy was provided by Publisher Weekly and HarperBooks via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
August 8, 2024
Read the book while visiting relatives in Nova Scotia. My cousins wife knows the author and loaned me the book. It was a bit slow to get into. I had to get used to the very poetic feel of the story.
Beautiful story about a young girl named Pearly Everlasting and her “twin” brother Bruno who happens to be a bear.
A series of incidences happen on Camp 33 that drives Pearly and her brother out of the camp and to the Outside. The pair come upon kind people, people who start out harsh and are soon to turn kind and then there are downright evil spirited people (the twins).
Both Pearly and Bruno become quite injured along the way.
Ansell has left the camp and Pearly’s father in search of her. He comes across a series of harrowing tails of his own.
In the end, the pair are united and are able to finally return home.
Beautiful story about a young girl named Pearly Everlasting and her “twin” brother Bruno who happens to be a bear.
A series of incidences happen on Camp 33 that drives Pearly and her brother out of the camp and to the Outside. The pair come upon kind people, people who start out harsh and are soon to turn kind and then there are downright evil spirited people (the twins).
Both Pearly and Bruno become quite injured along the way.
Ansell has left the camp and Pearly’s father in search of her. He comes across a series of harrowing tails of his own.
In the end, the pair are united and are able to finally return home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the eARC!
This reminded me of the importance of stories that don't span great distances, have epic battles, or endless drama. There are great stories in every day lives and the extraordinary in the ordinary. This story was slow and purposeful. I really got to know the characters, the setting, the atmosphere, and the culture.
The writing was so enjoyable due to the unique metaphors, similes, and turns of phrase specific to the New Brunswick logging community of the early 20th century. I never knew about this area or the history there but I was sucked in. The colloquialisms were descriptive and creative and you could easily pick up on the meaning which made me feel like I knew my way around this group of people despite never knowing of their existence.
A great, slow story with a lot of loyalty, determination, and discovery.
This reminded me of the importance of stories that don't span great distances, have epic battles, or endless drama. There are great stories in every day lives and the extraordinary in the ordinary. This story was slow and purposeful. I really got to know the characters, the setting, the atmosphere, and the culture.
The writing was so enjoyable due to the unique metaphors, similes, and turns of phrase specific to the New Brunswick logging community of the early 20th century. I never knew about this area or the history there but I was sucked in. The colloquialisms were descriptive and creative and you could easily pick up on the meaning which made me feel like I knew my way around this group of people despite never knowing of their existence.
A great, slow story with a lot of loyalty, determination, and discovery.
September 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It took a bit to get into it but after that I had to keep reading to find out how it ended.
This novel’s main characters are based on real individuals.
This novel, more like a fable, is the story of a young girl and her bear in a deep woods lumber camp. In the folklore of the deep woods, they are accepted and protected but when they find themselves outside the woods they discover the outside world is less accepting and less tolerant. Well written with beautiful descriptions this novel tells the larger story of prejudice against and rejection of those who are different.
This novel’s main characters are based on real individuals.
This novel, more like a fable, is the story of a young girl and her bear in a deep woods lumber camp. In the folklore of the deep woods, they are accepted and protected but when they find themselves outside the woods they discover the outside world is less accepting and less tolerant. Well written with beautiful descriptions this novel tells the larger story of prejudice against and rejection of those who are different.
September 21, 2024
** I read an advance reader copy of this that I won through a Goodreads giveaway. **
This was an absolutely beautiful book. The language, the characters, the descriptions of a way of life and a landscape that no longer exists was excellent. The love between Pearly and her brother Bruno came through so clearly. I actually found myself tearing up at times and I rarely cry. It is an amazing story about what life used to be like for those who lived on the outskirts of society and the love that can exist between human and animal.
This was an absolutely beautiful book. The language, the characters, the descriptions of a way of life and a landscape that no longer exists was excellent. The love between Pearly and her brother Bruno came through so clearly. I actually found myself tearing up at times and I rarely cry. It is an amazing story about what life used to be like for those who lived on the outskirts of society and the love that can exist between human and animal.
August 31, 2024
Pearly and her ‘brother bear’ Bruno are raised together in the remote and harsh logging camps of New Brunswick. When Pearly is concerned for her and Bruno’s safety after a prominent man in the camp ends up dead, she makes a journey to the outside world (which left me rooting for her and Bruno entirely!)
The inspiration of the story came from a wildlife photographer who in 1903 photographed a mother nursing her own daughter and an orphaned bear cub at the same time, very cool!
The inspiration of the story came from a wildlife photographer who in 1903 photographed a mother nursing her own daughter and an orphaned bear cub at the same time, very cool!
September 2, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I had some trouble getting into this book in the beginning but was intrigued and started to become invested in the characters once the plot picked up a bit. The writing is very different and reflects the authors background in poetry. While not always my cup of tea, it brought about some deeper imagery at times that I did appreciate. In the end I was satisfied with the story and the outcome.
August 3, 2024
Reminiscent of Willa of the Woods and The Journey of Natty Gann. A lovely story of a girl raised during the depression in a logging camp. An abandoned bear cub is raised with her and he is her brother. They have adventures, tragedies, rescues and a trek into the outside world. Loved the story and the characters!
October 13, 2024
The touching story of a girl and the tame black bear she raised and was raised with,Pearly Everlastingis a gem of a book. An adventurous story reminiscent of Twain, Pearly and Bruno's story will tug at your heartstrings and shows that civilization is different for everybody, wild or not. Highly recommend.
August 22, 2024
amazing, lyrical prose and a masterful nonlinear timeline between characters. the "return" was a tempo of the showstopping question that slowed time: "Are you my death?" I don't know if I'll get over this book for awhile.
September 7, 2024
I received this book as an ARC and will give my honest review.
I like Armstrong’s voice and can see how she resonated with her inspiration for this novel. My only issue is that it felt a little long for me. It’s a lovely story, I just think I may have preferred a novella.
I like Armstrong’s voice and can see how she resonated with her inspiration for this novel. My only issue is that it felt a little long for me. It’s a lovely story, I just think I may have preferred a novella.
Want to read
September 26, 2024I am looking forward to reading this. My parents have a copy of the true story that has photographs including the one of the mother nursing the baby bear which fascinated me.
The true story is:
Wild Brother by William Underwood
The true story is:
Wild Brother by William Underwood
July 10, 2024
It started slow for me, but then I could not put this down. Loved it.
Beautiful language (she's a poet), fantastical characters. At once bewitching, than cruel.
Beautiful language (she's a poet), fantastical characters. At once bewitching, than cruel.
September 27, 2024
I absolutely adored this book! Following along the journey of Pearly and Bruno was amazing.
September 29, 2024
A very enjoyable, immersive story! Made we want to watch the movie Songcatcher again, similar vibes. Very poeticically written. 4.5 stars, it is a bit slow at times.
October 13, 2024
Very interesting unusual book about a girl and a bear. The writing is beautiful
August 16, 2024
My favorite book of 2024! I have rarely seen girl characters written with such fire in their belly. Pearly is scrappy, loyal, unconventional, and brave. People who get to know her can't help but develop a fondness for her. If you liked the 1985 movie, The Journey of Natty Gann, then this is the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews