Bear Medicine, a novel by G. Elizabeth Kretchmer, shows how two women, one in 1877 and the other in 2017, discover their individual power to overcome male-dominated tyranny.
In 2017, Brooke takes a much-needed Wyoming vacation from her dominating husband and his never-ending demands. While running at Yellowstone National Park to train for an upcoming marathon, her vacation violently ends when she’s mauled by a grizzly bear.
In 1877, Anne and her husband vacation in the nation’s first national park,Yellowstone, but finds herself alone in the wilderness when her husband is captured by Nez Perce Indians. Despite the terror of being alone, Anne feels relief from the sexual demands of her husband and the feelings of worthlessness she experiences when with him.
As the story toggles between the two women, Brooke and Anne, remarkable similarities develop. Each finds solace in a friendship with an American Indian woman. Both Brooke and Anne, away from their domineering husbands, find strength within themselves.
Although Bear Medicine spans 140 years, alternating between contemporary and historical times, the similarities of the women’s plight are remarkable. Both learn the value of women helping women, and of recognizing strength in self-discovery.
Bear Medicine is a worthy novel of depth, inspiration, and even self-revelation.
To learn more about G. Elizabeth Kretchmer, visit http://www.gekretchmer.com
I cannot imagine what those two women had to endure. Thanks for this lovely review, Mary. This looks like a great book.
Those women, even 140 years apart, both had many of the same problems. It’s an amazing comparison.