The Bear House

Headstrong and reckless, Aster Lourdes is a pampered princess who secretly dreams of one day following in her father's footsteps. Her father is the Bear Major, head of the House of the Hemoth Bear and ruler of the northern kingdoms. Known as the Death Chaser, Jasper Lourdes is a great and mighty leader. Aster's older sister Ursula is heir and is expected to succeed their father and continue their family's centuries-old legacy. But, in truth, neither of the two sisters is fit to be chosen by the Hemoth Bear to rule the Bear Highen, despite Aster's longing.

However, the Lourdes sisters' lives change in the blink of an eye when Uncle Bram's soldiers storm their home – Uncle Bram, their father's brother whom they've known and loved their entire lives. Uncle Bram is the Minor of the kingdom, and together the two brothers have long been a strong and united force. His daughter, Bernadine, has lived with Aster and Ursula for years and is like a sister to them. So neither Aster nor Bernadine can comprehend or believe what the soldiers make perfectly clear: the Major is dead. Uncle Bram has betrayed him and is seeking the throne. While Ursula is captured by their uncle's soldiers, Aster flees along with Alcor, the Hemoth Bear and High Beast of their kingdom, and Dev, Alcor's keeper. Together, they make their way to the wilderness and hope for help from the heirs of the other kingdoms. Two princes and their High Beasts respond to their urgent message. And so this handful of youngsters, each wrestling with their own feelings of guilt and grief and insecurity must quickly learn to trust each other and work together to save their now fractured and deeply-divided realm.

With an intricate mythology and political structure that is rooted in the constellations, McIsaac has created a unique and fascinating world and peopled it with an intriguing array of characters. This first book provides readers with a tantalizing glimpse into the origins of this kingdom and the history that has led to the events of this book. While Aster is the main protagonist, the narrative alternates between the points of view of a range of characters, providing a nuanced and compelling look at the events that are unfolding. The many different characters that feature prominently in the story are vividly depicted and well-developed, and each experiences their own epiphanies and growth. Even Bram, himself, while unmistakably the villain, is not without sincere motivations for his actions that help cast him in a more balanced light and that justify Bernadine's steadfast belief in her father and her deep desire to save him from himself once she realizes the truth.

By including heirs to the other kingdoms, the author also gives readers a taste of the different territories that make up this world in the hope that we will get to read more about them. Their personal stories and sufferings are carefully-crafted and expertly woven into the overarching narrative. But, ultimately, it is Aster's story of maturation that stands out most strongly as she steadfastly determines to save her mother and sister and to honour her father's memory by protecting their kingdom. She and the others together manage to thwart Uncle Bram's twisted ambitions, but her victory is especially hard-won and heartfelt. The numerous relationships upon which the story is built and which develop throughout The Bear House are realistic and complex and believable, and the friendships that are forged feel lasting and significant...as we will hopefully see in future volumes.