My Boyfriend Is a Bear

This is a very quick read, but I disliked it enough that I considered not finishing it. I went into this book fully expecting it to be strange (I mean, based on the title alone), but I was prepared to laugh incredulously and find sweet tidbits. At the very least, I didn't think I would come away with such a definitively negative experience.

The illustrations were cute, and there were a few nice moments. But I was put off by both the characters and plot. I did not like Nora. I did not like Ben (I know we're supposed to dislike him, but still, fuck Ben). I did not like Nora's cat abruptly passing away. I did not like how Nora went all New Moon Bella Swan when Bear was hibernating. To be blunt, I did not like the repeated confirmation of bestiality. I knew there were implications, obviously, but I wanted this book to be more of an absurd satire about human relationship dynamics and less "Nora and Bear broke her bed and if you were wondering do in fact have to sleep in separate rooms when she gets her period."

I think what bothers me the most is that I could have had a lot of fun with the premise, had it been handled differently. Maybe I set myself up for disappointment by thinking this was something it wasn't. That could be. But I'm still mad.