A review by rj42
Bear v. Shark by Chris Bachelder

adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

One of the strangest and hardest-to-define books I can remember reading in a long time. Bear vs Shark is ostensibly a road trip undertaken by a family to the titular contest, which has gripped America. But in truth, it is far more than that – it is a sprawling satire of consumerism which never misses an opportunity to dig at the vacuity of modern life. The most remarkable thing about it, however, is its form – Bachelder digresses into skits, riffs and commentary as he inches the actual plot forward. At times, it is incredibly funny and remarkably precise, and as a novel it is strikingly original in a way other modern satires could only dream of. At the same time, though, not everything about it works: the first half is achingly slow, as the author cranks the story into life while setting up his satirical premise. And inevitably, some of the satire lands  sharply while some falls flat. This is nothing at all like The Throwback Special, Bachelder's later book which is a delightful exploration of masculinity and far more emotionally charged (and more linear, relatively). But it is worth anyone's time and it's certainly hard to forget.