Review of The Bronze Bear Continues

[ruchy ndi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Bronze Bear Continues" by Jerry A. Greenberg.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The Bronze Bear Continues by Jerry A. Greenberg follows the father-son duo, namely Larry and Randy, of the Warrenton family as they navigate through World War II and The Vietnam War with the help of a magical bear statuette passed down from Larry’s father, Fred.

The story provides a great contrast of opinions in terms of wars and the generational gap between Larry and Randy's views. Randy, unlike Larry, was fleshed out well; he had his own opinions, interests, and fears. He was not just this brave, daring hero; he was also scared of dying and losing his friends. The book provides comedic relief through banters with his friends, thus maintaining the balance between the heavy stuff like death. Another positive point of the book was how it portrays war; the fearful soldiers fighting for an impersonal cause, and even how civilians blamed the soldiers rather than the authorities responsible for it.

On the other hand, I wish the author wrote the story in the third person point of view. It made the first part of the story unnatural as Randy kept referring to his father as 'dad', even during flashbacks. The dialogues were also stiff and, downright strange at times. As an example, I quote Larry after he returns from the war, "I'm sure, Mom. You know, I just remembered how beautiful you are. I guess while growing up, I just saw you as a mom.". In terms of characters, Bear, the statuette did not have as much impact as implied. His character fell flat as nothing much was known about him. We know he likes the Warrenton family but, what were his motivations, and why was he fond of them? As characters, the love interests were also just there with little to no depth to them.

While the book did have some positive points, it lacked in its delivery and characters. Hence, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.

All in all, I would recommend this book to fans of wartime stories and fans of the historical fiction genre. One can gain some knowledge on political situations like The Vietnam War and World War II albeit, from an American point of view by reading this book. Hope you enjoy it!

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The Bronze Bear Continues
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