Wolf Brother

I am reading Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. So far, I have read to page 28. In the first three chapters Paver is establishing the character, Torak. Torak is a young boy that lived with his father in the Forest. They lived on their own and hunted for food. Life was good until a possessed bear attacked them at their campsite. Due to his injuries, Torak's father dies the next day. However, Fa leaves Torak all of his supplies and hands over his special knife. Torak is aware that the bear will be coming back for his Fa, so he takes off running. He runs for a while, until he discovers more of the bear's carnage. As he walks through he happens upon a lone wolf cub. The cub's family has drowned in a flash-flood. Both cub and boy are on their own for the first time. What will become of Torak and his new-found friend?

I think that this book is good. It has a mystical taint to it. I am interested to see how Torak will avenge his father's death and save the Forest from this evil bear. I think that Paver wrote this book for reader entertainment. This book is very good so far and 'keeps me on the edge of my seat'. I have the problem of not wanting to stop, which shows that she did a great job!

The theme of this book is learning to let go and rising to the challenge. She wanted young adults to realize that you can conquer the evil bear in your life and anything is possible as long as you put your all into it. The best character in the story is Torak. He has had to run away from the only thing he knew. He is on his own now in this unforgiving Forest. He can also get into an animal's mind, but he is just discovering this.

"But what kind of bear stalks men -- then vanishes without making the kill? What kind of bear plays with its prey? And where was it now?" - Chapter 1, Page 2. This quote describes the bear and shows what Torak thinks of it. The bear is a main motif in the book.

 Questions:
1. Why is the bear possessed?
2. How did the bear become possessed?
3. Where is Torak's mother?