Jamie Jackson’s new standalone novel, The Sparrow and the Oak Tree, features Isolde (the sparrow), Tristan (the oak tree), a bear, and a horse. Or more like a Bear with a Horse. Bear is not an actual bear, but a human who shares many characteristics with the animal; Horse is the name of Bear’s horse.
Like Tristan and Isolde, Bear also has POV chapters, and while the first two are too busy trying to hump each other, Bear is always the voice of reason. He may seem grumpy on first impression as he answers mostly in grunts, but he often brings smiles to the other characters.
He’s also got a healthy distrust of the fae, but I can’t dive into it without giving away too much. He’s resourceful, he radiates non-toxic masculinity, and he’s a hunk. Despite this being a romance story, Bear and his Horse steal the show.
So without further ado, I’ll share some of my favourite lines, about or by Bear, that make me love him so much. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the novel yet, these quotes are spoiler-free!
10 reasons why Bear is the best
1. He’s funny
Bear chuckled and motioned at the table. “I’d invite you to sit, but it’s not my table, and it has no chairs.”
2. He’s wise
“Never partake of food a Fae offers you directly. Always choose your own. And make sure they say you can eat it first.”
3. He’s pragmatic
He supposed he should give the gelding a true name, simply to stop referring to him as Horse. Or perhaps that’s all he would ever call him. “Horse.”
4. He’s candid
“Fuck,” was the first word out of his mouth. “Fuck,” was also the second.
5. He’s prudent
Bear bit his tongue on any response he could give to that. He had nothing useful to say, and so he chose to say nothing.
6. He’s sassy
“Perhaps she should be sitting on the gelding,” Bear said. “Before someone else attempts a different type of ride.”
7. He’s genuine
It was a good thing he wasn’t a gambling man. With the obvious tells he had, he’d be easy pickings for those more skilled at those kinds of games of chance.
8. He’s sex-positive
“Laces proved to be stubborn.”
“Tied them a little too hastily earlier?” Bear said. The sound of his voice betrayed amusement rather than the judgment, the condemnation I expected.
9. He’s obliging
“Little Sparrow, if you need me to, I’ll hold him down while you stab him.”
10. Last but not least, he loves Horse
“It’s still empty as far ahead as I felt comfortable moving from you two.”
“Three,” Bear said absently. “Might as well count Horse.”
If you want to read more about Bear and Horse, read Jamie Jackson’s latest book, The Sparrow and the Oak Tree. You can get it here.
Bonus Bear meme for getting this far:
About Jamie Jackson, author of The Sparrow and the Oak Tree
Jamie writes books with words in them. She lives in Charlotte NC with her husband, three feral children and two badly behaved dogs.
Tiny Elf Arcanist 
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