As sweet as...
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What a fantastic novel! Narrated by Lily, who at fourteen has grown up believing that she accidently killed her mother, this is the tale of how Lily comes to terms with her feelings, her guilt and her loss...
Set against a backdrop of racial tension in the deep South and the gently, dedicated tending of bees in a bustling pink house, 'The Secret Life of Bees' hums with life. What I found most impressive was Lily's voice - that SMK manages to capture so perfectly the confused and tangled thoughts of a typical adolescent while at the same time being wry and witty. This novel throws up many issues for discussion, making it an ideal choice for a book club but I would also recommend a read purely for pleasure as that's essentially what it is - utterly pleasurable, the writing enchanting, I loved it!
There are certain American authors for whom I have so much admiration - including Fannie Flagg, Sue Miller, Alice Hoffman, Adriana Trigiani - and Sue Monk Kidd now ranks amongst them, I cannot wait to read more of her work...
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The Secret Life of Bees
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Lily has grown up believing she accidentally killed her mother when she was four years old and at fourteen, lives with her father, a man who shows her no love.
Set against a background of racial unrest in South Carolina, Lily and a black servant, Rosaleen suddenly find themselves fugitives from justice and find sanctuary in the home of three beekeeping sisters, which eventually helps Lily understand what happened all those years before.
This is a lovely book which I thoroughly enjoyed, I found it heartwarming and uplifting and would highly recommend it. I enjoyed learning about bees too and particularly liked the bees quotes which appeared at the start of each chapter.
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Love and Forgiveness
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Imagine growing up thinking that you accidentally killed your own mother when you were four years old. It is enough to send shivers down the spine.
What a beautiful story about love and forgiveness in a still racially prejudiced USA in the 1960's.
Highly recommend this one!
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Simple, clear, memorable
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A story of the American South, and one girl's journey. Nicely told, in plain language - a skill in itself.
If you enjoyed this, you may like Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead"
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A Must Read, a book shelf is empty without this
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This book despite its sorrowful moments is a joy to read, the ups and downs as others have stated are not too traumatic but allow the flow to be more complex. It is a beautiful book that I am reading for the third time and shall read again and again, it is a sheer indulgence in the world of reading and I only hope The Mermaid Chair lives up to her first book. I actually fell over reading while walking along the street as I could not put it down, very few books can absorb you completely but this is one.
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