Thursday, Apr 16, 2009

Book Review: The Secret Life Of Bees

Author:       Sue Monk Kidd

Publisher:    Penguin

ISBN:          0-14-200174 0

Website:      www.suemonkkidd.com

Type:         Fiction:Women’s

Pages:        302 Trade Paperback

Purchase:    $9.75 @ Amazon.com (HERE)

The Story

“Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her harsh, unyielding father, Lily Owens has shaped her entire life around one devastating, blurred memory–the afternoon her mother was killed, when Lily was four. Since then, her only real companion has been the fierce-hearted, and sometimes just fierce, black woman Rosaleen, who acts as her “stand-in mother.”

When Rosaleen insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily knows it’s time to spring them both free. They take off in the only direction Lily can think of, toward a town called Tiburon, South Carolina–a name she found on the back of a picture amid the few possessions left by her mother.

There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters named May, June, and August. Lily thinks of them as the calendar sisters and enters their mesmerizing secret world of bees and honey, and of the Black Madonna who presides over this household of strong, wise women. Maternal loss and betrayal, guilt and forgiveness entwine in a story that leads Lily to the single thing her heart longs for most.”

(Above excerpt is from www.suemonkkidd.com)

The Review

Considering that this book was copyrighted in 2002, I am “behind the boat” on reading it.  Embarrassing as this is to admit it, I’ve had this book in my closet for years.  I think I borrowed it from an old friend.  When I became a blogger and invested in my first bookcase, I organized all of the books from my closet.  This one, included in the stack, has yellowed pages and isn’t the “prettiest” book on my shelves.   But, with a movie being made from it and all… well, I convinced myself that it is a “must read.”  As I’m nearing the end of the Just For the Love of It Challenge, I noticed that this book was on my list of ones to finish by the end of April.  So it was said… so it shall be done.

When I cracked it open, I remembered that I had actually started to read this book years ago.  I recalled not being interested in the story and putting it at the bottom of the pile.  Back then, I think The DaVinci Code and Chick Lit were all that would keep my mind occupied.  I’m glad that I read it in 2009, with a different set of eyes and a deeper appreciation for literature.  After all, this is an award-winning, New York Times Bestseller which sold over 4.5 million copies in paperback alone.  I did feel differently about this read the second time around.  I really liked it.

For those of you who have read this book, I’m dying to know who your favorite character(s) was/(were).  I liked August quite a bit, as I did Lily.  I absolutely could not stand T. Ray, but I don’t think anybody who has read this book actually can say they like him.  He’s the awful father, who hits and is cruel.  YULCK!  I was saddened by what happened to a couple of the characters, but happy with the ending as far as the rest of the characters were all concerned.

I make the assumption in this review that many of my readers have already read this book.  If you haven’t, gaze over the Storyline above.  If the story interests you, grab yourself a copy.  It is very well written, the character development is terrific, and it has the overall feel of an American ”classic.”  However, please keep in mind that this book is really based around the lives of women and, as such, is really a “Women’s Fiction” book rather than a standard fiction.

Here are some of the great quotes from the book to give you an idea of just how good this book is:

“Did you know there are thirty-two names for love in one of the Eskimo languages?” August said.  “And we just have this one.  We are so limited, you have to use the same word for loving Rosaleen as you do for loving a Coke with peanuts.  Isn’t that a shame we don’t have more ways to say it?”

She laughed again.  “You know, some things don’t matter that much, Lily.  LIke the color of a house.  How big is that in the overall scheme of life?  But lifting a person’s heart – now, that matters.  The whole problem with people is – .”  “They don’t know what matters and what doesn’t,” I said, filling in her sentence and feeling proud of myself for doing so.

“Every person on the face of the planet makes mistakes, Lily.  Every last one.  We’re all human…”

People would rather die than forgive.  It’s that hard.

… She said, “Deborah Fontanel, every living creature on the earth is special.  You want to be the one who puts an end to one of them?”

    

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

I’m allergic to bee stings.  Because of this, I am terrified of bees.  This book teaches you to be still and just send the bees love.  The bees will feel your love and will not sting you.  I’m going to try it!

For the genre Fiction:Women’s/Historical:American, I am going to rate this book a 9 OUT OF 10. 

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