Review Wednesday: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd

1st Date of Publication: January 28, 2002
ISBN: 9780670894604

# of Pages: 320

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Rating: 13

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Book Description:
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

Setting: Tiburon, South Carolina in 1964
Point of View: 1st person- Lily Owens

Goodreads Rating: 4.00

My Rating: 4.50

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: It looks like an oil pastel painting, which is cool. I didn't realize what the jar exactly was or what was on it.
View on Title:  What are bees' secret lives like? Or who are these supposed bees?

Pros:

• This truly shows the racism and bias of a white-dominated world during the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement is seen through Rosaleen who wanted to vote, but it is not about the right to vote.
• The theme is about coming-of-age and going beyond boundaries of color.
• The character development was done very well. It was very distinguished each Boatwright sister even though there were three present and another mentioned.
• I really thought it was creative that the Boatwright sisters were named after spring ad summer months.
• Lily's character was humorous as she is learning about the real world that she was kept from when she was living her father.
• I felt that Lily calling her father T. Ray instead of "Daddy," "Father," or "Dad" really exemplified their relationship.
• The romantic relationships in this book did not take over the book as many books do. It simply added another layer to the book.
• The mystery of Lily's mother's death was very intriguing and made you want to read more until you get to the end.

Cons:

• I do not have much to complain about other than the fact that it was a little hard to get into the book since it was a little slow.
• The only other thing that bothered me was that there was a lack of development between the friendship and romantic relationship between Zachary Taylor and Lily.

Critics' Reviews:

"It's as if Kidd loaded up a take-home plate with treats, and you said 'Oh, I couldn't,' and then scarfed it down in the car on the way home." —Entertainment Weekly

""The stunning metaphors and realistic characters are so poignant they will bring tears to your eyes." —Library Journal
"Fully imagined...the core of this story is Lily's search for a mother, and she finds one in a place she never expected." —The New York Times
"A moving first novel...Lily is an authentic and winning character and her story is compellingly  told. The bees presage her journey toward self-acceptance, faith and freedom that is at the heart of this novel." —USA Today

Sue Monk Kidd's Website:

http://suemonkkidd.com/

 

Other Recommendations:
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd