Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Kindle
From Goodreads: Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. 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 "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love--a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
What I thought: This was our book group read for October and although the meeting was yesterday, I didn't get to go due to the fact one of my kids had a surf carnival! I've read it before but was more than happy to do so again. I find this to be such an uplifting book. The characters are genuine, loving, caring people who want nothing more than to help others and live peacefully. The situations they find themselves in are met with determination and a complete lack of judgment of others. More importantly to me, they are mostly women who are strong and self sufficient. Even now I think there is a lack of strong women in our fiction, women our daughters can look up to and admire. The Secret Life of Bees is a story of how differences should be valued, people should be accepted for what they are and how love can change a life completely.
Recommended for: everyone.
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, A-Z Challenge, E-Book Challenge
