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Summary: I simply loved it...
Review: This was a wonderful story.
When she filled her Mother's gloves with cotton and held her Mother's hands... touched me to my very soul.
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Summary: A book to share
Review: The Secret Life of Bees is an amazing little book. Well written and full of hope, it buzzed along almost too quickly. The characters are interesting, the symbolism is easy to grasp and the story tugs at your heart. I've reread this book several times and have also purchased it for my friends and family. Truly one of the best books I read in 2003.
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Summary: The sweetness of the honey still lingers...
Review: I read "The Secret Life of Bees" this past July. It is one of those books that I know I will eventually read again, the way I am reading "Catcher in the Rye" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" again, and enjoying the classics. Kidd has a beautiful story to tell of the coming of age of a fourteen year old, motherless girl, Lily Owens. When Lily sees the words "Tiburon, South Carolina" on the back of a picture of the black Madonna - the only tangible thing her mother has left her - she embarks on a journey there. Lily was too young to remember anything about her mother's death, and in Lily's mind her mother is like a saint - for Lily believes in her mother and ponders the good she lost in her life.
Lily and her stand-in mother, Rosaleen, settle down with three black sisters: May, June and August - the calendar sisters. The southern town is shocked and filled with wonder why the white girl is staying with three beekeeping sisters - who are black. Racism was at a high, yet what the people don't know is similar to what Lily doesn't realize about her mother. The town's ignorance, at the time, is in a way comparable to Lily's lack of knowledge about her mother. For just as the people of Tiburon don't think that white and black people belong together, Lily doesn't understand that it doesn't matter if the color of her mother's skin matches her own, and that biology doesn't necessarily define motherhood. Nor does it's affect on one's skin color affect the way a person is in life. It is the environments that we grow up in that shape who we are and the things we aspire and follow through in doing in our lives. Lily learns much faster than the south about racial issues. Lily grows to learn that it is not nature which controls people; rather it is people who define the nature of their environment. As Lily continues to help by working under August's instruction in beekeeping, she learns to move on even when life sends you the worst of stings.
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Summary: Sweeter than Honey
Review: There has been several books lately that I have read that have given me insight into my own past and the turmoil that I dealt with. SECRET LIFE OF BEES, NIGHTMARES ECHO, and I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. Each tells the story of a hard childhood, but a child filled with determination and courage to go on through the struggles to the other side. I am applauding these insightful authors on there work. SECRET LIFE OF BEES is emotional,sweet,understanding and very well written. Little Lily captures your heart.
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Summary: slow at times
Review: This book has good values and a story, but it was slow at times.
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Summary: Sorry :(
Review: well I am glad so many people enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees enough to give it 5 stars. Unfortunately for me, I got very bored with it and had to force myself to finish. It is a bit too cutesy for me at this point but I probably would have enjoyed it immensely when I was in middle school and would recommend it to girls of that age (11-14).
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Summary: The Secret Life of Bees
Review: When The Secret Life of Bees was recommended to me as a wholesome and heartwarming book, I was a little concerned about the books ability to hold my attention. Instead, the book was exactly that and interesting. The story of Lily Owens is one of her perseverance in difficult situations and her ability to conquer them.
Since her mother's death, Lily was cared for by her black housekeeper Rosaleen and her abusive father. The story takes place in the South in the 1960's so when Rosaleen is jailed after upsetting racist townspeople, Lily decides it is time for the to escape the town and her father. They head to Tiburon, South Carolina, looking for any clues about Lily's mother where they are taken in by three caring, black beekeepers. The sisters help Lily to understand her mother's short life, her father's anger and who she is. And with their support she is able to stand up to the challenges of racism and her past.I especially liked this story because it was told from Lily's point of view. By making Lily the narrator, Sue Monk Kidd gives the reader a glimpse into her deep and troubled thoughts; the intellect showed by Lily was impressive but she still needed strong women around her to guide her through her adolescence. That's where Monk Kidd's exciting and unique characters come into play in her strong writing. At times, however, the matriarch of the family seemed to perfect to be believable. Overall the combination of Monk Kidd's writing quality, Lily's compelling story and the messages in the book make The Secret Life of Bees a great book!
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Summary: Open your heart to "Bees"
Review: The Secret Life of Bees shall be kept a secret no more. The elements in this book are truly unique, and like no other fiction novel out there. The characters, such as Lily Owens, the protagonist of the book, are fully developed in their ways and dialogue. Kidd does a fantastic job of portraying the South in the summer of 1964, by showing the racism found there. However, racism is not the sole topic of this book, it is not even the main topic. This book focuses on Lily's difficulties growing up a motherless child, and the obstacles she must overcome. Kidd knows exactly what people want to read, and she knows how to touch a person's emotions. This book is so moving because Kidd knows how to connect with the reader in any way possible. She emphasizes on family, and the absence of a family when it is most needed. Kidd includes love, hate, death, and most importantly, living when it seems unbearable. Kidd does all this by using wonderful descriptions and imagery. She embeds the moment in the mind of the reader, and makes sure it will stay there. The scenes from the book are implanted into the reader's thoughts, and cannot be ignored. Kidd refuses to be overlooked in this wonderful novel. She is fantastic in every way; from the moment the reader opens the book, until the conclusion. The writing in The Secret Life of Bees is superb, and I recommend this book to everyone that wants to read a truly touching story. Sue Monk Kidd pulls the reader into the story, and it is difficult to get lost, and impossible to put down. I recommend this book as a must read; it is a story of heartache, courage, and inspiration.
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Summary: It wil "stick" with you
Review: This book was one of the best I've read in a while. The style reminded me a bit of To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my favorites of all time. Great story about women and their relationships as well as a look into the early-1960's South. This book is intimate, sweet, and rich with imagery.
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Summary: Please take notice, you will NOT be disappointed
Review: I ABSOULUTELY devoured this book! It is a beautifully written testament to all that truly matters in life and love. It is a true "chick-book." Since reading it, I have passed it along to my three daughters. The reader will become seduced by its simplicity and enveloped in its warmth. Please do yourself a favor and read this book, then pass it along to the ones you love.
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