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Summary: 6th Grade reading material
Review: Although this book told a pleasant enough story, I found it reminiscent of the type of books I used to read when I was 10 years old: sweet plot, characters with little depth, and an unrealistic picture of a time period. I felt almost guilty for actually finishing this book - and insulted on behalf of many of the charachters. The stereotypical personalities, along with the lack of anything more than a superficial attention to the nuances of each, gave an impression that that they were no better than a group of simpletons. It's possible that this all got edited out to make it a shorter book, but if so, they should edit some of it back in. My advice to an adult looking for more than beach reading is to select something else.
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Summary: Perfect for a summer day
Review: This book is satifying tale that curls itself around the reader -- like a cat dozing in the sun.
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Summary: Rewiew from a reader
Review: I just read this book and i really enjoyed it. I normally would not pick up a book of this type, but I wanted something different, so I picked it up. This book is very interesting all the way through and I would have never guessed the ending. There are some books that you read and you can tell what is going to happen halfway through the book and you couldn't in this book, that is what I liked about it. I thought it showed a great bond of mother and daughter with also a side of racism at the same time. I really liked this book and I would definitley recommend it to others.
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Summary: A wordsmith for the ages!
Review: The author uses words that paint pictures with such beauty and eloquence that individual sentences are sometimes worth reading the entire book.Absolutely Shakespearean in her command of the language.
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Summary: Secret Life of Bees
Review: The Secret Life of Bees was an excellent book. It is a book that readers of all ages will enjoy. Sue Monk Kidd has an excellent style and tells a breath taking story of a young girl trying to fit in.
Lily, a 14 year old white girl, runs away with her African American nanny, Rosaleen, to find her roots, in Tibourn, South Carolina. After a tough childhood with an abusive father and a deceased mother, Tibourn, South Carolina is just the sort of warm and welcoming enviornment Lily needs. The relationship that Lily has with the three sisters and Rosaleen is heart warming. The 5 women love each other and would do anything to help one another out. The story shows how listening to your true inner 'bee' can really be to your benefit.
The ending of the story is quite compelling and inspirational. It is a wonderful book that i suggest for all readers.
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Summary: Student Readers Perspective
Review: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is an amazing story of a young southern girl named Lily and how the tragic event of her mother's death has shaped her life. She is growing up on a peach farm with her harsh and often abusive father T-Ray, as well as her black "nanny" Rosaleen. Most of Lily's time is spent daydreaming about her deceased mother, and the faint memories she has of the mysterious day that she died. After the couragous Rosaleen stands up to some bitter racists in town, her and Lily end up being throw into jail. After many twists and turns, this ends up becoming the catalyst for the trip of a lifetime Lily embarks on. She decides to take Rosaleen to Tiburon, SC in search of her mother's past, as well as learning a great deal about herself. Once in Tiburon a series of very unpredictable and amusing events take place. We meet many different characters including the important bee-keeping Calendar Sisters, who become Lily's other family, and with them the important life lessons they teach us, as well as a few tips on handling bees. Because of a little bit of fate in this mysterious town we see dreams, whether they be good or bad, can really come true.
This story has all the elements needed to make a book enjoyable to all different types of readers. It at often times is very amusing, intellectual, unpredictable, as well as deeply emotional. I immediately fell in love with Lily and saw her unravel as a character into a young girl I felt connected to. I felt as though I was with her bored on the peach farm, running away with Rosaleen, falling in love for the first time, and learning that just because she doesn't have her real mother here on Earth didn't mean she didn't have tons of motherly love around her. I at first was hesitant to read this book, but instantly fell in love with how well portrayed this story is, and it proves how deeply touching good literature can be. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a story to fall in love with, and along the way looking to learn some important life lessons many of us take for granted daily.
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Summary: Sentimental Dribble
Review: Reading the reviews, I thought that this would be a good book... However, this book is badly written, too sentimental and tries to salvage itself by using copious descriptions of EVERYTHING. There are too many contradictions in the text, with insights not generally connected to 14 year old girls. "Once in a house on fire" by Andrea Ashworth is a MUCH better choice.
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Summary: Through a child's eyes
Review: Jodee Guthrie,Reader
Brilliant and poignant look at a child, through the childs eyes at a life filled with twist and turns. You share with little Lilly the maternal loss, betrayal and guilt that she has been dealt in her life. you also witness the beautiful writing of Sue Monk Kidd. Though this book at times is a bit slow, and the words used are at times huge- the over all book is explosive, hence the 5 stars. I highly recommend this book. (...)
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Summary: Male Prospective
Review: As a man quite frankly I liked this book. I have heard rumblings trying to label it "Chick Lit" but I really disagree. Great books are great books. I liked "The Three Junes", I liked "My Fractured Life", and I liked "The Secret Life of Bees". Do they appeal to female readers? Yes of course, they're good books. That doesn't mean men can't appreciate them too.
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Summary: Secret Life of Bees
Review: I think that the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd was an excellent book. The plot was relatively easy to follow, but at the same time there was just the right amount of twists and turns to keep your attention. The characters were developed very well. It was not hard to fall in love with the main character, Lily as you were taken through her journey as she searched for herself and for her mother. I know that I personally felt for Lily as she suffered through the memories of her mother's death, and they way that her father, T-Ray dealt with the death. The most entertaining part of the book was the fact that you were able to know at all times exactly what Lily was thinking. Not only did you get her thoughts, but also her dreams and fantasies. This insight added a lot of depth to Lily's personality. Lily's thoughts were often filled with emotions about T-Ray, her mother, or other people that she loved. Often times, Lily's thoughts were extremely amusing.
The story has all of the elements needed to entertain. There are more than one love stories in the plot, there is despair, and there is triumph. The novel was not at all predictable and left you wondering what would happen next, and where Lily would go next at all times. Added into the mix, were racial issues, suicidal issues, domestic violence, and even bee keeping.
The three Boatwright sisters and their relationships with Lily and Rosaleen were also very entertaining and the Daughters of Mary, however eccentric proved to be very likable. Soon into the book I became attached to the characters and really hoped that everything would turn out for them in the end. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a change of pace and a refreshing read.
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