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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.
Rating: 
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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Summary: Magnificient Novel!!
Review: Sue Monk Kidd is by far the most vivid, and imaginative writer I have ever stumbled upon. This story is about Lily (Caucasian), a twelve year old girl who lives with her father, who often verbally/mentally abuses her. She takes off one day with Rosaleen (afro-american maid/nanny)to find the truth about the death of her mother. They run off to Tiburon where they are welcomed by the Calender sisters who are also Afro-American (their names are May, June, August.) Lily struggles to find happiness, truth, family, love, and forgiveness in this story full of deep meaning and rich symbolism. At the Calendar sisters' house, Lily finds work helping August as a bee keeper's assistant (which helps mentally,physically..work helps to rid of the soul of worries, despair, evil, etc) Lily also finds a sense of family, love, freedom to think. Towards the end, Lily finds the truth about the death of her mother when her father T Ray comes for her...this closes the book. Too many things happened in the book which I did not mention, this is just a glimpse into the book... Overall, this book is perfect for anyone who is doing some soul-searching...the way the story unravels and each character is revealed with a strong personality that symbolizes each character found in Lily....Rosaleen (who takes chances and is bold), August (who is kind, gentle), May (who feels the whole world's pain), June ( who is unsure of love and has been hurt in the past by it), etc...all these characters are embedded in and are a part of Lily...
Rating: 
Summary: Hated it!
Review: I had to read this for my book club. One of the ladys in my club had read it and said it was "the perfect book". I was looking forward to it. Boy was I disappointed! Very predictable story. Her father was over the top mean, poor little Lily! It reminded me of crappy Jane Eyre! I guess Rosleen was to be some sort of comic relief but she was not very believable as a black woman in the south at that time . And I'm almost sorry to say this but I was relieved when May finally did herself in! You knew it was coming, why did it have to take so long? Also, too much narrative. This story could have been told in about 50 pages. Get to the point, I do not have time for drivel!
Rating:
Summary: Very Charming
Review: For a debut, this is a very charming novel. It is also an easy read ~~ a fun story to read while sitting on the back porch, drinking iced tea and keeping half an eye on the kids. Lily rescues her stand-in mother, Rosaleen, from the hospital and they go to Tibrion, SC, to escape from Lily's dad and the townsfolks in her hometown. A peach grower's daughter, Lily has only one clear memory of her mother ~~ the day she was killed. So for most of Lily's life, she has felt like there was a hole in her heart ~~ and longs for a mother to care for her. So this novel is basically a journey into one's past, facing the harsh truths of reality and finding redemption. Lily and Rosaleen meet a house full of women, one of whom is a beekeeper. Lily discovers her secrets as she tends to the bees ~~ and finds herself growing into womanhood. This is a moving story about a girl on the threshold of womanhood ~~ seeking the truth for her mother and about herself. It is about women bonding together in times of duress and in times of joy. But mostly, it is about Lily and her tribulations and trimpuhs ~~ and growing up in the deep South in the 60s just as the Civil Rights Movement began. It's an interesting novel and one to share with others. It's definitely a good book club reading choice! 5-9-04
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Summary: "We Are Sisters"
Review: This novel, beautifully written with a distincitive voice, embodies the struggle of women and the powerful bond the can exist between women, including those of greatly different backgrounds. Its themes call to mind lines from a poem by American writer jani johe webster, "one small poem": "we are sisters / and wipe away / each other's tears / understand the fear / of walking after dark / feel each other's vulnerability". And so the heroines of The Secret Life of Bees "understand each other's vulnerability"; the unforgettable calendar sisters offer sanctuary to the young and wounded narrator, and hope and healing comes out of great hurt and turmoil. Were there to be a criticism of this wonderful novel, it would only be that August is too good to be true: yet she is the archetypal mother for whom we long and whom we carry in our souls. This book is absolutely ideal for adolescents who are finding their way: it offers the possibility of hope in a world that can be filled with violence, injustice and suffering. We have only to remember the wisdom of August.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Read!
Review: This is a beautifully written novel about a motherless young girl who struggles to find happiness and forgiveness. Left with a crude father to live on a peach farm, life is anything but content. She yearns to find something more and takes the opportunity to do so when her nanny is thrown into jail. Together the pair run away in search of happiness(and safety). With the help of each other and others that enter their lives, they eventually find a place they can call home. This is a wonderful story, colourfully told by author Sue Monk Kidd. The detailed descriptions made me feel as though I were right in the story. (I could almost hear the buzzing.) There were sad moments though no jaw droppers, and no disappointment. I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. This book made me feel the way I do when I look at a sunset or soak into a hot bubble bath. It was absolutely wonderful. If you are looking for a heart-warming story I highly recommend this book, as it will deliver! Another terrific Amazon quick-pick suggestion: The Losers Club by Richard Perez
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Summary: Mesmerizing!
Review: "The Secret Life of Bees" written by Sue Monk Kidd deals with a fourteen year old teenage girl named Lily, who accidentally killed her mother and who lived with her abusive father. Lily was miserable and lonely and decided to run away with Rosaleen, her father's worker. With the words "Tiburon, S.C." written on the back of a "Black Mary" picture that her mother owned, she set off to Tiburon with Rosaleen. There, Lily discovered a whole new world of love and bees. I really enjoy this book as the author is able to make her characters seemed alive. The author touched on the subject of racism and how "colored" people were treated with much hatred. For instance, she showed how it was totally unacceptable in the society for a white girl to be living in a house full of "colored" people. It is also interesting for me to see things from a fourteen year old's perspective. Lastly, she touched on the subject of love and how we might find it in places we least expect. It is definitely a mesmerizing book!
Rating:
Summary: Good Read
Review: I'm not really into the whole "girl-power" movement, but this book was one I couldn't set down. Kidd's telling of Lily Owen's story was captivating to me. I didn't want to wait to see what was going to happen next, and therefore had the book finished in two sittings.
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