Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Tale Of Sisterhood
Review: I loved this book on so many levels. As a woman- the bonding of these characters is a wonder to behold. They break the barriers of race and age to find that love has no color. The white girl learns early on that there are many things that the world doesn't appreciate about black people- black women in particular. She points out all the wonderful qualities that go unnoticed- even today. I loved hearing about the volatile 60's from her perspective- so young and objective. I don't have the words to explain how interesting this book was. There was mystery, romance, tragedy, and love. READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Sweet is the voice of Lily
Review: This first novel is a fast read with the sweet voice of Lily as the child who dreams of being loved and being with her mother. However, life is not sweet for Lily and the hive of bees to which she briefly escapes gives her the sweet taste of acceptance and love. A good read and delightful experience.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT!
Review: I gave this book 4 stars because the first half is pretty slow and not greatly written. But I am sooooo glad I perservered - the second half of this book is a treasure trove of insights, great similes and metaphors, and fantastic writing. I finished this book last night, and today I am planning on going through the second half and underlining all the great passages that I never want to forget.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful!
Review: This is a wonderful and absolutely charming book. This book is so unique and heartwarming that it's difficult to write a review. The book draws the reader in slowly and deliberately and encourages the reader to view the world from a different perspective. A must read for anyone who appreciates the compassion of others and the unexpected subtleties of life. This book is destined to be a classic!
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Summary: Multi-sensory read
Review: As the editorials give an excellent synopsis of this book, I will not outline the plot. However, I do suggest that “The Secret Life of Bees†be read more as an allegory than as a straight-out novel. For this reason, I would differ with a previous reviewer; the plot is simple but strong. What is more, I doubt that the story line was intended to be the primary feature of the book. There is an illusion to the feminine perspective of the divine, something that anyone who has read Sue Monk Kidd’s autobiographical “Dance of the Dissident Daughter†will readily appreciate. This then is not a book to be read in one great gulp. So resist this temptation if you can. The book, in my view, is meant to be experienced in slow motion - in order to get the subtle nuances of characterisation, clues to which are to be found largely hidden in monologue and dialogue. This, of course, is the hallmark of a good storyteller â€" to show, not to tell. But such subtleties require perceptivity on the part of the reader. If the narrative sounds ingenuous at times, it is meant to be; this is a story seen entirely through the eyes of a child. And Sue Monk Kidd, unlike most writers, has been successful in giving this approach authenticity; Lily’s comments on the grown-ups’ prejudices display a naivety and innocent irony that have far more impact than any adult observations. Sue Monk Kidd uses metaphor powerfully and sensuously, and so a leisurely reading of this book also allows the reader to taste the words, to “suck the marrow†out of them the way Lily did the river stone. There are passages that will hurt like taking a breath with a broken rib; others will melt into your bones like honey. But a perfunctory read will miss all this. In fact, passages of the book beg to be read aloud, even if only to yourself. A warning though: the book questions attitudes of racial prejudice in a way that may not sit well with some readers. I have read, but not experienced, American history, so I must therefore ask myself what my reaction to this book would be if it were set in my own country. We too have had, and are having, racial disharmonies. The challenge is to walk in someone else’s moccasins, something we are often very reluctant to do. This is not an “escapist" book, not simply a good yarn you can put down and forget. It is an unexpectedly vivid and multi-sensory read that, at the same time, may challenge your existing point of view.
Rating:
Summary: I had to keep reading
Review: Once I began this rich and thoughtful story I had to keep reading. Kidd's character developement was wonderful. I felt like I knew each person in her story. The thread of bees woven throughout the story added depth and meaning. I cared about the characters and didn't want the story to end.
Rating: 
Summary: Only if your bored...
Review: ... and want some mindless reading. Not what I had hoped or expected based on all the talk. Not a BAD book, per se, just nothing much to it. I don't know what I was expecting, but whatever it was, it wasn't there.
Rating:
Summary: It's no secret! This book is terrific!
Review: The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd (The Dance of the Dissident Daughter), is an incredible transportation vehicle. It transports you to another era, location, climate, and state of mind that is completely mesmerizing. I found the strength of the women characters to be inspiring, particularly that of 14 year old Lily, the book's main heroine. There are subtle lessons in the book about compassion and life priorities, applicable today as they were in 1964, the year the book is set in. Perhaps the strongest example on that front comes in the explanation as to why a house was painted bright pink. Another subtlety is the boundary crossed throughout the book regarding race relations then and now. It's amazing just how much we can learn if only we allow ourselves the opportunity to be "colorblind". If you don't have the time or money to take a trip this year, then let The Secret Life of Bees take you away.
Rating:
Summary: Sue Monk Kidd's masterpiece
Review: This is a magnificent novel by Sue Monk Kidd. The story takes place during the time of the Civil Rights Act in the mid 1960's. The heroine is a teenage white girl named Lily who has previously lost her mother under somewhat mysterious circumstances and then, after years of abuse, runs away from an exceptionally cruel father. The bulk of the story takes place after Lily has been taken in and cared for by 3 black sisters, one of which is a beekeeper: it is at this point her "education" begins. Each chapter in the book is prefaced by a short statement about the life in a beehive (thus the name of the novel): then the following chapter will, in some way, parallel Lily's story with that previous statement about the bees. A unique concept but one that works very well in this setting. The book is extremely well written, captivating and is a roller coaster ride of emotions as Lily's situation changes with her development. The author has exceptional abilities to present to the reader what Lily is actually thinking that is, to me at least, so realistic, so " right on the mark" , that you could not help be enamored by the heroine and her slow, soul searching maturation and awareness. A must read! Highly recommended. It's just hard to imagine that this masterpiece didn't win some literary award.
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Summary: Great summer read!!!
Review: I thought this was a great read.If you are looking for something easy and short to read for summer then this book is for you.The characters are great and you feel like you "know them."I highly recommend this book.
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