Here Is the Beehive

by Sarah Crossan

it happened,
again and again
and
again and again and again.

Together
apart.
In love
in aching.

Tangled
unravelling.

Ana and Connor have been having an affair for three years. In hotel rooms and coffee shops, swiftly deleted texts and briefly snatched weekends, they have built a world with none but the two of them in it.

But then the unimaginable happens, and Ana finds herself alone, trapped inside her secret.

How can we lose someone the world never knew was ours? How do we grieve for something no one else can ever find out? In her desperate bid for answers, Ana seeks out the shadowy figure who has always stood just beyond her reach – Connor's wife Rebecca.

Peeling away the layers of two overlapping marriages, Here is the Beehive is a devastating excavation of risk, obsession and loss.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Contemporary, Romance, Adult, Literary Fiction, Audiobook

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2020

About the author

Sarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Literature before training as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.

She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.

She currently lives in NYC.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want him to tell me that our love shattered you.
I want him to tell me that if you were alive
you would have picked me
eventually.

God, this book is awful. In the sense that I had a really powerful reaction to it... so I guess it's good?

I requested Here is the Beehive from Netgalley because I have read and enjoyed a couple of Sarah Crossan books in the past. However, I wasn't totally sure about it. I read the blurb and thought it sounded like maybe it was condoning cheating. It's about a married woman grieving the loss of her lover. For a long time, Connor kept promising that they would leave their spouses for one another, but he died before that ever happened, and now Ana is left with nothing but a painful secret and grief she can't express. So she seeks out the wife she has heard so much about.

This little verse novel has a lot to say, but it isn't condoning cheating. If anything, it shows how truly destructive an affair can be, not just to the cheated on partners, but, ultimately, to the participants themselves. The relationship in this book is not healthy; it is toxic. It consumes and destroys everything it touches.

While I know Ana was in the wrong, it is hard not to feel for her. She is in such a dark mental place, full of self-doubt and in need of psychiatric help. As the reader, it was deeply discomfiting to witness her destructive behaviour, both outside and within her own mind. The situation she and Connor have created with their secret is not a sexy affair; it is a nightmare. Now she wonders: Was it ever real? Did he ever have any intention of being with her? If nobody else knows about them, did it ever really happen at all?

How can we know which days
will be the turning points?

So long as we live,
we gamble.

The ending felt very sudden and I can't decide if it was too abrupt or just perfect. I definitely wanted more closure, wanted to know what happened with Paul and with Rebecca, but maybe this way, this lack of neatness, is more true to life.

A horrible little book that can be read in one sitting. Warning for one instance of transphobia (portrayed negatively).

Facebook | Instagram

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

What is it like to be “The Other Woman?

Personally, I would not know.

In “Here Os the Beehive” however, we get a glimpse, and pretty, it is not.

Nor is it anything like I’d imagined.

On display here we have Ana. An Estate Attorney who is married to Paul, with whom she has two children. Ana meets Connor when she becomes the Executor of his will. The two embark on a 3-year relationship thereafter, though Connor is also married (to Rebecca, with whom he has two children).

Every day of Ana’s life is carried on in secret.

There is before and there is after. Before Connor’s death and after.

There is love, deep, and abiding, within which lie frustration and intense need. Then there is heartache, guilt, loss, and loneliness.

After his death, Ana wants nothing more than to get close to Connor’s widow. To know her, to understand why he never left her.

Real, raw, and wholly honest, the way Ana is portrayed here is eye-opening. Sucker-punched, grief-stricken, full of regret. My sympathy for Ana knows no bounds (which was completely unexpected, if I do so say myself.).

“Here Is the Beehive” by Sarah Crossan is brilliant, heart-wrenching, and wholly stirring, evoking emotion in the most affecting of ways. The characterizations here are extremely well done, and the writing is exquisite and lyrical.

A huge thank you goes out to my Goodreads friend Michelle, for her stellar review, which made me want to read this fantastic novel.

Published on Goodreads on 12.24.20.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here Is the Beehive is a novel brilliantly crafted in verse. The use of this style easily brought emphasis where it was needed, and the precise and concise storytelling had me addicted to Ana’s story and how it was told. And Ana, you should know, was addicted to a man she couldn’t have due to an affair that ended when her lover passed away. Ana struggled with this outcome and comes more undone with every page.

Here Is the Beehive is an insightful and quirky book, unlike anything I’ve read before. I’ll not soon forget the compulsive way I read, nor the way the author told this most memorable, consuming story.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted you to tear
the world to shreds
to get
to me.

I wanted to be chosen.
pg. 179

In one way or another, I think almost everyone can identify with the above. The realization that a relationship you hold so dear; has ended. Your love for the other person burns so bright it blinds you, but your partner no longer bestows that warm glow upon you. It is a desperate and low period of your life and the recovery is long and hard. Being so overwhelmed with grief, you can make some pretty questionable decisions and our protagonist is no different.

Ana is an estate lawyer and she begins an affair with one of her clients. She learns of his sudden death from his wife who is calling to find out how to handle his estate. Thus begins our time with Ana's slow unraveling as she falls victim to her grief.

Besides this being expertly written, the way this is written (in verse) is FANTASTIC. It gives more power to particular words and takes us inside the mind of someone who isn't thinking clearly anymore. The prose was gut wrenching and I felt so close to Ana that I lived her heartache and obsession. I watched how her deteriorating mental health slowly infected that of everything in her life. I would HIGHLY recommend this to you if you loved Normal People by Sally Rooney. A best book of 2020 for me - no question!

**Small disclaimer: Please keep in mind that because it is written in verse and there are no "chapters" there are little symbols that show a break in thought. This could be a little jarring as your perspective in time jumped around a lot, but once you got used to it there was no problem. It certainly didn't ruin my experience with the book (as you can see), but it might be challenging or frustrating to others. I urge you to give this a try regardless!

Thank you to Little Brown for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

Review Date: 11/15/2020
Publication Date: 11/17/2020

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

"How can we know which days will be the turning points? So long as we live, we gamble...you thought you had forever to make mistakes and make amends...while gorging on life".

Solicitor Ana Kelly was mourning the death of her paramour, Connor Mooney, who had suddenly died in an auto accident. Ana and Connor had recently argued. Now Ana can no longer apologize or make amends. She cannot openly grieve. "I was so grateful...and felt lucky that all my wrongdoing was unknown". Ana was slowly starting to unravel...weight loss, lack of focus at work and the development of obsessions and compulsions.

This novel of a toxic love is written in verse, the ruminations of Ana, starting from Connor's death. "Even my attendance at the funeral you would have judged a transgression-making myself real, getting too close to those you did everything to protect". Ana is obsessed. She intends to learn everything there is to know about Connor. To this end, she explores social media looking for photos and correspondence. She befriends Connor's wife, Rebecca. Three years prior, Ana had drafted Connor's will, the beginning of their "hook-up". As executor of Connor's will, Ana has motive and opportunity to sort through Connor's paperwork and documents. He has painted Rebecca as cold and controlling...a doomed marriage he is unable to leave. How does one weigh Rebecca's pain versus Ana's pain? Ana plans to be ever so helpful to Rebecca.

"Here Is the Beehive" by Sarah Crossan is a novel written in poetic form that describes the havoc and destructive forces of a love affair. The main protagonists, Ana, Connor and Rebecca are well crafted and believable. I did not find either Ana or Connor to be likable. I fully expected to pan this tome, however, Crossan's understated, subtle writing pulled me in as witness to the illicit affair of the heart. Ana's grief and guilt was palpable and all consuming. An uncomfortable, well written novel.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5★s

Here is the Beehive is a story of love and loss, of grief and heartache, and of deception and obsession. It is also told in verse which, to me, made it rather disjointed and hard to follow.

Ana was shocked to receive a phone call from her lover’s wife, asking her to organize the will as her husband was dead. Connor and Ana had been having an affair for three years and although they last spoke only a few days prior, it was in anger. Now what would Ana do? She couldn’t come to terms with what Rebecca was telling her, but as no one knew about the affair (of course) Ana couldn’t talk to a soul.

Here is the Beehive is my first by author Sarah Crossan and while I can say her writing is evocative and unique, the characters weren’t. I found Ana to be selfish, self centred and just plain horrible. The story was a quick read – thankfully – but unless you’re a fan of the author, I can’t recommend this one. I must add that the cover is beautiful :)

With thanks to Bloomsbury for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"How many people need to agree for this sort of thing to come to an end?" -- Tanya, the co-worker

"'One,' I say. 'It takes just one person to end a marriage.'" -- protagonist Ana, on page 85

Crossan's Here Is the Beehive (which takes its title from a sing-song nursery rhyme that is briefly warbled by the main character's two young children) is a sharply affecting little dramatic novel which is basically about the unhappiness that comes with being an adult. It is also a 'debut' of sorts, as the author had previously written only for the YA genre. One other unique aspect is that the story is recounted in the prose style, which may sound odd, but I think it helped with the pacing and flow.

Ana Kelly is a successful estate attorney at a British law firm, routinely dealing with family trusts and wills. Although the wife of a school teacher (who is refreshingly depicted as a decent and caring - although occasionally frustrated - guy) and the mother of two young children (while she loves them, she does not always seem to be 'in love' with the idea of being a parent), Ana begins an ardent affair with an unhappily married client named Connor, an architect who has three pre-teen sons with his wife Rebecca. While the book does not exactly argue in favor of and/or present the affair as a good or positive thing, some of the brief glimpses into Ana's life and background may explain, but not condone, her actions. (This story is relayed in first-person narration from solely Ana's point of view.)

Connor then dies in a traffic accident, and of course Ana now finds herself in close contact with the suddenly widowed Rebecca per settling Connor's will. It was at this point that I thought the story really started to feel original, as Ana believably ingratiates herself into Rebecca's life - although NOT in the sense of some cheap psychological thriller - because she [Ana] seems to have difficulty in how she wants or needs to move forward. Ana may not be the most likable lead character - not that any protagonist necessarily needs that sort of prerequisite - but author Crossan does some assured work here in presenting a flawed but not malicious woman, who feels stuck at this segment of her life.

[enqi ☾⋆˚*̣̩✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | Reading something different from what I usually read, hopefully it'll cure my slump 🥹

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

A story told in verse about a married woman mourning the sudden loss of her lover. It starts at the end of the affair, in death, and focuses on how Ana begins to unravel in her hidden grief and jealousy towards wife Rebecca (I see those Daphne Du Maurier hints!) The whole story oozes bitterness, regret and sometimes even shame. Ana is unable to find a relase for her emotions, and has no one to talk to about her lover other than his best friend – who hates her. This isn’t a nice story about nice people.

Ana has made, and continues to make, some incredibly poor decisions that could affect her future, and as the story progresses we see her becoming more undone – to the point where she starts to question if she even had an affair, and if her lover was even real. Although the reader knows she isn’t a good person, I still couldn’t help feeling connected to her and wallowing with her in grief. I wanted her to find some happiness or reconciliation, or even some justification for her behaviour.

I will say I found the transitions between the present and flashbacks a little hard to get to grips with. There’s no warning as to when we jump back in time, and this could feel a little disorientating and sometimes threw me out of the story as I struggled to get to understand where in Ana’s timeline we were. The ending is also a little abrupt, and has no real conclusion – which in one sense sums up the whole affair and Ana’s thoughts, but I would have liked some kind of closure to wrap the story up.

However, I cannot deny that this is beautifully told with prose that feel very easy to read and conjure up a whole host of emotions. Crossan is a master writer, and I’m anxious to look up her back catalogue of YA novels so I can fully immerse myself in more of her words.

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a love story. There is not a hero or heroine nor a traditional happy ever after in sight. Instead, it is a fascinating and insightful exploration of the aftermath of an illicit affair that ends only as a result of one person’s death. About life, grief and dysfunctional relationships. The narrative, which is written solely in verse, totally and thoroughly captured my attention. The poetic pages made the style pacey and will probably allow many to read in one or two sittings which really is very satisfying. I was hooked on the telling as the layers of the story peeled away to reveal the depths of the plot. I probably should not have liked Ana, the main female character but I did. Something about her that made me warm to her. I felt for her. I didn't agree with her actions but I definitely felt sympathy and that is the mark of a great story. 'Here is the Beehive,' takes the reader through the eye of the storm, a bird’s eye view of being the other woman, instrumental and fully immersed in another's life but unable to grieve fully because the relationship is enacted completely behind closed doors. The story explores what would happen if?? What if I had to grieve for someone that I was not supposed to grieve for. How would that feel? How would I be?

'Here is the Beehive,' marks Sarah Crossan's first step into the adult fiction market. Already an award-winning author, Crossan has a unique style that makes her storytelling fresh, compelling and totally inspiring. This particular story and the protagonist at its heart may not be to everyone's reading tastes, no doubt about it BUT I practically inhaled it. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful, lyrical writing that told me such a sad tale. There's something about the writing of this author, I could not turn away. I could not stop reading despite the terrible decisions and life choices of the main protagonist. A highly anticipated novel of 2020 for me simply because I adore the writing style of this author and I am so happy to say that I was not disappointed at all. A unique and thoroughly well written novel, I wholeheartedly recommend.




Note: Written in verse | An affair drives the story arc | Contemporary Fiction




Also, check out the cover it is so very beautiful


Advance copy provided by Netgalley

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, wow, wow. This book, about a married woman (Ana) grieving the death of her married lover (Connor), absolutely slayed me. Broke my heart into a million tiny bits. It’s desperately, crushingly sad.

The affair lasts several years, until she asks him to choose. But he can’t choose. She walks away; stops taking his calls. He panics; he doesn’t want it to end this way. He races his bike through the streets of London—towards her. But he is struck down by a van and killed. When she learns he’s been killed, Ana is stricken with guilt. She is desperate to find him, and goes searching—trying to find a piece of him wherever she can. The focus of the book is Ana reminiscing about their time together—their conversations.

Much earlier, Connor had asked Ana (who was his lawyer) to act as executor of his will. After his death, Ana foolishly decides to reach out to his wife and they slowly, inexplicably, become friends. She even works her way into the lives of his two young children.🤦‍♀️ Wife doesn’t suspect a thing at first but finally she puts the pieces together and everything becomes crystal clear. Exit Ana.

Ana goes home and confesses to her husband, "I love someone else, but he's gone now." "Gone where?" "Just gone." Paul is such a good man. He asks her to sit—"let's talk", he says.

This is a cautionary tale. Take heed.

5 'Don’t-do-it... infidelity-isn’t-pretty stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[☆LaurA☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Dai,.....
Io ti faccio soffrire e basta.
Di questo ti rendi conto, vero?»

Non è facile parlare di questo "diario" di un amore che non avrebbe mai dovuto nascere. Non è facile parlare di storie così personali, che toccano una parte della vita che nessuno di noi imaginerebbe mai. Una cosa che, per la maggior parte delle volte, viene nascosta e che fa soffrire non solo i due amanti.
Non si decide di chi innamorarsi e quando, ma si dovrebbe avere il coraggio di parlare, di fare delle scelte pur sbagliate che siano.
Abbiamo una sola vita e dobbiamo provare a viverla senza soffrire, almeno per amore no?

Di più non riesco a dirvi, ma vivete al massimo, SEMPRE! Perché oggi ci siete e domani magari no. È triste lo so, ma non ci possiamo fare nulla.
Ora dopo un libro così non so se affogarmi nella nutella o andare a bere qualcosa di forte con un'amica!

[Roman Clodia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess the thing is that there's nothing new to be said about an obsessive adulterous affair where both partners are married... The style is supposed to be in verse but really it's just sentences randomly broken up without any metre or rhythm:

'Rebecca was calling because she knew
and I needed a story to explain it.
Quick. Quick. Think. Think.'

This is a fast read, sometimes confusing as it quick-switches around time (though it might be made clearer through typography in the final copy). Don't expect character development and we have to piece together aspects of the story as it runs through Ana's head. I can't recommend this one as it's never as raw and powerful as it could have been and the so-called verse just feels gimmicky.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Sarah Crossan book that I have read, it is a beautifully written and moving story.

Ana who is married to Paul and has two children, has been having an affair with Connor for three years, secretly meeting in hotel rooms.

When Connor dies the hurt she feels is very real, but he was never truly hers and Ana finds herself trapped with her grief unable to share her thoughts or memories with anyone else.

This definitely got me thinking as you normally dislike the other woman in this scenario, but you opened my eyes to how the mistress would feel, to love someone but not be able to openly grieve for the man and possible future you lost!! I felt empathy for Ana who knew she could not give up Connor but also knew it would probably end in heartbreak!!

Beautifully, thought provoking. I was transfixed with this book and could not put it down. The ending has left me wondering what will Ana’s next chapter in life be like.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 2 out of 5]

If ever there was a case of a book putting you off doing something in your real life, this book is it. Anyone tempted to cheat on their partner, would think twice after reading this unpleasant depiction. Strangely, the blurb was appealing and the cover was gorgeous.

My impressions on finishing this was that this was morose, depressing, disjointed and unfortunately, I have very little that is positive to say about this novel told in verse (other than it was told in verse). This wasn’t the strongest book I’ve read in verse but it did flow.

THIS IS THE BEEHIVE was a rather hideous story of deception, cheating, desperation, grief and blackmail. I hated pretty much all the characters and none more than the protagonist Ana. In fairness, she was left in a very difficult situation but her inner monologue of processing and looking back was uncomfortable and unpleasant reading.

The formatting of the arc was awful and this didn’t help the lack of sense between past and present transitions (which were non-existent). I only got through this because it was a short read but realistically what doesn’t work for me, might work for others.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the early review copy.

This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog .

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story told in verse about a married woman and the sudden loss of her lover. The main character in this is pretty unlikeable but I think it worked really well in the context of the story.
Here is the Beehive is my second novel by Crossan and i'll definitely pick up more of her work.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

In her adult fiction debut, Sarah Crossan with her writing in verse style presents us with Ana. A hard-working married lawyer who begins an affair with a married client. As the story begins, Ana has learned of her lover's death and begins to draw obsessively close to his widow and friends. There is a suspenseful atmosphere to the tale that also makes me wonder if Ana's just fooling herself.

Although I adore Crossan's YA books very much, I thought the end result was a promising sign of future possibilities in the adult fiction genre. I enjoyed the nod to two literary novels- Anna Karenina and Rebecca and the story left a memorable impression on me.

Publication Date 17/11/20
Goodreads review published 01/12/30

[Ania · Rating 2 out of 5]

książka nie dla mnie

[Emily Coffee and Commentary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A riveting novel in verse that recounts a disastrous affair and its long lasting effects. Discussing the nuances of mental health, communication, and the ways in which our choices mold our lives, Here is the Beehive is an impactful look at contemporary marriage and everyday life, including the little ways that they unravel. It is a complex look into the inner workings of affairs, deception, and self destructive behavior.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In diesem Roman von Sarah Crossan geht es um eine Liebe, die nicht sein darf und tragisch endet.
Die Anwältin Ana beginnt eine Affäre mit dem verheirateten Conner und verliebt sich in ihn. Doch schon zu Beginn erfahren wir, dass Conner stirbt und Ana diese Tragödie nun verarbeiten muss, ohne es mit jemandem teilen zu können, da die Liebe der beiden geheim war. Eine unfassbar tricky Situation, über die ich zuvor noch nie im Leben nachgedacht habe, was mich so aber umso neugieriger gemacht hat.
Der Roman ist in Versform verfasst, wovon ich zuerst etwas verunsichert war. Dies war allerdings unbegründet, da der Text sich super locker lesen lässt und man durch die wenig beschriebenen Seiten nur so fliegt.
Ich mochte, wie Sarah Crossan schreibt, irgendwie relativ nüchtern und schnörkellos, aber doch so, dass man gut mitfühlen kann. Die Geschichte habe ich in einem Rutsch durchgelesen und mochte sie wirklich gerne, da sie mal wieder zeigt, wie facettenreich und unberechenbar das Leben sein kann und mich für einen Nachmittag einfach wirklich gut unterhalten und zum Nachdenken gebracht hat.

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stumbling upon this on a U.K. book site this was one of their featured reads, the synopsis hooked me but when I first opened up the book I almost put it back down because it is written in poem style format and I didn't think I would get the full depth of the storyline written this way and I was wrong because this is a tremendous and evocative read that is not to be missed.

Ana a solicitor, is in an unhappy marriage when Connor comes in seeking legal advice, the two hit it off and an affair ensues. Like the old complaints that are common, Connor's wife Rebecca is an unfeeling, cold, self centered snob who comes from money while Connor is the long suffering husband who has to put up with his harpy of a wife. Ana as well finds her husband Paul, a boor, despite the fact that he is the one keeping the home fires burning, tending to their kids' homework and cooking the meals. The affair begins to bring about unhappiness with Ana because with a lot of mistresses they want more than they're getting and Connor not wanting to give up the best of both worlds begins to come up with excuses for why he cannot bring himself to leave his horrid wife. Ana knowing she is getting the runaround begins her descent into despair, questioning, pleading Connor leave his wife and when he refuses the two breakup only to have Connor die suddenly. Left with all the unspoken feelings and dreams of bliss she felt she was entitled to, Ana falls deeper and deeper into despair and sadness, Ana then contacts Rebecca to discuss the legal matters her husband enacted and to use the meetings as a way to ingratiate herself into Rebecca's life and experience his life with his family.
It was hard to feel badly for Ana at times because of the affair she chose to involve herself in and the selfishness of ignoring her family but I felt a sense of pity that she allowed herself to base her happiness on a man she knew was married and who clearly did not want to end his marriage. Recommended.

[Elle❤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

2.5 stars

I wanted to read "Here is the Beehive" because the subject is not something I would typically read about or would be of interest me, but I wanted to give it a shot because I enjoyed Crossan's "Moonrise" and I thought because it's written in verse it would make it more interesting for me, which it did - if it was written normally I definitely wouldn't have tried to read it. I'm glad I got to read something different, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. One thing I can say I liked is that it didn't at all condone affairs/cheating. I wouldn't have been able to finish it if it did. It simply depicts the psychological toll it has on the people involved. And I didn't have a slick of sympathy for them. I expected to dislike Ana and Connor, but Ana was just awful. Seriosuly awful. I couldn't stand following her story. I'm glad it's over.

[Jonathan Pool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Themes

Adultery! And the consequences of sudden, unexpected death and the emotional consequences. It’s a fascinating contradiction.
Francois Mitterand led a double (private) life for thirty two years and his “other woman” said after his death revealed the complexity of the situation: “François had a marvellous phrase. ‘The only eternal love is one that hindered,’ ”
Here is the Beehive doesn’t present this scenario with quite such a rosy hue.

Synopsis

Married (Solicitor), Ana Kelly and married Connor Mooney, have an affair. It’s ongoing and intense and marked by breakup and reconciliation. Sex and physical passion is intoxicating and Ana is genuinely in love with Connor. Connor is an adulterer (though it does admittedly take two to tango), with no backbone. His greatest quality seems to be that he’s six foot tall (women like that apparently).
The narrative is set primarily in north London, and at Ana Kelly’s work, a legal practice in which she specialises in Wills and Probate.

This is a familiar story; it’s subject matter that has been written about for ever, and its to Sarah Crossan’s credit that she sustains interest in Ana despite her obvious culpability.

Highlights

This book stands or falls on the strength of its characters, and they were all excellently drawn.

• Sister Nora is a nightmare sister. A “high achiever”; having a three year age advantage on Ana, she consequently knows it all; a girl who delights in belittling Ana; a woman who doesn’t recognise the weakness in her own husband
• Rebecca Taylor is a controlling, focused, manager of her life narrative. The chosen husband fits the narrative, and what’s love got to do with it? Or is that really a true reflection of Rebecca?
• Paul, Ana’s husband is a family man who ostensibly won his wife’s love against stronger opposition (as a student)
• Tanya is a lush whose best and most consistent friend is the bottle. Sarah Crossan has a follow up book in prospect if she develops Tanya as a more predatory Bridget Jones character!

Literary context

Sarah Crossan has written this book in a “verse” format. Recent notable, and prize winning examples of this flowing style of writing include Bernadine Evaristo Girl Woman Other and Robin Robertson’s The Long Take . Both favourite books of mine. It is interesting that Crossan openly acknowledges the effect and influence of the Robertson book on her own writing

Questions

I always regard a book’s title as an important aspect of the authors intent and message. “ Here is the Beehive” gets mentioned just once, as part of a children’s poem (p.187).
But why did Sarah Crossan choose this title for her book? Intriguing.

Author background & Reviews

Sarah Crossan is best known for her young adults fiction, including One , telling the story of conjoined twins. One won The Bookseller’s 2016 YA prize in 2016. Crossan was Irish Children's laureate In May 2018. Beehive is her debut work of adult fiction.

Recommend

I thought this was an excellent book and I recommend it. Maybe the Goldsmiths Prize for innovative fiction will select it for their 2020 list. They could do a lot worse.

[Don Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here Is the Beehive is the author’s first foray into “adult fiction”. I have read two of her books previously that were aimed at younger readers and I can tell you with complete certainty that this is not suitable for kids the way the other books were.

It quickly becomes apparent why this book is aimed at the adult market rather than children. While the other books focused on child protagonists this one features an adult female. The story is also about the sudden death of her paramour. It is also chock full of swearing, which I have absolutely no problem with, but also meant that the book transported me in a different way than the others had.

Once again, the story is written in verse, which I still absolutely love. There is something about it that completely immerses the reader in the story.

The topic is one that I haven’t really approached before. What happens when your “lover” dies? You can’t tell anybody, but it must affect you both emotionally and physically. Here we see the far-reaching effects and how it takes over the life of our protagonist and takes its toll on not just her personal life, but her professional life also.

Our protagonist Anna is a startlingly well written character. What she is going through is obviously a great ordeal, but due to the circumstances some may say she deserves little sympathy. I thought she was a fascinating character and even though I didn’t want to feel sorry for her, I did. I didn’t feel much of a connection to her overall, but I did think she was a great lead character.

The overarching story was absolutely brilliant, but, while I thought this was a great read, it didn’t hit the highs of either Moonrise or Toffee for me, perhaps due to not being totally in love with the main character.

This is still a fascinating read, and one that I am sure people everyone will be recommending. I’m glad to say I’ll be right there promoting it with them. I really do think you should read this one.

[Charles Edwards-Freshwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply devastating.

I loved this book so much that it actually hurt my heart a little to let it go once I'd finished reading it and I finished the whole thing in a frenzied couple of hours. It's a taboo subject - how can you feel after the man you're having an affair with has died and yet you can't tell anyone? It is an extra level of loneliness in grief - tinged with a nasty crust of the fact that the whole arrangement was a betrayal to begin with.

I adored the verse, the keen observations - the painful little recollections of the happiness battling against the responsibility - the battle the woman couldn't win. Masterful stuff and undoubtedly one of the most powerful books I've read this year.

5 stars.

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The choice to stage the entire novel in fragments was not as successful as some novels in actual verse I've read. Some details seem to conflict, which was confusing. The emotional capture of losing someone that is only known in an affair felt accurate.

I had a copy of this from the publisher through Edelweiss and I'm currently trying to breeze through the rest of my 2020 eARCs. This one made the cut to finish and is a quick read because half the page is white space.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Stars

I was very curious to read Sarah Crossan's adult novel and I'm sad to say I was a bit disappointed by it. I was hoping to find more, instead I found myself quite bored. The story lacked something, but I could not put my finger on what exactly it is that was lacking. I was looking for more introspection than what this book offered.
I hope Crossan's next novel doesn't disappoint me like this one.

[Karly · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ I like the writing and the style was unique but it wasn’t unbelievable

Together apart.
In love in aching.
Tangled unravelling.

Ana and Connor have been having an affair for three years. Three years of hotel rooms, hidden texts and stolen moment and broken promises.

No one in Ana’s world knows about this torrid affair… and one day Connor dies. Ana is trapped inside her own secret with no one to confide in.

Here is the Beehive is a devastating excavation of risk, obsession and loss.

I really loved Hey, Zoey, it was one of my fave books of 2023 so I had to try something else by this author. The style of writing is very different really short sentence structure in fact I think its structured like a poem but written like a novel.

I actually really liked that and there was nothing I didn’t like about this, but I was comparing it to Hey Zoey and for me it was no where near the same level. I will absolutely read more by Sarah Crossan I think her writing is amazing. This story is sad…and if you have had someone have an affair you may want to steer away from it or if you yourself are involved an affair and you don’t want to face any confronting sequences again maybe stay away…

It was definitely sad… and there was no real point to the book if thats what you want to say… except to tell the story of Ana and Connor. Ana was so busy being in love and obsessed with Connor that she forgot about her family, began to hate her husband, neglected her kids which of course is all really shit… and then Connor was busy living it up with his wife and side thang, meanwhile lying to both of them.

After Connor’s death (which I thought was going to be dun dun dunnnnn but this story really is just about human emotion which I was down for too… I’ve just read too many thrillers), Ana is adrift, but so is Connor’s wife. And Ana decides to insert herself into the wife’s life which was kind of understandable but also really off putting.

Everything about this one was tense… I did like it… not everyone will but I did. The three stars is not a meh three and not a must read three its just a genuine I liked it but didn’t love it 3 stars.

Overall I recommend to anyone who likes unique prose and structure of writing. And if you like this author and want to try a sad story filled with emotion and loss.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

Approaching a Sarah Crossan novel -- after having read a number of her previous books -- you kind of know what you're going to get: a fast-paced and emotive story told through short, snappy sentences of verse. This being her first novel for adults I wondered if this tried and tested formula would prove as effective, and I'd venture that fans of her other works will not be disappointed by this offering.

Here is the Beehive tells the story of a woman, Ana, who is mourning the loss of a man (Connor) with whom she was having an affair. This is a point of view I've not experienced in a book before, and Crossan does a great job of making you feel sorry for Ana whilst also recognising the issues and complications of this - Connor was unhappily married (at least this is what he'd told Ana... but he wouldn't leave his wife), and left behind three sons. The novel unfolds as Ana reflects on their affair, and Crossan shows us the implications it has on her life, but most specifically the impact it has on her family. I found Ana's reaction in the wake of Connor's death to be all too plausible, and the pages flew by as I kept reading to find out what the conclusion of her spiral into self destruction would be.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Madeleine Knutsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag grät, jag mådde dåligt, och jag kände igen mig (även fast jag aldrig varit otrogen!) i allt hon kände och tyckte.
Sarah Crossans böcker på vers är så otroligt bra och jag vill bara ha mer. Snälla ge mig tips på böcker på vers!