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The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
4 Stars
From The Book:
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
My Thoughts:
Many of us have lived through these times. It's 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act, in Sylvan, S.C. Lily Owens is 14 years old and not only fleeing her abusive father, T-Ray, but also the police that beat her motherly servant, Lily for defending her new right to vote.
The story and the characters speak so openly of how life was in that time and the hardships some had to endure. It is really hard to do the book justice without giving away so much of it. Let's just say that it is beautifully written. I loved the writing...the descriptions... and the humor sprinkled through the story. There was sadness and love, hope and forgiveness – but ultimately The Secret Life of Bees is the coming of age for a young girl who had more than enough tragedy in her life. I highly recommend this book
