Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Why I Read This: Old Ward Book Club Choice for November
Short Summary: In 1964, white girl Lily Owens runs away with her black nanny Rosaleen and finds refuge in the house of three black beekeeping sisters in South Carolina.
Website: http://www.suemonkkidd.com/SecretLifeOfBees/
Buy The Secret Life of Bees at Amazon
I watched the movie before I had read the book. I enjoyed both, but I liked the book more. Some parts in the movie I was confused at that were clearer in the book. I also liked being able to get inside Lily’s head more and get a few more details of scenes that happen really fast in the movie.
The characters were well drawn out. Even T. Ray, who has a relatively minor part in the book has an added dimension to him. I did miss some of the extra characterization that the movie added to June, but the characters were still distinct (even if I did mix up the Daughters of Mary, but at least they didn’t appear much, so I didn’t mind) and felt real as we learned of their sorrows. While I wasn’t truly riveted to this book or the movie, I did like the characters.
This was a character story, but still the plot was good. It had twists as relationships developed and secrets came out.
One thing I really liked about this book was how the little blurbs about bees at the beginning of each chapter reinforced the symbolism that bees had in this story. It makes it more obvious why “The Secret Life of Bees” is a fitting title.
The book has some swearing. Rosaleen gets beaten up at the beginning of the book, though it’s not described in lots of detail. There is no sex.
Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and same with the movie.
[...] Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (read November 19) (read my review) (November Old Ward Book Club [...]
I also liked the book and loved the little blurbs about bees. It made me want to read the books about bees that she referenced, especially since my ancestors were bee keepers in Germany.
That’s cool.
Great review and I like your format. We wrote our reviews around the same time and so perhaps we were reading at about the same time too.
My review is here:
http://5-squared.blogspot.com/2008/12/secret-life-of-bees-by-sue-monk-kidd.html
I found your blog through Tristi’s challenge – my first time doing the challenge. It’s been fun and inspiring for me to read! Keep up the great work!
Julie, I’m glad you enjoyed Secret Life of Bees too. And it’s good to meet another member of Tristi’s Challenge. I hope you’re doing well with it!