The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd takes place in South Carolina 1964, where controversy about black's civil rights was everywhere. The book takes this theme to tell a story about how a person's skin color does not determine who they can love or be loved by. Lily, a teenage girl, and Rosaleen, her black nanny (and mother figure) run away from Lily's abusive father to find out what is the true meaning of family. They find a trio of bee keeping sisters who become Lily's and Rosaleen's new sisters, mothers, and friends. The book has a reputation for being a 'girl book,' but I didn't get that vibe when I read it. This idea probably came from the fact that the majority of the characters are female, but the themes and relationships in The Secret Life of Bees are very different from your typical 'chick-lit.' If anything the book was more like a mystery novel. Kidd keeps you itching to know what happened to Lily's mother. The book was told in first person so the reader takes on the same emotions as Lily. You will laugh, cry, and angrily throw jars of honey along with her. (Well, maybe not throw things). One thing about the book I did not like was some metaphors were stated too bluntly by the author. I like to search for hidden meaning and draw my own parallels, not have them shouted at me. Not everybody's like me though. Some people might like having those points spelled out for them. I personally enjoy thinking about the books I read and having the ideas presented in them to be open to interpretation. The Secret Life of Bees never gave me that chance. All in all, it was a really good read, despite the author’s assumption that all her readers can't think for themselves.

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