The Last Beekeeper

Siya Turabi HarperCollins

Set in Pakistan in 1974, 13-year-old Hassan heads into the forest with his father to collect black honey to save his mother’s eyesight. The forest is forbidden, and before they get a chance to locate the precious honey, Hassan’s father is captured and taken away by the guards for breaking the law.

Shortly after, Hassan wins a scholarship to study with the governor in Karachi, where he forms a strong bond with the governor’s niece, Maryam. However, he is aware that time is running out to save his mother’s sight, and he is torn between attempting to find the black honey, and leaving his village to start a new life.

I found this quite an unusual story, with a mythical feel to it as Hassan’s magical relationship with the bees is poetically depicted throughout.

The author has a knack for lyrical storytelling, and I found myself looking at bees in a whole new light after reading this book.