The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees is a warm-hearted and uplifting novel that combines family drama, racial tension and young love.

Fourteen year old Lily Owen has grown up believing that she accidentally shot her mother when she was four years old. Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her abusive father, she yearns for a mother’s love. When her only friend Rosaleen, her Negro housekeeper, gets arrested, Lily helps her escape and the pair become fugitives. Lily decides to follow a trail left by her mother ten years ago and this leads her to a bee farm in a little southern town. It is here that she experiences true family love and uncovers the mystery surrounding her mother.

This is a delightful book which is by turns humorous, dramatic and moving. The characters are colourful and realistic. I particularly like the three Boatwright sisters, May, June and August, who are named after the months of the year. Kidd uses Lily’s time with the sisters to touch on sensitive issues of race and more importantly, show us how powerful women can be. As we watch Lily confront the truth about her family and learn about forgiveness, we too are challenged to let go of the resentments we hold and rise above them instead.

Throughout the book, Kidd vividly describes the fascinating process of beekeeping and honey making, hence the title The Secret Life of Bees. This is an outstanding coming-of-age book and deserves its Number one Bestseller status.