The Secret Life of Bees takes place in South Carolina in 1964. It is the story of a young girl, Lily, whose mother was killed. She is raised by her black "Stand-in mother," Rosaleen. They are forced to leave their hometown once Rosaleen offends three racists. They are taken in by three beekeeping sisters in Tiburon, South Caroline. Through the process of learning about bee keeping, Lily discovers a lot about herself and her search for the mother she lost. The story is about female power and the search for identity.
This novel has many acclaims. It's a New York Times Bestseller. It was also selected by Good Morning America's "Read This!" Book club. The quotations on the back cover had nothing but wonderful things to say about this novel. When you first open the book there are pages of praise from various critics and publications.
My overall impression is that this book will be a very enjoyable read. It seems to have an interesting plot and many thought provoking central themes. This seems to be the kind of book that raises many questions, not necessarily answering them in a straight forward manner. I think that it's one of those books that provides you with a basis on which you are free to form your own opinion about universal topics. I always find those books more interesting. After reading a few sample passages, I seem to like the writer's style. She's not too wordy, but she provides the detail that we as readers need. I think it will be easy to read through.
Each chapter is preceded by a quote. I always think that is a cool way to catch the reader's attention. The quotes often get me thinking before I even start reading the chapter. They provide a sort of prelude to what the next few pages will reveal.
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