The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd   352 pages

A most excellent book telling the stories of Lily Owens a 14 year old girl who has grown up in a home without the comfort of love.   Lily's parent, T. J. offers no love, only criticism and punishment.  Her mother died many years prior to the beginning of the story from a tragic accident.  You get to know Lily so well as she narrates the story.   It is set in South Carolina in 1964 and racial equality is at its beginning in town when black people are finally allowed to vote.  This causes big waves among the racists in town when Rosaleen, Lily's best friend and surrogate mother goes into town to register to vote.  All hell breaks loose with Rosaleen being hospitalized waiting for sentencing to jail and T. J. being called to take Lily home.   Lily musters her courage, sneaks away from home and convinces Rosaleen, though Rosaleen  is hurt bad to get out of bed and go on the lam with her.   There are incidents with bees in the walls of Lily's room and flying out around her room from time to time that seem a signal, sign or message from her dead mother.and that along with the few items Lily found stashed that had belonged to her mother, a photo of her mother, a wooden block of a black madonna with Tiburnum on the back and a pair of gloves that she hides then buries in the yard so T. J. won't know she has them all are leading Lily to where she is meant to be.   Luck is with Lily and Rosaleen during their getaway and they end up on the doorstep of 3 amazing bee keeping sisters.  The story really blazes from here on.   A wonderful tale of redemption and love, acceptance of both what is and what was, good, bad, painful, learning to live with regrets and how to forgive oneself and others and how regardless to keep going on.    A beautiful story.  I recommend this book from middle-schoolers to octogenarians.    

 - Shirley J.