i read this book a few years ago it was an extremly good book i would read again!!!! A+++++++++++

this is a truly inspiring book, Kidd is an incredible author. Gives readers a view into what life was like back in the 60's for black people. Inspiring tale of self journey, and family

The book is more aimed at someone between the ages of 12-16, particularly female. Kidd portrays well the frailty of this girl, coupled with her insecurities and joys. Her relationships to the people around her are those I find unreal a little bit- saintly people who are completely forgiving. although the main character is real enough, the people around her settings seem fake, enough so that it makes it hard to relate. your call people!

After being decidedly unimpressed with the first Sue Monk Kidd book I read (The Mermaid Chair), I was afraid this one would be similarly the literary equivalent of a Lifetime movie. I was pleasantly surprised: while it has the same airy style that enables you to motor through the pages, it has substantially more weight.

The characters are engaging and believable (another reviewer questions why the protagonist doesn't act terribly mature, but she IS only a teenager after all!), and the plot includes historical and personal drama (African Americans gaining the right to vote and socially oppressed people's responses to racism).

This is also a rare novel in that while many would consider it to be in the genre of Beach Book, the women depicted are not superficial and do not seem like 2-dimensional "yay, girl power!" characters. They are strong, smart, conflicted women who are determined to make the world what they want it to be, whether questioning racism, letting newfound sexuality develop, or even creating a new religion.

I enjoyed this so much. It has a "To Kill A Mockingbird" feel to it. I couldn't put it down. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did.

I'm still trying to figure out what all the rave is about. This book was a huge disappointment. It started out with potential, and then fizzled around discovery of the "pink house". It was the same mumbo over and over again. Also, the author should have done more research on African American lives in the 1960s, particularly in the South, and paid close attention to their religious views. I can see a cult-like religion amoung a group of women in Louisiana, but South Carolina--hardly! And Lily discusses all the racial tension and unrest that is happening in the town, yet she is always in a truck with Zach (a black teenager, with a very dark complexion), and no one notices this or says anything about it--what! I think had the story been written in a narrative voice, it would have been a lot better. The other characters would have been a lot stronger and it would have given more to the story. As it is, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, and I definately don't want to see the movie.

I surveyed my class and 80% gave it two thumbs up: 5 stars. That's 28 out of 35 students. The rest of the class gave it an OK: 3 or 4 stars. So my giving it 5 stars has been backed by research into the general public's taste. ;=)

Now, I'm not much for spending time on fiction. I don't need entertainment, I need information. But as a story teller, occasional writing class instructor, I like to keep up with some of the new fiction.

Bees is pretty good. I don't get a sense of the forced or trite here like I do in a lot of fiction. In reading most fiction, I can almost hear the writer thinking. I guess it's because I write and my intimate knowledge of the craft allows me to see a lot before it comes. Kind of like an actor who you know is just acting. But Kidd's writing is like Will Smith in Ali or Jamie Fox in Ray. In Ali there is no Smith and in Ray there is no Fox. Art works best when it's done by the talented who tap into the moment so right, so purely it stops being art and becomes real. Bees is real.

Some readers on Goodreads and Amazon had trouble with such things as the bee quotes at the start of each chapter being a bit obvious, passage of time, Zach driving around with Lilly without being accosted, the religious theme (didn't state but I'm sure it has to do with the women eating cake as the body of Mary), the triteness of a coming of age story and some of the characterization (ie: stereotypical African / American women) and so forth, but these are minor or petty problems. In the overall scheme of analysis, these issues were superficial at best.

Every story has problems simply because ONE person wrote the book. Not millions. Not you. Just the individual with the ideas, courage, focus, and discipline to do so--the author. We all come from different experiences, upbringing, religions or lack of, cultures, ages, etc. If you think you're ever going to read a book that matches perfectly with your perceptions . . . stop reading. I'm tired of people nit-picking. And most have never written a book in their lives. I also have the same problem with people (90%) who don't have ANY IDEA WHATSOEVER what it's like to have a public life who are hypercritical. One of the secrets to the successful is an open mind. Too many closed one's out there. Sorry, tirade. Back to the book.

Bottom line, I was impressed and I've read a lot of stories and written many myself. I know the difficulties involved in making a story work, making is real, and connecting to readers. This book does all that and more. And that's where we focus as readers looking for something human, something humane to enliven and enlighten our lives.

Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful book. It's a quick and easy read, but a heartwarming story. It made its way onto my favorite book list.

This is a well told slice of life story set in the 1960's that deals with the racial tensions of the time and warmly portrays some very eccentric characters. Fourteen year old Lily tragically lost her mother when she was just a toddler and that moment has haunted her throughout her young life. She has been raised by her mean to the core father and a black woman named Rosaleen whom her father plucked from the peach farm to become her stand in mother. Strong willed Rosaleen causes a stir when she attempts to register to vote and ends up getting herself thrown in jail. Lily, desperate to save her, concocts a plan to spring her from jail. They escape their town and end up in Tiburon where Lily believes the truth about her mother will be found because left among her mother's things was a picture of the Black Madonna with only "Tiburon" written on the backside. They are taken in by a kindly trio of quirky sisters who raise bees and whose logo happens to be the Black Madonna. There Lily finds a home, acceptance, forgiveness and love.

great for a summer read. I teach 8th grade and use this for my students. They love it!

I wouldn't recommend. Mother in Law raved about this book & even borrowed it to me. I just kept waiting for something to happen & it never did. Just to slow paced for me.

Actually, I hadn't heard of this book before, hadn't heard anything about it, when I took it off the library shelf. I was looking for something different (I usually read chick lit, fantasy, or historical fiction) than my usual selection, and this sounded interesting. At first, I was really drawn in; I wanted to find out how Lily reached a conclusion to her inner struggle over her mother's death, her outer struggle with the racial climate in her external enviornment, and what would happen with the beekeeping sisters.

By the last chapter, I found I'd skimmed over a big chunk of the middle, since I really didn't care much, after all, about what happened to the sisters named after months (even with a tragedy occuring in their present), or Rosaleen, and was hoping Lily would be able to grow up quickly. When the long-awaited confrontation between Lily and her father finally came, I felt it was resolved way too fast. Apparently Lily had already made up her mind as to what she wanted to do long before the confrontation took place in the text.

Also, the female-oriented religion was far too odd for my tastes, and this coming from someone who's studied ancient pre-Christian cultures and knows the importance the role of divine women played in such societies.

In the end, I have to agree with those who are doubting why "The Secret Life of Bees" has become so popular.

I read this book a couple of years ago and recently came across it again on my bookshelf. My latest order hadn't arrived from Amazon and being desperate for a good read, I picked it up. I'm glad I did. This book is just as enjoyable as when I read it the first time. I love how the author faithfully captures the time (the deep American South) during integration.

A warm and funny book that holds up well.

I loved, loved, loved this book and I am not the "go along with the crowd" type. But I've read a lot of criticism here about this book.
Listen, if you're looking for something that precisely lines up with your version of history/events, you're barking up the wrong tree. This is a fictional work that is meant to lead you down the "what if" road, which is really a great reason to read fiction.
However, the VALUE of this book is in the adventure of the story, the imagery, the "can't put it down" factor, and the message you (hopefully) walk away with, if your intellect allows.
I've read some reviews where the people were almost indignant about how this isn't possible or that isn't realistic. If you're the kind of person that needs your reading material to be completely plausible in every way, read a biography and stay away from fiction (fiction means it came from someone's imagination).
I myself was uncomfortable with the almost constant mention of Mary (mother of Jesus) as a religious figure. She was a person, not God, and she isn't supposed to be worshipped or prayed to. But again, this is a work of fiction; Sue Monk Kidd's version of a possible reality.
Ever hear the saying, "Fact is stranger than fiction?" Believe me, this story may not be possible in some people's world, but it's possible.
Although the story did not revolve around an interracial affair, it does touch on the subject. It focuses mainly on intterracial close relationships. That's the reason for all the comments, from others, in that regard.
And, by the way, my mother and father dated in the fifties and were married in the sixties. He's black she's white. And they're still alive and well today. Not every black man seen with a white woman (or vice versa) was hanged or shot.
In the end, it was plain awesome reading. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
My only warning is that it does have a lot unnecessary, supererogative cursing in it.

All right, so I'm clearly a geek that loves the whole world of women scenario. I'm sorry, but this was just a fantastic book. I give Kidd props for writing from the perspective of a young girl--few people do well that way.

Here we have a girl in the 60s who runs away, with her housekeeper, from her abusive father. She hasn't had a mother in years, and takes the opportunity to find out more about the woman she doesn't remember but who means so much to her. This leads her, via a thing of honey, to the Sisters, a group of beekeepers who graciously take in Lily.

Here, Lily is exposed to a world very much unlike the one her father gave her. Here, women are valued. In fact, there is this religious of the Black Madonna that is very girl-powery and beautiful. She, as a white girl, sees racism from a different angle.

I especially enjoyed the stories of the various characters. Everyone is different, but not in an obnoxiously cliche way.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

Okay...I really wanted to like it and it started out really great, but then it just starts to fizzle and doesn't really improve from there. The story starts off with the mystery of Lily's mother and what really happened the day that Lily's mother left T. Ray. Rosaleen, May, June, August, etc. all seem a bit far-fetched, either too sympathetic to the black plight or steeped in mysticism and some weird wooden relic of which they cover in honey and pray to. I just didn't believe the whole storyline that they would let this little white girl into their house without questioning her and that Rosaleen would blindly follow Lily after getting sent to jail for those white men who insulted her. August seems stuck in that role of maternal, mysterious, patient, and ever-knowing black woman that is a foil to Lily who is confused to say the least. It wasn't a bad book and it certainly made for an interesting read, but it just seemed too contrived and full of estrogen for me.

i read this in a friends rec. it was a great bookk. i cried laughed and was really sucked in cant wait for the movie

This has been one of the best reads for me in a long time - and the one I've most recommended to friends, family and anyone else I've come across. It deals with humans and humanity in all shapes, forms and sizes - shows the best and the worst of everyone in a mixture of love, hate, violence, racism, passion and humour. This is one of those books that has just a little bit of everything. Simply written, unpretentious, it tells it as it is. I couldn't put it down. Fortunately, the pace is so fast I didn't lose too much of my life, either. A quick read and ultimately memorable. Fabulous.

I recommend this book to anyone! It had amazing characters and well developed plots and subplots. The writing alone will keep you entertained, while the moral of the story unravels at its core, teaching you that people have more to offer than you think and you realize that old phrase "It's a small world after all". A very good book that will leave a lasting impression for months to come!

If you need a story that will transport you to a place that will ultimately warm you to the toes, this is it. I recommend this book to all my friends. I find this to be a really healing book on many levels. I've read it over and over to completely absorb all of Kidd's imagery and brilliant depth of characters. She is a very rare writer who truly knows how to make a story come to life! I highly recommend this book!

"The Secret Lives of Bees" is the simple yet moving story of Lily Owens, a 14-year-old white girl, and her aching search to connect with her mother, who was killed in a terrible accident when Lily was four. Without her mother, Lily was raised by her abusive father T. Ray and a "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, an African-American woman who had previously served as a picker on T. Ray's peach farm. In the summer of 1964, two events serve to alter Lily's life - first, Rosaleen is arrested for pouring snuff juice on the feet of three of the town's worst bigots and, second, T. Ray tells Lily that her mother never loved her. Armed with one of the few possessions remaining of her mother - a picture of a black Mary, marked "Tiburon, S.C." - Lily breaks Rosaleen free from prison and together they set off to Tiburon. It is in Tiburon that "the bees come," as Lily finds her way to a group of beekeepers, who welcome both her and Rosaeen into their home. In searching for a sense of her mother, instead, in these beekeepers, Lily finds both a spiritual awakening and a sense of community, ending her journey with not just one mother but many mothers to care for and look after her.

First, Tiburon provides a spiritual awakening for Lily. Bees are the symbol of one's soul - according to one popular saying, "When a bee flies, a soul will rise," or, in other words, a person's soul will be reborn if bees are around. In searching for the meaning of her mother's picture of the black Mary, Lily comes to Tiburon and, while at a grocery store, notices honey jars adorning the same image. She finds out the honey is made by August Boatwright, who, along with her "calendar sisters," May and June, agrees to take Lily and Rosaleen into her home. It is here, among the bees, that Lily's soul begins to rise. In her new home, Lily discovers a statute of the black Mary, her right arm raised, her fingers closed in a fist, and a faded red heart painted on her breast. Every Sunday, August convenes a group, known as the "Daughters of Mary," which pays tribute to this statue, touching their fingers on her faded red heart. Initially not invited to take part in this ritual, Lily feels like an outsider, the fractured place in her heart pierced whenever she looks at the statue. As Lily gains acceptance within the group, she is emboldened to touch Mary's heart, but still she fails to undergo any substantive transformation. Finally, August explains to Lily that Mary is not some statute, "She's something inside of you," and asks Lily to touch her own heart to find the power (Mary's fist) and love (Mary's heart). Whereas, at T. Ray's church, Mary "never got much attention," in Lily's new life with the Daughters of Mary, Mary is not only prominent, but she is powerful. Lily eventually comes to see Mary every day, not just in the statute but in herself: "I feel her in unexpected moments, her Assumption into heaven happening in places inside me. She will suddenly rise, and when she does, she does not go up, up into the sky, but further and further inside me." Instead of feeling the fractured place in her heart when looking at Mary, Lily now feels the holes being "gouged out." While looking for traces of her earthly mother, she has instead found her spiritual mother, her soul being reborn.

In addition to finding power within herself, Lily also finds power within the Boatwrights' community. The symbol of a bee colony as a female community is used extensively throughout "The Secret Lives of Bees." In a bee colony, there is no role for males; they are "reared only at the times of year when their presence is required," or when it is time to mate. On the other hand, females are indispensable: "[i]solate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die." Like the bees, Lily is leading a secret life: she is a runaway who has freed a black woman from jail. She lies to the Boatwrights and tells them her father is dead and that Rosaleen, beaten and bloodied in jail, has just fallen down the stairs. At first, Lily is apprehensive of her new surroundings: "I could have been in the Congo for how unfamiliar it felt. Staying in a colored house with colored women, eating off their dishes, lying on their sheets - it was not something I was against, but I was brand-new to it, and my skin had never felt so white to me." Eventually, though, Lily finds sanctuary in their community, participating in their odd rituals, becoming a "true beekeeper," and especially coming to love August, the kind maternal "queen" of their community. Finally feeling secure enough to reveal her secrets, Lily confesses to August that, not only is she a runaway, but she was the one who killed her own mother. Even if it was an accident, she still believes she is unlovable. August insists otherwise, telling her how she loves her, Rosaleen loves her, the Boatwright sisters love her, and all the Daughters of Mary love her too. According to bee lore, "A queenless colony is a pitiful and melancholy community [. . . b]ut introduce a new queen and the most extravagant change takes place." While Lily has lost her mother, there is no more aching, because she realizes she has "more mothers than eight girls off the street." August, Rosaleen, and the Daughters of Mary all represent new "queens," or mothers in her life. With their support, Lily undergoes "extravagant change," beginning her new life, a life that she loves.

As Lily undergoes her transformation, initially it is unclear what the book's message is: do we find power through our own spirit, or through others? While August tells Lily that she can find Mary - or her spirit - inside of herself, in reality, Lily's spiritual discovery occurs as she makes connections with others, specifically, August and the Daughters of Mary. It is through them that she is able to overcome her prejudice that an African-American woman cannot be her mother and comes to not only accept all of her new mothers but also comes to identify with the image of the Black Madonna. When Lily asks August why she puts that image on her honey jars, August answers that doing so allows black women to see themselves as divine because "everybody needs a God who looks like them." That Lily, as a white girl, comes to identify with the Black Madonna suggests a female solidarity - that we see ourselves along gender lines. But there is also a black man who attends the Daughters' meetings with his wife. While his inclusion in this female community is never fully explained, the basic message seems to follow that, whether you are male or female, or white or black, spiritual discovery cannot be made in isolation, for it is only through others that we discover ourselves.

This Book has me interested in getting more books by this author this is my favorite book of hers. My sister Terra says that people love this book

If someone where to ask you what this novel was about, please do not simply replay, "Oh, it's about bees." As someone who received this response, I became extremely discouraged to read the novel, and did not consider reading it again for a few years. I am so glad I changed my mind though because as soon as I started to read, I quickly realized that it was so much more than just a story about bees, and I fell in love with the novel. I think I enjoyed it so much because of the symbolism of bees, the life journey Lily travels, and her outlook on racism and segregation. An obvious focus point in this novel was the bees, which represent family. The bees were able to help Lily along her journey as she escaped from her abusive father, learned the truth about her dead mother, and found the true meaning of family. As she matured and changed, so did her opinion of racism, and with the few facts about segregation included, I found this concept both interesting and somewhat educational. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone that is looking for a good summer read. It is a light and easy read that is heartwarming and will make you appreciate the life you lead and the people and nature that surround you.

I enjoyed this book so much that i bought (with my own money) 28 copies for my entire 8th grade class to read. The class really enjoyed it too. I was a bit concerned about what some parents may say but the only parent who said anything was one who read it from cover to cover in one weekend when her daughter brought it home. The only regret is that I had a few male students who weren't the most academic students who were into any possible phrases that had to do with anything of a sexual nature. The scene where they were bathing in the river, and some other section that I can't remember that mentioned a nipple that caused 5 minutes of tittering laughter (no pun intended) from a few 13/14 year old boys. This is a book that is recommended for this age group and I can see why because it has enough emotion to capture their attention. This book stuck with me for at least 3 months. I can't wait for the movie.

This is an extremely easy read about a girl finding out who she is and where she has come from. You won't be able to put this book down! A perfect summer read and recommended book to everyone!

I enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. Very well written.

You will fall in love with these characters as you become entwined with this exquisite story about love and life! Reading it is like dabbing "mercy on your beat-up life!"

Personally, I liked this book. It was a good story, and although the idea that Lily could have found August just like that is a little unbelievable, but it could still have happened, it was just very unlikely. The same is true for the Daughters Of Mary. But Likely or not, it was a very good read, and showed us something we should all have a chance to learn in our lives. It is a good book.

I have the Secret Life in hard copy and had started to read it when I found the CD in my local library, and decided to listen instead. What a fortunate thing for me! When perusing the reviews posted here, I note that those who criticize it seem to focus on the unrealistic portrayal of the African American experience in the South during those terrible years, and the way the women, Rosaleen in particular, are cast in the Aunt Jemima mold. What they completely miss, and what is so beautifully born out in the hearing, is that this portrayal comes entirely via the perception and experience of one young Southern white girl, her vision shaped (warped!) by the culture in which she was raised, her prejudices true to the time. What's so beautiful and hopeful is how her serendipitous connecting with the Daughters of Mary, and others of the beautifully drawn characters, help her let go of that early training, and open her heart.
A comment on the back of the CD, by Sandy Bauers of Knight Ridder News Service, reads, " This book was built for sound." The reader, Jenna Lamia, doesn't really "read" this book -- she becomes Lily and speaks it through Lily's voice. It is amazing!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down once I started it. The characters are wonderful. I can't wait till they put this in a movie!

The storyline is great with good messages about life. It will keep you turning pages. Well written.

"The Secret Life of Bees" is an excellent book about Lily Owens, a 14-year-old girl growing up in South Carolina in 1964. Lily's mother was killed many years ago, and now Lily lives with her abusive and neglectful father, T. Ray, on a peach farm. One day Lily's housekeeper, Rosaleen, insults three of the town's biggest racists and ends up in jail. Lily manages to help Rosaleen escape, and together they set off to the town of Tiburon, where Lily hopes to discover the secrets of her mother's past. Lily and Rosaleen end up on the doorstep of three beekeeping sisters, and in their bright pink house, they become part of a whole new world. Lily ultimately finds the answers she's been looking for her whole life, and also discovers some very important truths about herself.

This book reminds me of a cross between "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" and "The Member of the Wedding." It's a moving and inspiring story about love, determination, self-confidence, spirituality, and the power of being a woman. Everyone should read this remarkable novel.

"There is nothing but mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor, browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don't even know it."

That was Lily Owens' realization the summer of 1964 when she set out on a quest for answers about the truth of her mother's death. Did she really love Lily? Was her mother planning to leave her the day she died? Was Lily responsible for the death of her mother? For every mother and daughter who has fought against each other only to discover in the end that they are more alike than different, this is their story. Kidd reminds us that daughters are instinctively connected to their mothers, a bond not easily broken despite guilt, pain or shame.

Lily is haunted with the idea that she accidentally killed her mother in the midst of her parent's argument. Her father, whom Lilly refers to as T. Ray, tells Lilly that her mother never loved her and was planning to abandon the family the day of the accident. Unable to believe a man who never showed her fatherly love, Lily runs away taking the black family maid, Rosaleen --the only mother she's ever known--to search for the mother she only dreamed of in Tiburon, South Carolina. She and Rosaleen befriend three beekeeping sisters who take them in without much questioning.

Lily hides out on the bee farm learning how to make honey, care for bees and claim her female empowerment through the beekeeper's sanctity of the Black Madonna. For the first time in Lily's life, she is accepted, loved and cared for. Little does she know that these women know the secret about her mother, who is not what Lily imagined her to be. Lily is stricken with a harsh reality to abandon her childish fancies and accept her mother for who she really was. Kidd's delicate development of Lily's maturity from naiveté innocence into a young woman transcends the typical coming of age tale.

The Secret Life of Bees illustrates the beauty of mothers, that we are all mothers. In the new life Lily shares with the beekeepers, she gains many mothers. There is a saying in Spanish that translates, daughter you are, mother you are, the way you will be, wait and see. There are moments in our life when we fight and struggle so hard not to accept that we are like our mothers, when they are the very essence of who we are, no matter how much they may have hurt us. Kidd shows us that it is not our mother's mistakes, faults, nearsightedness, misjudgments or shame that define them, because as Lily realizes, "no matter how much you thought you could leave your mother behind, she would never disappear from the tender places in you." This could not be expressed in a more beautiful way. Lily's story will make you cry, laugh, and maybe even think twice about your own maternal grudges.

I thought this was a wonderful story. While everyone does not have the same taste, I have no idea what the lady above was trying to say. This is a "story" not a factual telling of someone's life. The characters are made up and therefore there may things a little different than real life.

I, for one, love reading books like this. It makes you escape into another reality and you truly care about the characters. I sat outside, on my rocker and read most of it in one afternoon.

I highly recommend it to anyone who just enjoys "a good story."

This is a story that will take you on the journey of a girl named Lily, and her heartaches, joy, sadness, anger at T Ray her mean Daddy and the love of honey and Bee's, and her first crush.Emotions reach deep down in the depths of one's very being and and rips them to the surface!!! If you're human you cant help but cry and laugh along with Lily. Walk along with her and Rosaleen, her nanny as they both escape from racism and hatred, searching for the truth about Deborah, Lily's mother.
This is a must read for Book club fans!!!!

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I knew many black women like August, June, May and Rosaleen in North Carolina and felt that the depiction of them was very authentic. The incorporation of aspects of different religions was very well done. It has inspired me to have my own wailing wall! A wonderful book!

at 29 cents for a copy of this book its a steal! such an interesting, colourful story this is another book which will become part of my crusade for alerting my AA community about the quality of literature and tv shows we feed our children's minds daily

although I don't think Sue Kidd Monk is AA...she wrote a noteworthy, poignant book nonetheless...it is important to understand the need for more conscientious authors who put creativity and thought into their writing

this book made me laugh, smile and think...IMO these are the ~essentials~ of good storytelling because I am not easily intrigued

i liked the fact that there is a message in the book: it takes a village
rather that be to raise a child, nurture our neighbors, care for the less fortunate, or people with mental illness--what have you...it takes a village because in the end we all need love, caring and patience no matter what race or culture we come from...perhaps you could be in the same situation as the girl who wanted to know about her mother...or the sister who drowned how many books have u read that deal with all of these issues?

i can count them on 1 hand...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book (a book club pick). It's an easy read, and I love Rosaleen and the calendar sisters. For those others who have written such negative reviews-- IT'S FICTION! Quit trying to read so much into it! If you want the actual history and truth of the civil rights era, you are reading from the wrong genre! Can't wait to see the movie.

A good short read, filled with deep characters and a heart warming story.
The setting is magical. The story wraps around you like a hammock full of pillows under a grove of shady trees on a summer day.

The book has great reviews all around. The author is an interesting piece of work. She writes with a flourish and I swear, I became for a little time the little girl that was main character.
I could the south through her eyes growing up and found joy in her first dose of "forbidden" love. I did have to flip through a coupole of pages because the word would be "boring" but overall the author did put in a good effort.

This is such a sweet book. I was hardly able to put it down when reading it. The plot was wonderful and I just love the characters, they are all so full of personality and vigor. I would highly recommend for readers of all ages. I can't wait to send a copy to my mom!

This book written for all ages.I have just given my copy to my 13year old grandaughter and she is also loving it.It is written with such love and caring ,So very human,you fall in love with this young girl and are able to feel her pain as well as her love.

I had heard so many great things about this book, I was like WOW, I totally have to read it. So I read it. Boring, annoying, an hour and a half of my life Ill never get back.

fall in love with every character. great set up and character build-up. laughed and cried.

It was dull, unrealistic, and childish. I'm not saying it was horrible, but it certainly didn't deserve the hype. Lily's lying habits are totally unconvincing character-wise, simply leaving the reader frustrated. In fact it often got completely ridiculous. Why on earth would she continue to lie to these women when they obviously didn't believe her? Especially since she needed to learn something from them that she couldn't ask until she told the truth! By the end I just wanted to slap the girl. She goes to find out about her mother, follows the clues, and ends up at this house, and then does nothing there for weeks and weeks. Not only is it mind-numbingly dull, it's also extremely frustrating! When she finally does learn about her mother she is completely unreasonable about it and sulks for a couple weeks. She is a complete brat and overall an unlovable character.

I would not recommend this book unless a bratty girl's over-dramatized and rather unrealistic struggle to learn about her mother's life appeals to you.

Set in South Carolina in 1964, in the midst of the civil rights movement, this story explores human relationships, racial tensions, and forgiveness of others and of oneself. The main character Lily, a 14-year-old white girl, struggles to remember and understand the events that happened the day that her mother died. During this emotional journey, Rosaleen, Lily's black "stand-in-mother," insults three racists white men as she attempts to register to vote. After discovering that Rosaleen will be killed and wanting to get away from her father, Lily decides to "spring" Rosaleen from the hospital where she is being held by the police. After freeing Rosaleen and running away to Tiburon, South Carolina Lily develops critical relationships that offer her true friendship and maternal love, while also challenging everything she thought was true. I enjoyed this book because it explores Lily's anger, prejudices, and shortcomings while also allowing the character to experience forgiveness, friendship, and love.

I gave it three stars because some parts of the story where hard to believe. For example, Lily and Zach, a black young teen, are driving around town without encountering any problems. During a time where black men were being killed just for looking at a white women this is not a realistic scene. I also found the time line to be a bit off. The author gives the impression that many days have gone by, but then you find out its only been one day. This takes away from the overall story. I suggest readers borrow it from the library.

Where on earth do I start? Where? This book is so patronizing and awful that it would be funny if it wasn't so successful. In the author's world, black people are not actual people; they're just accessories to help good white folks find their way. And BOY, do black people looooove white people in Kidd's world! They don't seem to be concerned with their own safety - be it antagonizing three white men or riding around town with a young, white woman or enrolling a white child in school (how DID they pull that off, anyway?) - nor do they seem to have any family or friends. If you're white and you think Dr. King ended racism, you'll love this book. If your head isn't shoved completely up your rear end, you'll see it for what it is.

This book is one of my all-time favorites. It's beautifully written, using wonderful imagery, earthy wisdom and a touch of mystery to tell a unique story. It's set in the south of the 60's against the backdrop of racism. Lily, a young white girl, flees her violent father with her black nanny, in search of the truth surrounding her mother's mysterious death. Her journey brings encounters with unforgettable characters and leads Lily to inner freedom and the discovery of feminine power, both human and divine. The author has ingeniously interwoven the strange world of bees and honey into her story, bringing an added dimension. The book touched me so deeply that I gave copies to several friends who loved it as much as I did.

I read this book years ago, and still consider it to be one of the best books I have ever read. I have shared it with many friends over the years, and we all agree that we have yet to find another book as nice as this one! This book will stand out in my mind for years to come.

i have to admit - i slept on this book for all these years & didn't get interested until I saw it's being made into a movie next year. I saw the cast will be Queen Latifa, Alicia Keyes, Dakota Fanning & I thought - Loretta Devine. Since Loretta is my girl no matter what she does, I wanted to read the book right away. Well after reading about 2 chapters picturing the nanny, Rosaleen, as Ms. Devine, i found out Jennifer Hudson is casted in the movie - not Loretta. But anyway, I thought the story was well written. It was sad on different levels, including the racism & all. Seems like the ending was wrapped up quickly, but overall, I enjoyed. The movie should be interesting.