Thursday, December 28, 2006

Secret Life of Bees I just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd Monk. It was very good. It is the story of Lily, who as a child, witnessed a fight between her parents in which her mother pulled out a gun. The gun fell on the floor and Lily, only 4 at the time, picked it up to give it back and accidently shot her mother to death. Since then, her father has been abusive. Lily is now 14 and decides to leave her father. She has a picture that her mother saved of the Black Virgin Mary, with a city name on the back, so she decides to set out for that city. Along the way, she breaks her African-American nanny out of jail. Oh, this takes place in South Carolina just after the civil rights act was passed. The two set out and find the place Lily's mother might have been. They stay with May, June, and August, who are sisters, African-American, and bee-keepers. Through their love and support Lily finds the strength she needs to come to grips with her life. A very moving story. 10:37:24 AM

© Copyright 2008 Jocelyn Shaw. Last update: 11/18/2008; 2:46:35 PM. Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien