The Secret Life of Bees
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
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Community Reviews
Lily Owens: Accidental murderer. Unloveable.
Rosealeen: jail escapee.
This book: not to bad considering it was for school.
Lily accidentally killed her mom when she was 4. Her parents were arguing and the mom pulled out a gun. Little Lily picked it up and it went off. 10 years later her father tells her that her mother never loved her and she left them. the day the mom died she had come back to get her stuff, that's it. Lily sets off to find the truth about her past by going to Tiburon, SC. A town that was scrawled on the back of her mother's picture of the Black Madonna. Rosaleen is her housekeeper that Lily breaks out of jail. Lily ends up with the calendar sisters, Zach, and the Daughter's of Mary. There she learns about herself, her past, and life. At the end she must gather up her courage to oppose T.Ray (her father) and stand up for what she wants.
Rosealeen: jail escapee.
This book: not to bad considering it was for school.
Lily accidentally killed her mom when she was 4. Her parents were arguing and the mom pulled out a gun. Little Lily picked it up and it went off. 10 years later her father tells her that her mother never loved her and she left them. the day the mom died she had come back to get her stuff, that's it. Lily sets off to find the truth about her past by going to Tiburon, SC. A town that was scrawled on the back of her mother's picture of the Black Madonna. Rosaleen is her housekeeper that Lily breaks out of jail. Lily ends up with the calendar sisters, Zach, and the Daughter's of Mary. There she learns about herself, her past, and life. At the end she must gather up her courage to oppose T.Ray (her father) and stand up for what she wants.
I liked ... the boy in the story. The boy was the only character that stood out to me besides the main character, and he was pretty well-developed for a side character though I would have preferred more about him. I liked the Santeria-esk religion. I also liked the bees. I might be picking up some bee nonfiction soon.
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