The Secret Life of Bees

“There is nothing perfect... There is only life.”

The Secret Life of Bees is an emotional coming of age story about Lily, a 14 year old girl in the South in 1964, who runs away from home to protect herself and Rosaleen, the black woman who takes care of her, from the abuses of the white men in her hometown. They find refuge in the home of three black beekeeping sisters who Lily believes may have known her deceased mother. While staying with these women, Lily learns many valuable life lessons and comes to better understand herself and the world in which she lives.

Lily's life is far from perfect. Her mother died in a tragic accident when she was only four years old, and her father is not a capable or loving parent. Lily's story is an emotional one, and it seems at times that she is destined to end up bitter and angry. However, the women of this story nurture her and teach her acceptance and forgiveness so that she can embrace her own power and love herself and others.

This is a beautiful, compelling story that uses metaphors about bees and spirituality to develop many important themes around the topics of identity, acceptance, family, abuse, racism, and mental health. It made me feel powerful emotions, which is always the sign of a great book for me. The understanding Lily gains about her mother and the relationship she develops with August are particularly impactful. I believe I will be thinking about this book for a while.

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven stories in historical settings that focus on female characters and relationships. This is definitely a new favorite for me.