 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 To become a member of our contributor/reader mailing list fill out the form below:
Visit Wo!'s MySpace:
|
Book Review: The Secret Life of Bees By Lorese Vera
I have rarely read a book that left me feeling so uplifted. It abounded with strong female characters who love and care for each other against the backdrop of male misogyny and the racism of the USA in the 1960’s. The heroine escapes a violent father and runs off with the black house keeper who is on the run from the police. They find refuge in an all black female household where the matriarch keeps bees. Bee keeping is a metaphor for the equal and cooperative household that the women find refuge in, but it also stands for the kind of wider society that is desired by all peace loving people. The story is not without tragedy and pathos, especially when one of the women finds the world too hard a place to live in. The women have also created a religion for themselves based around the concept of a black Madonna. The passages where they pay homage to this image are sensual and mystical and beautifully written. Fortunately there are also some strong and decent male characters in the story, which makes the reader feel that all is not lost between man and womankind. |
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd had some minor problems with flow and consistency, but aside from that it was an extremely enjoyable read.