The Secret Life of Bees.The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd Sue Monk Kidd (born August 12, 1948) is a writer from the Southern United States, best known for her novel, The Secret Life of Bees. Kidd, who was born in Sylvester, Georgia, graduated from Texas Christian University with a B.S. Viking/Penguin Putnam 375 Hudson St., New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10014 ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m : 0670894605 $24.95 302 pp. In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd describes with accuracy and warmth the journey of an adolescent girl in search of familial love In sociology, familial love is a type affinity or natural affection felt between members of a group bound by common ancestry or blood ties, or through friendship and care. Familial love can also be experienced through kindhearted teachers to their students too. . Lily, our central character, leaves "home," a peach farm in South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. , with her African-American nanny, Rosaleen. Her leaving is not so much a running away, as it is the beginning of her trek to find love. Her abusive father, T.Ray, whom she cannot even bear to call Dad, and mysterious objects left by her deceased mother, lead Lily to flee the peach farm and find herself in the home of the Boatwright sisters. Along the way, Lily breaks the law and the unwritten LAW, UNWRITTEN, or lex non scripta. All the laws which do not come under the definition of written law; it is composed, principally, of the law of nature, the law of nations, the common law, and customs. societal rules of the Civil Rights Act era in the South. Kidd realistically depicts the mixed swirl emotions experienced by the adolescent Lily as she contemplates her mother's death, and her personal memories of her mother. As the story is written in first person, the reader is keenly aware of Lily's innermost in·ner·most adj. 1. Situated or occurring farthest within: the innermost chamber. 2. Most intimate: one's innermost feelings. n. thoughts. She experiences great conflict, internally seesaws between hatred and love, as she searches for the answer: did her mother desert her? Did she ever have the intention of coming back to get her? Lily, at times, shows the stubbornness of an adolescent, the innocence and dependence of a child, and the rationality of an adult. Not only are the characters and story engaging and loveable love·a·ble adj. Variant of lovable. Adj. 1. loveable - having characteristics that attract love or affection; "a mischievous but lovable child" lovable , but Kidd's description of rural South Carolina in the dead of summer charms a reader as well. She writes of the smells and sounds of the region, the affects of the stifling heat and humidity on human capability and last but certainly not least, the natural process of bee-keeping. Bee-keeping is central to the story, as it is the Boatwright sister's livelihood, but it also serves as metaphor for Lily's search for her mother's love. The book is infused with scenes of nature and organic living. Readers can almost smell Lily's sweat as she works in the honey house, or the South Carolina jasmine in bloom. In the genre of Southern fiction, especially that which is intended for a female audience, The Secret Life of Bees is a confident and insightful effort by the author. The story and setting are entrancing. The book is nearly impossible to put down, even after a long day at work. The intriguing characters as well as the glimpse into the Southern summer, make for a highly enjoyable, yet intelligent, read. 
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