This story was set in South Carolina in 1964, when people were still struggling for Black human rights. Since her mom was died when she was a baby, 14-year-old white girl, Lily was living with her uptight father alone. The only mother figure slash a friend of hers was black Rosaleen, who took care of her house.
Then one day, trouble came to visit. Rosaleen happened to insult three deepest racists, and they beat her up. In fear of Rosaleen getting killed, Lily ran off with Rosaleen in the night. To save Rosaleen. Or perhaps to escape from oppressing father. Or perhaps to find the traces of mom she couldn't remember.
Then Lily happened to see a Blak Mary paint on the bottle of honey in one of the stores. And she got fascinated.
I felt she knew what a lying, murdering, hating person I really was. How I hated T. Ray, and the girls at school, but mostly myself for taking away my mother.
I wanted to cry, but then, in the next instant, I wanted to laugh, because the statue also made me feel like Lily the Smiled-Upon, like there was goodness and beauty in me, too. Like I really had all that fine potential Mrs. Henry said I did.
Standing there, I loved myself and I hated myself. That’s what the black Mary did to me, made me feel my glory and my shame at the same time. (p. 71)
It turned out there lived black beekeeping Calendar sisters. (They were called Calendar sisters because their names were August, June, and May.) Unmarried three black sisters who lived independently on beekeeping - that alone could make people gossip. And now another suspected fugitive and white girl began to live with them.
While helping beekeeping, Lily finally came to face her own feelings: how much she missed her dead mother, how much she hated herself for she was the reason of her mother's death, and how much she feared if her own mother didn't love her. Looking at these feelings right in the eye, Lily had become grown.
After you get stung, you can’t get unstung no matter how much you whine about it. (p. 167)
Source: Goodreads
The oldest among the Calendar sisters August played a wise mother role to Lily. I believe one of the reasons why this book was loved by many Americans was August. Usually, people who gaive advice to youngsters in books and movies are very typical: father, grandfather, or grandmother. But August is different. Very much. She is a middle-aged black woman, who graduated college and used to be a school teacher. She refused to marry because she cherished the independence of her life. She led a successful business as a beekeeper and live happily with her two single sisters. In South Carolina in 1964 at that.
“Didn’t you tell me this past week one of the things you loved was bees and honey? Now, if that’s so, you’ll be a fine beekeeper. Actually, you can be bad at something, Lily, but if you love doing it, that will be enough.” (p. 167)
“You’ve been halfway living your life for too long. May was saying that when it’s time to die, go ahead and die, and when it’s time to live, live. Don’t sort-of-maybe live, but live like you’re going all out, like you’re not afraid.”
…
“Like May said, it’s your time to live. Don’t mess it up.” (p. 211)
“There is nothing perfect,” August said from the doorway. “There is only life.” (p. 256)
This book has many tiers in it. You could see this book as a typical story about discrimination against black people. Or you could learn about bonding among women or coming of age. Or you could even learn about the life of bees. Nonetheless, you can definitely enjoy this book if you're interested in finding yourself in the road of life. I'd like to recommend this book to you regardless of your age, gender, and race.
Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Note: This book stayed in the New York Times Bestseller list for over 100 weeks. A movie with the same title based on this novel was released.
Movie poster. Source: 다음영화
