Book Review: The Bees by Laline Paull

The Bees
Author: Laline Paull
Reading Level: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy | Science Fiction | Dystopia
Released: May 6th 2014
Review Source: HarperCollins Publishers

The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Hunger Games in this brilliantly imagined debut set in an ancient culture where only the queen may breed and deformity means death.

Flora 717 is a sanitation worker, a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. But Flora is not like other bees. With circumstances threatening the hive’s survival, her curiosity is regarded as a dangerous flaw but her courage and strength are an asset. She is allowed to feed the newborns in the royal nursery and then to become a forager, flying alone and free to collect pollen. She also finds her way into the Queen’s inner sanctum, where she discovers mysteries about the hive that are both profound and ominous.

But when Flora breaks the most sacred law of all—daring to challenge the Queen’s fertility—enemies abound, from the fearsome fertility police who enforce the strict social hierarchy to the high priestesses jealously wedded to power. Her deepest instincts to serve and sacrifice are now overshadowed by an even deeper desire, a fierce maternal love that will bring her into conflict with her conscience, her heart, her society—and lead her to unthinkable deeds.

Thrilling, suspenseful and spectacularly imaginative, The Bees gives us a dazzling young heroine and will change forever the way you look at the world outside your window.

I was intrigued by the previews, thinking I was going to find a plot narrated using humans portraying the life of bees. As soon as I started reading, I realized my error, the best part of this book is that the author actually stays away from human characters completely. Everything in the story is narrated at bee level, without making it childish at all. The author was able to accomplish keeping the reader engaged in the story by simply letting the bees be bees. After reading the story, you will grow a greater appreciation for these laborious little animals.

Although a fictional story the honey bee culture was kept dead on character. Even though that the plot of courage and bravery of the underdogs that gives a voice to the minorities has been overused, you will find that the author accomplishes a fresh approach and lots of originality in this case.

This book is imaginative, engaging and extremely different, making it a very good read. Highly recommended, and be ready to look at Bees after reading this story through a different perspective. The novel can be read at any level, young adult to adult. It's great crossover.