The Death of Bees
7 journalers for this copy...
Hazlehurst housing estate, Glasgow, Christmas Eve 2010. Fifteen-year-old Marnie and her little sister Nelly have just finished burying their parents in the back garden. Only Marnie and Nelly know how they got there. Lennie, the old guy next door, has taken a sudden interest in his two young neighbours and is keeping a close eye on them. He soon realises that the girls are all alone, and need his help -- or does he need theirs?
As the year ends and another begins, the sisters' friends, their neighbours, and the authorities -- not to mention the local drug dealer, who's been sniffing around for their father -- gradually start to ask questions. And as one lie leads to another, darker secrets about Marnie's family come to light, making things even more complicated.
Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, The Death of Bees is an enchanting and grimly comic tale of three lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for each other.
Read this along with my online bookgroup and generated lively discussion about the nature of grief, parental neglect and the bonds of sisterhood. A very dark and gripping tale from the perspective of three narrators and had me enthralled from start to finish. Not for the squeamish so approach this with caution!!
As the year ends and another begins, the sisters' friends, their neighbours, and the authorities -- not to mention the local drug dealer, who's been sniffing around for their father -- gradually start to ask questions. And as one lie leads to another, darker secrets about Marnie's family come to light, making things even more complicated.
Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, The Death of Bees is an enchanting and grimly comic tale of three lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for each other.
Read this along with my online bookgroup and generated lively discussion about the nature of grief, parental neglect and the bonds of sisterhood. A very dark and gripping tale from the perspective of three narrators and had me enthralled from start to finish. Not for the squeamish so approach this with caution!!
Made this available via email to BCAUS Yahoo group and requested by J4shaw in Darwin. On its way on Monday.
Oh jeniwren you are good to me!
Thank you for the book, stickers, label, postcard, bookmark and little seahorse.
I saw this book on LoveReading's Debut of the Month list, back in April 2013.
I never thought this book would come to me via an Aussie Bookcrosser!
I am obsessed with good Debut novels and have been on quite a good run recently.
Looking forward to this, and will reserve it for the International Virtual Book Box (VBB) of debut novels which I am due to kick off in a few weeks.
Thank you for the book, stickers, label, postcard, bookmark and little seahorse.
I saw this book on LoveReading's Debut of the Month list, back in April 2013.
I never thought this book would come to me via an Aussie Bookcrosser!
I am obsessed with good Debut novels and have been on quite a good run recently.
Looking forward to this, and will reserve it for the International Virtual Book Box (VBB) of debut novels which I am due to kick off in a few weeks.
My Review:
I thought this was brilliant. I just cannot fault it.
Knowing just how grim Glasgow can be, this tale was not too strange for me. For some it may seem utterly absurd that 2 children bury their parents in the garden so as not to be taken in to care....but really it's not that far a stretch of the imagination.
Really looking forward to more by this writer.
I thought this was brilliant. I just cannot fault it.
Knowing just how grim Glasgow can be, this tale was not too strange for me. For some it may seem utterly absurd that 2 children bury their parents in the garden so as not to be taken in to care....but really it's not that far a stretch of the imagination.
Really looking forward to more by this writer.
Arrived today. Thank you also for including Australian Afternoon tea bags and special bookcrossing bookmark
Reserved for Tanamo (wishlist tag: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/10/489942/ )
You've found a travelling book. Hurray!
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!
Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!
Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.
Safely arrived today. Thank you Lamilla.
Great novel. I have two questions:
1. How can a book be so funny and so sad at the same time?
2. How is that Marnie doesn't get pregnant?
1. How can a book be so funny and so sad at the same time?
2. How is that Marnie doesn't get pregnant?
Released 5 yrs ago (6/1/2018 UTC) at Wembley, Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed to another bookcrosser via the wishlist tag game.
Thanks for this book. It looks really good and I look forward to reading it
I really liked this book and it didn't take long for me to read it. It's lost a mark from me though for the ending, which is a bit twee and unrealistic. I've been reading a lot of heavy, long, hard to follow books recently, so this is a breath of fresh air.
Journal Entry 13 by jax987654321 at Ealing, Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, August 10, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (8/10/2018 UTC) at Ealing, Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
added as an extra to a book tag
Journal Entry 14 by kingfan30 at Somewhere in Lincs 🤷♂️, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Monday, August 13, 2018
This looks interesting, thank you for the extra suprise 😊
15 Sept 18 - This was sent to me as a surprise and I'm so glad it was. I admit the opening did make me wonder what I was letting myself in for, but when two young girls are discussing burying this parents in the garden you've just got to find out where the book if going to go from there. This story made me feel so many emotions, it was sad and at times funny, full of anger at the system and yet I couldn't help but feel hopeful for the girls. It's also about friendship and loyalty and I'm so glad they had Lennie. I liked the way it was written with the three different perspectives, it showed at times that one situation can be seen in different ways. Although I wasn't entirely sure about the ending, I would have loved to know how the girls were getting on a year or so down line.
15 Sept 18 - This was sent to me as a surprise and I'm so glad it was. I admit the opening did make me wonder what I was letting myself in for, but when two young girls are discussing burying this parents in the garden you've just got to find out where the book if going to go from there. This story made me feel so many emotions, it was sad and at times funny, full of anger at the system and yet I couldn't help but feel hopeful for the girls. It's also about friendship and loyalty and I'm so glad they had Lennie. I liked the way it was written with the three different perspectives, it showed at times that one situation can be seen in different ways. Although I wasn't entirely sure about the ending, I would have loved to know how the girls were getting on a year or so down line.
Sent as part of the wish list tag forum
Journal Entry 16 by Cross-patch at Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, September 24, 2018
Thank you. Having read the first few pages and the reviews above I am really looking forward to reading the whole book when I get back from my holidays.
Journal Entry 17 by Cross-patch at Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, November 4, 2018
Agree with previous reviews. I found this to be an oddly uplifting read.