Melody
As you can see, lately I was in a mood for mainstream stories. This is another beautiful story I read right after The Memory Keeper's Daughter. One of the great things I find reading mainstream stories is they are very much like reality and can be thought provoking at times.

The story takes place on a peach farm in South Carolina in 1964. Lily Owens is a fourteen-year-old girl, living with her father and a black housekeeper named Rosaleen. She isn't happy staying with her dad because he is quick tempered and he always find chances at yelling and punishing her. She misses her mom, who died when she was four. Thus, Rosaleen becomes her only confidant. Rosaleen is a woman full of spunk and Lily finds she can be embarrassingly unself-conscious at times.

And that leads to a racial brawl when Rosaleen insults three of the deepest racists in town one day. Rosaleen ends up bruised and beaten in jail. Lily thinks it is up to her to save her, and miraculously, she did. They then head off to a town called Tiburon in S.C., after finding its name on the back of a picture left by her mom.

It is there that they meet the trio of black beekeeping sisters by the names of May, June and August. They take Lily and Rosaleen in, and they work for the sisters in return.

It is during the stay with the trio, Lily begins her journey of finding the missing piece of her life, and daring herself to dream.

Inspiring and heartwarming, this story will captivate readers both mature and the young.
10 Responses
  1. Julia Says:

    Not sure yet if I'm going to read this, maybe I should pick it up from library

    Good review by the way :)


  2. Melody Says:

    Thanks, Julia. :)

    I'm hoping you will pick up this book, as well as The Memory Keeper's Daughter. ;)


  3. Julia Says:

    I think about putting both in my library queues then :)

    Happy Reading!


  4. Debi Says:

    Thanks for the lovely review! I have this on my Southern Reading Challenge list...can't wait to get to it!


  5. I read this book last year, and I loved it! One of my favorites I read all year. I had also read other good reviews about it. This was my first book by Sue Monk Kidd and although I know she has others (Mermaid's Chair, etc), I'm worried that they will all pale in comparison to this one. Sometimes it is like that with me and new authors - I always like the first one I read the most and the rest of their books can never live up to my expectations :)

    Great review!


  6. Alice Says:

    Ooooo... here's another one to add to my TBR... Thanks for the fine review, Mel!


  7. Melody Says:

    Hi Debi, thanks! I'm hoping you will enjoy it. :)

    Hi Stacy, I haven't read Mermaid's Chair yet, but I do read it somewhere that this isn't as good as The Secret Life of Bees though...hmm...but we shall see eh? ;)

    Hey Alice, of course you have to get this! What're you waiting for? Hehe.

    Happy reading all!


  8. Alice Says:

    Me go gets it... in June. LOL.


  9. Kathy Says:

    Hi, Melody! I like your summary of "Secret Life." Don't you agree that book would make a great movie?
    I wish I had the guts/time/determination/discipline to sit down & write this screenplay. I think it would be great!
    God bless you & Happy Mom's Day,
    Kathy


  10. Melody Says:

    Hi Kathy, thanks! Actually I'm a little skeptical about books making into movies, because I'm not sure if they will be as good as the books!!! ;P But still...I do wish to see my favourite books make into movies, because that shows the books are a success.

    Of course you can do it, Kathy! Just sit and write! LOL. Happy Mother's Day to you. :)


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