RDR Rating: 
“Here’s what they do not tell you about falling in love: there’s not always a soft landing beneath you.”
Olivia has built a life for her and her son Asher, after fleeing from his abusive father years ago. Supporting them on her earnings as a beekeeper, Olivia has raised Asher on her own, resulting in their tight bond. When Asher starts dating Lily, the new girl in town, Olivia sees first hand just how in love the teens are. Part of her fears that she will lose her son to this new romance, but when Asher is arrested for Lily’s murder, Olivia is faced with the possibility of losing him for life.
Mad Honey is a novel about new beginnings, hidden pasts and trusting the ones that you love.
If you like a good mystery, with some heavy but important topics thrown in and lots and lots of facts about bees and honey, you will love this book. I will go into more depth in this review below but full disclosure, I strongly recommend going into this one blind. The synopsis on the back of the book doesn’t give much away, I mean really, this book was so much more than I expected. If you want to hear more before reading (I won’t give anything major away) or if you’ve already read it and want to discuss, feel free to read on!
Let’s start with the bee talk. For some people this book will be oversaturated in talk of bees, honey and beekeeping knowledge. I mean… There’s an entire section of honey based recipes tucked into the end of this book (book clubs take note – this is a perfect opportunity to make book themed snacks for your next meeting). Yes, it’s true that this novel veers into beekeeper territory in nearly every other chapter, but I genuinely enjoyed this and while I don’t think every single bee fact tied into the overall story perfectly I think it added another layer to this rich storytelling. I felt that the majority of the bee related passages did tie into the story in a linear way that helped move it along.
Lately, I have really developed an appreciation for writers who incorporate their personal interests and passions into their fictional storytelling. Plus, a good writer can make anything sound interesting. I can’t tell you how uninterested I am in rowing, yet I didn’t mind reading about it so much in Lessons in Chemistry. It’s the small details and the interesting little facts that make you feel like you’re standing with Olivia in-front of her hives receiving a lesson in beekeeping.
Some of my favorite bee facts from Mad Honey:
- Aristaeus was the Greek god of beekeeping. His persistent pursuit of Eurydice (Orpheus’s wife) led to her death and Aristaeus bees were killed as punishment.
- It is tradition to “tell the bees” when there is a death in the family. Black cloth is draped over the hives and the beekeeper or family member sings to the bees to tell them of the loss. There is a superstition that says if this is not done, the bees will leave or die.
- “Mad honey” is a type of honey that comes from bees that forage on rhododendrons and mountain laurel and which contains poisonous grayanotoxins. It can cause an array of symptoms including dizziness, nausea, convulsions and cardiac disorders and was used as a biological weapon during the Third Mithridatic War.
This novel switches between the point of views of Lily, before her murder and Olivia, after the murder. This gives us a dual and often conflicting view of Asher, who ends up being the main suspect in this murder mystery. While the mystery and trial is both suspenseful, nerve wracking and heartbreaking, this novel is much more than a whodunnit.
Mad Honey is a look at domestic violence from a survivors point of view, it’s a discussion on gender, gender roles, breaking the mold and new beginnings. On Asher’s end it is also a look at our complicated and very flawed criminal justice system and will have you doubting the phrase “innocent until proven guilty.” This book truly is educational and thought provoking in so many ways. If you’re someone who tends to resist stepping out of your comfort zone and diversifying your reading, that’s the only sign you need that this is exactly what you should be doing. Mad Honey is a great starting point. I really loved how this novel didn’t just dump a bunch of information and jargon on you, but thoroughly explained things in a way that didn’t take away from the overarching story.
Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan’s writing styles blend perfectly to craft a beautifully written story. But, wow, this was a heartbreaking picture of grief in both life and death. Both Asher and Lily have living fathers who are lost to them. Lily’s story in particular is heartrending, recounting everything she has overcome, yet it is hopeful up until the very end where she loses her life. Asher’s and Ava’s raw grief over the death of Lily is palpable and as a reader getting to know Lily through her perspective you are hit with the unfairness of it all, knowing that she loses her life in the end.
As far as the mystery goes, I was left guessing the entire time. There were several times where I thought I knew who was responsible for Lily’s death, but in the end I never would have guessed correctly, this novel was full of twists and turns.
If you hate bees or don’t find beekeeping interesting, then you might not like this book. If you don’t like reading about transgender people or don’t understand gender identity, then maybe you should read this book… After all, reading is a great way to practice empathy and understanding.
If you’ve read Mad Honey, I’d love to hear what you thought about it in the comments below. Were you able to guess who was responsible? What is the best/most interesting thing you learned from reading it?