Summer Reading Response

This past summer I read the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd for my free choice book. The main character Lily Owens, was very well developed. I loved that she was so passionated and determined about finding more information about her mother that had passed away. It was interesting that Kidd chose Lilly's maid, Rosaleen, to be her best friend. It made the book more interesting and unique. During this time in South Carolina, a lot of white people had maids. It surprised me that T.Ray, Lilly Owen's father, came back for Lilly after everything he put her through. He always made Lilly feel like she wasn't important and didn't love her. Lilly also did a lot of things right after she ran away that would make Lilly look like a bad child. I would have thought that a person like T.Ray would have jumped with joy because Lilly left him. They have always had an unhealthy relationship ever since Lilly's mom died. 

The plot summary as a whole was very interesting and believable during this time. But sometimes, I felt like the book wasn't as fast-paced as I would have liked. I really enjoyed how honey and bees were portrayed in a positive way. I have always thought of bees as pests. I really didn't like how the three Boatwright sisters' worshiped the Virgin Mary and not Jesus. The way Kidd described their religion and the ceremonies they participated in kind of creeped me out. But it was interesting to see how quickly Lilly followed in the Boatwright sisters' religious path. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or just a great read!