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Informative,
Interesting,
Adventurous

4 reviews

The Bees: A Novel
by Laline Paull

Published: 2014-05-06
Hardcover : 352 pages
3 members reading this now
22 clubs reading this now
2 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 4 of 4 members

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 ...

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Introduction

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.

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

Hive mentality
Bravery
Realism vs fantasy
by MarlaTapper (see profile) 01/28/16

we could not find any discussion questions
by helenhiggs (see profile) 04/10/15

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Honey!
by MarlaTapper (see profile) 01/28/16
Each member brings a different kind of food containing honey.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
by Karen F. (see profile) 10/27/16

 
  "Book club pick"by Diana B. (see profile) 08/11/16

This book was very informative to bee behavior and the hiarchy of a hive. We all enjoyed it very much.

 
  "The Bees"by Theresa S. (see profile) 04/22/16

While the majority of the group liked this book, it didn't blow anyone away. The conversation stalled out a lot, too, which made it seem more painful. Overall, we agreed it was a fascinating topic and... (read more)

 
  "The Bees by Laline Paull"by Ruth C. (see profile) 01/29/16

The Bees was an anthropomorphic look at the life of bees in a hive. I really enjoyed it.

 
by Maddie F. (see profile) 01/28/16

 
  "Unusual & unique "by Marla T. (see profile) 01/28/16

Book clubs are for breaking you of old habits: Don't always read the same genre!!! I loved this story partly because it was different but also because I learned a lot about bees. Very satisfying read.

 
  "The Bees"by Nadine H. (see profile) 01/27/16

I only got thru half the book. I was bored. Always remembered they were bees. She did do a lot of research tho.

 
by Helen H. (see profile) 04/10/15

 
  "Intriguing view of life in a beehive"by Jenny P. (see profile) 01/06/15

The story is told through the eyes of Flora 717, a lowly sanitation worker in the beehive. Her unusual intelligence gives the opportunity to do things that others cannot and she gets embroi... (read more)

 
by Rose A. (see profile) 08/17/14

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