Jennifer Finney Boylan

I listened to an audio book recording of Mad Honey. I didn't love it, although the story kept my interest enough for me to listen until the end. What I liked about the book: The character of Olivia, the progression of the trial, the information about bees and transgender people. What I didn't like: The voice of Lily (literally and figuratively), the preachy quality of some of the transgender information, and the repetitive nature of Lily's account of her experiences with Asher and the descriptions of time (it lasted a minute, or an hour, or a year, etc., etc., again and again). Jodi Piccoult's signature "surprise twist" was the powerful relevation of the fact that Lily was transgender, making the end "twist" about Maya unnecessary and annoying. Someone needs to tell her that the twist doesn't always have to be in the final chapter.… (altro)

This is the second book I've read about bees and I definitely liked it much more than other one. It wasn't just about bees of course. One thing I did learn early on is that when they get pissed off they have a pungent smell of bananas and a lot more that I never knew of course. The details about bees was overwhelming that's for sure.

However, this is not a book about bees only, it's about Olivia and her 18 year old son Asher, who's allegedly arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Lily. It alternates chapters with Asher, Olivia, and Lily before and after and during the trial. Jordan, Olivia's brother was Asher's attorney and was a good one at that. His wife Selena was an investigator was a big help in researching and discovered one thing that helped Asher during his trial.

It was an eye opening book with a few surprises along the way.

Quite a book that's all I can say and Jodi, you've done it again with excellent writing with thanks to Jennifer Finney Boylan, who had a dream about this which she mentioned at the end of the book.… (altro)