gilda_elise

In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees, to their children, and to one another against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.

England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant who sets out to build a new type of beehive, one that will give both him and his children honor and fame.

United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper fighting an uphill battle against modern farming, but he hopes that his son can be their salvation.

China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao's young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident, she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.

Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought-provoking story that is just as much about the powerful bond between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity.

As with The Last Wild Horses, the story is told through the lens of three people in three different times. We see the history of bees from when they’re first made to work for men, then when their work comes to a tragic end, and then when they’ve all but disappeared. It’s a powerful story, sparely told.

William, George, and Tao each have a part to play in, first, trying to force the bees into working, not for themselves, but for man, and then trying to take the place of the missing bees. Each hopes their work will be continued by their sons.

Will the earth survive? Will Man? Maybe, but only if we learn that the other species on the planet are not here for us; that we cannot tame Nature. Genesis 1:26-28 was a foul trick.