for its incredibly ambitious set up, thought provoking nature and boldness to send a message on an important subject that it ultimately affects people worldwide: our climate. If this brings awareness to even a small number of people, I’d argue that it has already reached is goal, and deserves some praise for that. That being said: despite these great efforts, this novel was held back by a lacking execution, condemning it to the limbo of 3-star reads that were good but not great.
The History of Bees interweaves three family stories, set over different periods in time, with an exploration of what would happen (naturally, economically and politically) if the species of bees were to die out. Chronologically, the first story is set in 1852, and follows a down on his luck biologist struggling with depressive episodes. When he envisions a new type of beehive that will change beekeeping for generations to come, he hopes that this will turn the tides of his life. Secondly, we follow George Savage, a contemporary beekeeper, who struggles to understand his adolescent son and potential successor. Lastly, there is the story of Tao, a young woman living in a dystopian future, who works in pollination. After her son is taken to a state hospital after a mysterious and tragic accident in the fields, she undertakes a journey to find out the truth.
What links these stories, other than the reoccurring motif of bees, are themes of family, generational disparity and the conflict between an individual interest, and the benefit of the collective. In combining these story threads, Maja Lunde forces the reader to see the bigger picture at hand (something the characters themselves cannot do from their own narrower perspective). This was a smart choice that is completely consistent with the environmentalist themes, but it also lead to some problems I had with the stories themselves. To start with our contemporary storyline: George embodies “the current American mentality” of putting the needs of the individual above all else. The way this was done lacked some nuance for me, making George come off uneducated and very unlikable, which destroyed my connection to this narrative as a whole. Than there is the narrative of William, who sits somewhere in the middle; working on a project to benefit generations to come, yet also craving personal recognition for it. I was fine with his story, although I would have liked to see a little more character depth of him as well. Major compliments to the author for making his voice very distinct and suitable for his time period however. Last (and this is where I had some issues with this novel), there is the narrative with the most pagetime: Tao’s. Her society represents our future attitude: the individual needs mee nothing in the scope of the community at large. I felt this was very well done, and I enjoyed Tao’s story the most out of all of them. She is arguably the most likable character, and her motherly instinct and the way she reacts to the mystery of her missing son felt very genuine to me. What I didn’t like, is how the central motif of the story basically spoils the mystery from the start. As soon as it happens, you as a reader can guess exactly what has happened, and it takes Tao an excruciatingly long time to catch up.
I didn’t enjoy the ending, partly because of that, and partly because of the moralizing nature of it. Personally, I’d have preferred it if the author had left it up to the readers themselves to figure out the moral of the story, instead of spelling it out directly within the final pages.
Despite the ending, I had an okay time reading this novel, and my critique mostly comes from a place of seeing a lot of potential for greatness, that unfortunately got stuck at a “just fine” level. Maja Lunde’s sequel to The History Of Bees (The End of The Ocean), is scheduled to be released in translation in 2020, and I’m still very interested to see how she tackles the topic of rising oceans and drink water shortages.
As a final note: major compliments to Diane Oatley. I read a lot of translations, and can all too often tell what they original text may have been. In this case, the translation was completely seamless and flowed like honey. I'm happy to see the publisher went with the same translator for the sequel as well.
I haven’t written for a while because it’s been a difficult few weeks. My little boy, Tommy, was very ill, first diagnosed with pneumonia and then with pericardial effusion – excess fluid around the heart. He needed an emergency operation in Bristol, a few hours away from where we live. He was in hospital nine days in the end, and is still on antibiotics, but the very kind and efficient healthcare pros in our fantastic NHS fixed him and made him into a happy, healthy toddler again.
The History of Bees by Maja Lunde – available from Amazon and independent book shops
The history of bees by Maja Lunde
I’ve managed to do some reading since we got back from Bristol. This book is one I found in our local library. It features three intertwined stories, from the past, present and future – a future without bees.
In Sichuan, China, 2098, Tao labours all day to hand pollinate fruit trees: a job once done by bees. Her main joy in life comes from the one precious hour she gets each day with her three year old son, Wei-Wen. But their lives are about to be hit by tragedy.
In Hertfordshire, England, 1851, William is a failed scientist turned seed-shop owner who has taken permanently to his bed. However, unexpected inspiration and hope is to come.
In Ohio, USA, 2007, ageing pro-beekeeper George struggles to accept that his son is uninterested in carrying on with the family business. Where does the future of the business lie?
All the main characters suffer difficult, devastating events, which are slowly revealed to have a common theme. At times I found the book emotionally gruelling to read, particularly the parts featuring Tao and her toddler son Wei-Wen. Luckily Lunde gives the reader some relief by ending the tale positively, with hope for the human race – if we can only learn from past history. We have already been given a warning. The book is fictional, but inspired by real events – the fruit farmers in the orchards of Sichuan do indeed painstakingly pollinate their crop by hand.
Interviews with Beekeepers
Next year I’m looking forward to the publication of Steve Donohoe’s Interviews with Beekeepers, which will feature “interviews with legendary beekeepers from around the world”. I recommend following Steve’s blog, The Walrus and the Honeybee – his most recent post, Bee Farmers: What do you fear? is particularly fascinating. I certainly fear Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus even more than before now!
About Emily Scott
I am a UK beekeeper who has recently moved from London to windswept, wet Cornwall. I first started keeping bees in the Ealing Beekeepers Association’s local apiary in 2008, when I created this blog as a record for myself of my various beekeeping related disasters and - hopefully! - future successes.
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What is the theme of the history of bees?
But the novel is not just about bees. It also deals with themes of parenthood, loss and the gaps of understanding between generations and peers. Each of the three protagonists deals with issues of separation from their children – either physically, intellectually or emotionally.
What is the book The History of Bees about?
The History of Bees combines futuristic dystopia and historical fiction to raise a red flag about the declining bee population. The story has three narrative lines – each one pertains to a different time period, but all have the “bee” element at heart.
What is the dystopian book about bees?
The Bees by Laline Paull This imaginative, dystopian novel is set inside a beehive, and, like all the characters, the protagonist, Flora 717, is a honey bee.
Who are the characters in the history of bees?
The History Of Bees alternates between three perspectives: those of Tao, George, and William. With which of these three main characters did you most relate?