The History of Bees--Marje Lunde
Maja Lunde has made an important contribution to the world's awareness of the bee crisis. Beyond this, the decline in bee populations makes a wonderful premise for a dystopian romp. We follow, over two centuries, the fates of three families, each connected in some way to bees. William Savage, in mid-1800s England, is the inventor of a frame bee hive. George Savage, in the early 2000s, is an American bee farmer. And Tao is a farm worker in a future China decimated by the loss of bees. Each story is placed in context of the bee keeping industry as well as particular family situations.
The novel regularly jumps between characters and époques. This technique ensures the reader's interest does not lag. It also drags the plot out. The plot line, which runs in the background and, by the end, links the three stories, can be reduced to a one page synopsis. The author's challenge is to flesh out the characters while holding us in suspense. She succeeds in part. I found certain characters, William, George's wife Emma, believable. Charlotte, William's alert and loyal daughter, is especially beguiling. George, on the other hand, doesn't sound authentic. For instance he finds it hard to accept that his son Thomas would not want to follow him into the family business. Few American parents today would have a problem with this, in my experience.
Nevertheless Lunde manages to propel the reader forward, and tie it all together in our innocent awareness. I had hoped the crisis was only a blip in 2007-8. Now I find it's gotten worse, at least in America, and requires immediate, emergency changes in agriculture practice. If not we may soon have to adjust to life without fruit or vegetables.
The novel regularly jumps between characters and époques. This technique ensures the reader's interest does not lag. It also drags the plot out. The plot line, which runs in the background and, by the end, links the three stories, can be reduced to a one page synopsis. The author's challenge is to flesh out the characters while holding us in suspense. She succeeds in part. I found certain characters, William, George's wife Emma, believable. Charlotte, William's alert and loyal daughter, is especially beguiling. George, on the other hand, doesn't sound authentic. For instance he finds it hard to accept that his son Thomas would not want to follow him into the family business. Few American parents today would have a problem with this, in my experience.
Nevertheless Lunde manages to propel the reader forward, and tie it all together in our innocent awareness. I had hoped the crisis was only a blip in 2007-8. Now I find it's gotten worse, at least in America, and requires immediate, emergency changes in agriculture practice. If not we may soon have to adjust to life without fruit or vegetables.
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