Mad Honey (Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan)

What a powerful novel!
It is a difficult one to review because a large part of its power comes from the way it unfolds and how the reader gradually gets to see the complexity of the situation and of the characters. So, I will definitely not tell the story or anything about the contents because I would never want to deprive any reader of the experience I have had when reading it. I will leave you with the publisher’s blurb as a start point for that.
The characters are strong, interesting, full of life experience and their story is told in a deep and sensitive way, taking the reader on a journey to understand how complex some life choices are and how challenging it can be to approach them from different perspectives.
The bees fly around the book in many ways. They bring some permanence and grounding, but they also are a part of the story and make us think about how their lives and our lives can sometimes have things in common. And they make delicious honey, which the authors have decided to fully include in the book with some yummy sounding recipes.
And last but not least, the book is written by two authors. Originally, I was drawn to it by the name of Jodi Picoult but I have also discovered Jennifer Finney Boylan and I am so pleased I did. Their writing has totally worked as one and at the same time, they have brought their own experiences to the book in a really unique way. I listened to them telling their story and the story of how they wrote this book together and it was very enlightening.
A really amazing book which will definitely stay with me.