Review: The Music of Bees

Title: The Music of Bees
Author: Eileen Garvin
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Page Count: 322
Published by: Dutton Books
Date Published: April 1, 2021
You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Goodreads Synopsis:

Forty-four-year-old Alice Holtzman is stuck in a dead-end job, bereft of family, and now reeling from the unexpected death of her husband. Alice has begun having panic attacks whenever she thinks about how her life hasn’t turned out the way she dreamed. Even the beloved honeybees she raises in her spare time aren’t helping her feel better these days.

In the grip of a panic attack, she nearly collides with Jake–a troubled, paraplegic teenager with the tallest mohawk in Hood River County–while carrying 120,000 honeybees in the back of her pickup truck. Charmed by Jake’s sincere interest in her bees and seeking to rescue him from his toxic home life, Alice surprises herself by inviting Jake to her farm.

And then there’s Harry, a twenty-four-year-old with debilitating social anxiety who is desperate for work. When he applies to Alice’s ad for part-time farm help, he’s shocked to find himself hired. As an unexpected friendship blossoms among Alice, Jake, and Harry, a nefarious pesticide company moves to town, threatening the local honeybee population and illuminating deep-seated corruption in the community. The unlikely trio must unite for the sake of the bees–and in the process, they just might forge a new future for themselves.

Overall Thoughts:

Basically, this is just a genuine, all good, feel good, heartwarming story that made me … hopeful? In a time where it can feel like caring people are few and the noise is overwhelming, this story made me remember that there are still genuine people, doing good every day in their quiet, unspoken ways. Basically, this is a book about healing, compassion, unlikely friendship, and common human decency … you know, all those things typically missing in our news/social media cycles? 

I don’t have a lot to say about The Music of Bees, except that it is a special treat for the nature lover and I highly recommend it the next time you want a warm, sweet story, that avoids falling into saccharine territory by the depth of its characters and their genuine struggles. Eileen Garvin prompts us that hardships can be overcome, compassion exists, and what restricts us doesn’t have to limit a life well lived. 

Read this if:

• You need an uplifting read that isn’t vapid.
• You’re a person who will turn down the music or unplug your headphones to listen to birdsong. Basically, you appreciate and are comforted by nature. 
• Would like to learn more about the mighty bees and their importance in our agriculture, food chain, and overall life on this planet. 

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