Mad Honey

A sensitive handling of a trans story interwoven with a legal case and fascinating snippets about bee keeping. Some of the time jumps felt unnecessary but overall a wonderful book.

The premise of this book intrigued me, especially since I have not read many books about the identity of one of the characters in Mad Honey. (I'm being careful not to include a spoiler.) When I learned that Jodi co-wrote the book so she could make sure she got the representation of authentic voices correct, I was really impressed. The seamless back and forth between the characters is unbelievable, and the subject matter caused me to think hard about my preconceived ideas and what it would be like to walk in the shoes of the characters in the book.

I particularly enjoyed the two different author voices, one narrating from present into future, the other one from present into past.

The nature symbolism represented by the bees is an inspired mirror for the plot and the characters, somehow connecting the very human conflicts and events to a rather simpler causality, where acceptance is given and effortless.

Dancing between a teenager universe, focused on self-awareness and discovery of authentic self, despite prejudice, and an adult universe, caring about protecting the loved ones and healing personal trauma, the plot challenged the reader to think about inclusion, diversity, appearance, love and friendship.

This was such an original story that totally took me by surprise. I love when a book does that!

As a sociologist, I've always been captivated by stories that challenge societal norms and offer fresh perspectives on life.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is one such book that has left a lasting impression on me. What sets it apart is its inclusive portrayal of LGBT characters, navigating their lives and dilemmas with sensitivity and authenticity.

As an educator, I was particularly moved by the ethical dilemmas presented in the storyline. They reminded me of many classroom discussions with my students, exploring complex social issues and seeking ways to navigate them ethically. The storytelling prowess and… show more.

I believe I have read all of Jodi Picoult’s books. This one had so many twists and turns!

She does a great job in making the reader learn about something they may not have known about before, and she addresses such important topics that make you think about our world. 

This is a book you won’t want to put down, and that is filled with twists and turns. It is about a young man whose girlfriend ends up dead and is on trial for her murder.

Being the mom of two sons, I could empathize with the boy’s mom and how helpless she felt to help him. The book also had a subplot about bees and how they made honey, and to be honest, I didn’t think I’d be interested, but I was wrong.

The writing was visual, and the bees turned out to be a metaphor for what else… show more.

I learn something – unintentionally – every time I pick up a Jodi Picoult novel, which, by the way, is every time she comes out with a new title.

In this case, it was about honeybees. But the book, of course, is about so much more and you don’t realize what that is until halfway through. It is amazing to me that an author, or two in this case, can create a plot without revealing the central concept until mid-book. An awesome feat.

It's a difficult balance, writing a novel that touches both the mind and the heart. But Mad Honey does so, delivering a plausible and poignant story that makes us think, challenges our perceptions, and, at the same time, affects us deeply emotionally.

With all that said, this is also a book that's, quite simply, a damn good read. It was one of those rare things for me, a book I simply couldn't put down and, at the same time, never wanting it to end. I was that invested in the characters. 

Mad Honey was my introduction to both of these… show more.

Defending Jacob meets The Staircase (and then some!).

This story is so much more than a high school love story gone tragically wrong. Husbands and wives, parents and children are pulled apart, even a woman and her bees. Your heart wrenches for all the characters: the mother grieving her child and the mother whose son is on trial for murder.

Until you hit the halfway mark, you believe you're "just" reading a great story about a mysterious death and then the story explodes in a different direction, challenging the reader to struggle with everything we thought we understood about this… show more.