![]() The life of a honeybee is far from glamorous and to her credit Paull does not shy away from the less savory details. For example, worker bees live six weeks to six months depending on the time of year, drones die after mating because their penis gets ripped off, and there are very clear job distinctions for different bees within the hive. A honeybee gathers 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, which means it takes 556 bees to make one pound of honey, so make sure you saver every drop! Paull wove many of these facts, and countless more into one cohesive, gripping story that kept the reader on the edge of their seat right until the very end. In reality hives are structured places of desperate survival, with the real life facts often hard to believe. As a beekeeper, I often observe how bees are romanticized when talking with friends and family and fully expected this rosy view to permeate throughout The Bees. This unique novel is told from the perspective Flora 717, one of countless honeybees within a hive. My personal connection with honeybees now established, it should be easy to see why Paull’s inaugural novel would catch my attention. It has been a continual learning process, but we’ve thoroughly enjoyed becoming beekeepers. ![]() ![]() ![]() My husband’s grandfather kept bees until he was into his late 80s and about five years later we picked up the hobby when a swarm randomly made a home in one of Al’s old hives. ![]()
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