The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees by Meredith May
Reviewed By: Rebecca Cox, Business Manager
Genre: Non-Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? The Honey Bus is the story of Meredith May’s childhood and how after her parents divorce she found herself in California with her grandparents and forging a connection with her grandfather, who kept bees and made honey in the back of a converted old military bus in his yard. Meredith’s tough childhood is paralleled by the lessons she learns from helping her grandfather to keep bees and learning about the magic of the hive.
My Review: I am currently part of a beekeeping mentorship with Hilary Kearney (author of Queenspotting, the book I reviewed earlier this year) and this book popped up on the syllabus. I love hearing and reading about other people’s experiences with bees so I was quick to pick this book up but…very slow to finish it. This book is incredible and Meredith May’s gift for telling a story is just extraordinary, but the story itself is somewhat hard to digest at times. After her parents’ divorce, May’s mother takes her and her brother to live with her parents in California and then recedes into despair, re-emerging only to inflict pain on May in some horrifying ways. I would definitely add a trigger warning to this book for those who have dealt with emotional abuse because there is a fair share doled out, but May’s relationship with her grandfather and what he teaches her about bees is the biggest takeaway. Their bond and how he helped her to overcome an agonizing childhood is nothing short of beautiful.
Three Words that Describe this Book: Inspiring, Informative, Beautiful
Give this a try if you like… Loving Edie by Meredith May, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Homes
Rating: 5/5
