• The Secret Life of Bees

  • By: Sue Monk Kidd
  • Narrated by: Jenna Lamia
  • Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (7,876 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Secret Life of Bees  By  cover art

The Secret Life of Bees

By: Sue Monk Kidd
Narrated by: Jenna Lamia
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed.

When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother", Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina - a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There, they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household.

This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love - a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

©2003 Sue Monk Kidd (P)2008 Penguin

Featured Article: 45+ Quotes About Writing from Famous Writers


No matter how passionate you are about it, writing can be difficult. Whenever you’re struggling with writer’s block, rejection, competition, insecurity, or any of the countless obstacles that wordsmiths encounter daily, it can help to get encouragement from those who have successfully overcome the very same challenges. If you're looking for inspiration to start your next project, these quotes about writing from writers themselves are sure to be welcome reading!

What listeners say about The Secret Life of Bees

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,959
  • 4 Stars
    1,365
  • 3 Stars
    385
  • 2 Stars
    86
  • 1 Stars
    81
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,628
  • 4 Stars
    761
  • 3 Stars
    188
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    53
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,103
  • 4 Stars
    1,052
  • 3 Stars
    341
  • 2 Stars
    76
  • 1 Stars
    62

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A feel good book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Secret Life of Bees to be better than the print version?

I didnt read the book but I loved it being read to me by Jenna Lamia. She even had a southern accent to make it seem more real.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lily. I loved her character. I loved seeing her develop herself in the book. She started as a meek girl who felt she was worthless and developed into a strong woman full of courage and love.

What about Jenna Lamia’s performance did you like?

Her accent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really enjoyable listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. I think the accent and voice of the reader of the Audible edition of the book complimented the story very nicely and made it especially enjoyable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Secret Life of Bees?

When the main character realized that the beekeeper had not only known her long-deceased mother, but had helped reer her and had known her for her entire life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Everything is excellent

The narrator is supreme. The story is superb. Everything about this book is way a book should be. Inspiring, historical, and not wanting to end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lily is a remarkable young woman.

She puts her innermost feelings into words we can all identify with. I loved the depiction of all the strong women, each with their flaws, but filled with mothering love. The bees were a real-life metaphor for life itself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing story and movie!

The book itself is amazing and so is the movie. The narrator isn’t my favorite, kinda turned me off from wanting to finish the audiobook but the story is captivating, so I had to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love this story!

This story is so well written with themes that are relatable to most hearts: love, belonging, acceptance, grief and more. The characters were developed well and the imagery was wonderful. I felt like I was a bystander in the story. I’ll watch the movie now. I hope it is as good as the book, but I doubt that film can capture what the author did with her words.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved, loved, LOVED this book!

The narration was fabulous and made me smile, laugh and cry throughout the performance. The story was heart wrenching but infused with hope, love and, in the end, the optimism of understanding that we are the only one responsible for our own happiness.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

How well the audio matched up with the book

I thought the voice actor represented the characters and their tones perfectly. It made the book 10x better than it already was.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The healing power of love.

This book was a joy to hear aloud. I read it years ago and loved it then as well but having it read out loud was a gift.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very nice, heartwarming story.

I love a coming of age, heartwarming story, and this was a very nice one. Lily is a charming, strong willed character that I fell in love with instantly. She breaks away from the terrible life she is left with by her mother's death, and goes in search of her mother's past. It is a very enjoyable story, with some darkness, and humor to balance it nicely.

I recommend it, and bought it for my teenage nieces, who loved it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful