The Secret Life of Bees is the debut novel of American author Sue Monk Kidd. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights era in South Carolina, 1964, it follows the coming-of-age journey of Lily Owens, a 14-year-old girl whose life has been shaped by murky memories of her mother's death and the reality of her father’s abuse. After her fiery nanny, Rosaleen, is arrested for insulting racist men, Lily breaks her out of jail. They escape to Tiburon, the town where Lily’s mother, Deborah, was raised. There, they are taken in by the Boatwrights, three sisters–August, May, and June–who make their living as beekeepers. They are also keepers of the Black Madonna, a venerated figure providing solace to generations of oppressed people.
Living with the Boatwright sisters, Lily learns not only about bees and making honey but also about the power of women. Within this nurturing Black community, Lily finds a new family and true sense of belonging. Her blossoming romance with August's godson, Zach, who aspires to becoming a lawyer, deepen her insights into the complexities of race, justice, and love. Tragedy strikes when May, suffering from the lingering trauma of her twin's suicide, drowns herself. In the aftermath, secrets are revealed–including the terrible truth about the gun accident that ended Deborah’s life.
Lily's father T. Ray tracks them down, leading to a confrontation and a shattering revelation. In the end, August convinces T. Ray to let Lily stay, granting her the mother figure and loving home she yearned for. Lily embraces her new life path, surrounded by strong women role models and the prospect of achieving her dreams with Zach by her side.
The Secret Life of Bees was published in 2001 to critical acclaim. It became a New York Times bestseller, remaining on the list for two and a half years, and won the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Award in paperback. Its exploration of delicate subjects through the lens of historical fiction has made it a beloved read, shared among generations of women. The novel has been adapted into a feature film and a musical, showcasing its wide appeal and resonant power. Through Lily's eyes, Kidd portrays the search for identity, the pain of loss, and the unbreakable bonds of family in a way that’s at once immediate and timeless.
Themes
Divine female power and the strength of female community
The impact of racism and the civil rights movement
Maternal loss and the search for motherhood
Coming of age and self-discovery
Mental health and coping with trauma
The importance of storytelling and history
Forgiveness and reconciliation
The symbolism and lessons of beekeeping
Love and friendship across racial divides
Setting
The Secret Life of Bees is set in South Carolina in 1964, during the height of the American civil rights movement. The story primarily takes place in the fictitious town of Tiburon, where the Boatwright sisters reside, after the protagonists Lily and Rosaleen flee there from Sylvan, their hometown. Sylvan and Tiburon are portrayed as small, rural towns emblematic of the segregated South during that era.
A significant portion of the narrative unfolds at the pink house owned by the Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May, who are beekeepers. Their residence serves as a sanctuary for Lily and Rosaleen, providing a safe haven from the racial tensions and violence they experienced in Sylvan. The Boatwright home and its surrounding honey farm become a central setting where Lily learns about beekeeping, self-acceptance, and the power of female community.
Additionally, the story touches on other locations that reflect the social and cultural landscape of 1960s South Carolina. These include the local jail where Zach is briefly held, the general store where Lily recognizes the Black Madonna image, and the river where May ends her life.
Through its settings, The Secret Life of Bees not only captures the essence of a particular time and place in the American South but also constructs a space where the characters confront and navigate the complexities of race, identity, and love. The Boatwrights’ home stands as a haven for healing and a beacon of hope.
Characters
Lily Melissa Owens: The 14-year-old narrator and protagonist, the daughter of the late Deborah Fontanel Owens and T. Ray Owens. Sensitive and compassionate, Lily grieves the loss of her mother and fears her father. She loves to read and write.
T. Ray Owens: Lily's abusive father and the widower of Deborah. He is the main antagonist of the novel.
Deborah Fontanel Owens: The deceased mother of Lily and wife of T. Ray Owens. Her death is central to the story's mystery.
Rosaleen "July" Boatwright-Daise: The Black maid of Lily's household, who acts as Lily's protector and mother figure.
August Boatwright: The eldest Boatwright sister, a beekeeper and businesswoman who was Deborah's best friend.
June Boatwright: The middle Boatwright sister, a school teacher and musician. She is the most serious of her sisters and has a stubborn streak.
May Boatwright: The emotionally sensitive youngest Boatwright sister, who is affected deeply by her twin sister April's suicide.
Zachary "Zach" Taylor: August's assistant and godson. A high school football player with aspirations to become a lawyer, he becomes Lily's love interest.
Neil: The principal of the school where June teaches. He is June's persistent suitor and, eventually, her fiancé.
The Daughters of Mary: Cressie, Queenie and her daughter Violet, Lunelle, Mabelee, and Sugar-Girl along with her husband, Otis. They are a group of women (and one man) who attend religious service at the Boatwright house, following a spiritual devotion to the Black Madonna.
Critical reception
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd has garnered acclaim for its authentic characters and rich metaphors. USA Today praised it as “a moving first novel … compellingly told,” while The New York Times Book Review described it as “fully imagined.” The Baltimore Sun deemed it “inspiring,” comparing Kidd to Carson McCullers. To quote the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “Kidd has written a triumphant coming-of-age novel that speaks to the universal need for love.”
FAQs
What are the main themes of The Secret Life of Bees?
The novel explores several major themes, including divine female power, the search for maternal presence, self-acceptance, and the impact of racism in the American South during the 1960s. It also addresses mental health, orphanhood, abandonment, religion, and the concept of community.
What is the significance of bees in the novel?
Bees and beekeeping are prominent symbols in the novel, representing guidance and the power of a female community. They also represent the importance of organization and labor within a community. Honey, produced by the bees, symbolizes wisdom and knowledge, which the Boatwright sisters impart to Lily and Rosaleen.
What is the significance of the novel's title?
The title The Secret Life of Bees refers to the novel's exploration of the hidden world of beekeeping and its symbolic connections to the power of female communities and the search for identity and belonging.
How is Lily's mother's death significant?
Lily's mother's death when she was four years old is a central event that shapes Lily's life and drives her search for the truth about what happened. It also leads her to the Boatwright sisters, who were connected to her mother's past.
What is the significance of the Black Madonna in The Secret Life of Bees?
The Black Madonna, a figurehead from an ancient ship, is a symbol of hope and freedom for the African American community in the novel. It leads Lily and Rosaleen to the Boatwright sisters' home. The Black Madonna serves as a spiritual and cultural symbol for the Boatwright sisters and their community, representing divine female power, hope, and consolation. The figure is central to their religious ceremonies and inspires the characters, especially Lily, in their personal quests for freedom, identity, and belonging.
How does The Secret Life of Bees address the issue of racism?
The Secret Life of Bees is set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement in the 1960s American South, exploring racism through the characters' experiences, particularly Rosaleen's arrest, Zach's aspirations and challenges as a young Black man, and the integrated community of the Boatwright sisters. The novel illustrates the systemic racism of the time and the struggle for justice and harmony.
What role does mental health play in the story?
Mental health issues, including depression, trauma, and suicide, affect several characters, particularly Lily's mother, Deborah, and May Boatwright her late twin sister, April. These issues are explored as part of the characters' journeys.
How does Lily's understanding of her mother and her past evolve throughout the novel?
Lily's journey to Tiburon leads to revelations about her mother's life, her reasons for leaving, and the truth behind her death. These discoveries force Lily to confront her idealized memories of her mother and accept the complex reality of her mother's choices and her own identity.
How has The Secret Life of Bees been received by critics and audiences?
Since its publication, the novel has received widespread acclaim for its exploration of themes like female empowerment, race, and self-discovery. Published in 35 countries, it has sold more than six million copies and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for two and a half years. Critics have praised its emotional depth and the way it addresses complex issues within a coming-of-age story.
In what other formats has The Secret Life of Bees been adapted?
The novel has been adapted into a 2008 film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and a musical that premiered in 2019. Both adaptations further explore the novel's themes, bringing its story and characters to new audiences through different media.
Quotes
“Someone who thinks death is the scariest thing doesn't know a thing about life.”
“If you need something from somebody always give that person a way to hand it to you.”
“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here.”
“It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening.”
“After you get stung, you can't get unstung no matter how much you whine about it.”
“The world will give you that once in awhile, a brief timeout; the boxing bell rings and you go to your corner, where somebody dabs mercy on your beat-up life.”
“Sunset is the saddest light there is.”
“Knowing can be a curse on a person’s life.”
“When it's time to die, go ahead and die, and when it's time to live, live. Don't sort-of-maybe live, but live like you're going all out, like you're not afraid.”
Quick facts
The Secret Life of Bees is Sue Monk Kidd's debut novel, published in 2002.
The concept for the novel came to Kidd in a dream about a Black Madonna, which she then incorporated as a central motif in the book.
Kidd's interest in the Virgin Mary and goddess imagery influenced the development of the story's themes of divine feminine power and spirituality.
Before writing the novel, Kidd spent several years researching bees and beekeeping as well as the Black Madonna. Her dedication to accuracy is evident in the detailed descriptions throughout the book.
The novel explores themes of female power, racism, and the search for identity, set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement in South Carolina, 1964.
The Secret Life of Bees became a New York Times bestseller and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for two and a half years.
The book has sold more than six million copies and has been translated into 35 languages, demonstrating its global impact.
The Secret Life of Bees won the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Award (paperback) and was nominated for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.
The novel was adapted into a film in 2008, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and featuring an all-star cast including Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, and Sophie Okonedo.
In addition to the film, The Secret Life of Bees was adapted into a musical with a book by Lynn Nottage, music by Duncan Sheik, and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. It premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2019.
About the author
Sue Monk Kidd is an American writer of fiction and memoirs. Born in 1948, in Sylvester, Georgia, she studied nursing at Texas Christian University and worked as a nursing instructor for many years. In her forties, she shifted her focus to writing, taking creative writing courses at Emory University, studying at Sewanee, Bread Loaf, and other writing conferences, and receiving the South Carolina Fellowship in Literature. Her short stories appeared in literary journals and anthologies. Inspired by the writings of Thomas Merton, her first three books were spiritual memoirs, exploring the intersections of faith, feminism, and personal growth.
Kidd made her full-length fiction debut in 2002 with The Secret Life of Bees, the story of a young motherless white girl who finds a home in a community of Black women beekeepers, set in South Carolina, 1964. It received widespread critical acclaim, remained on the New York Times bestseller list for two and a half years, and was adapted into a movie, starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo, and an Off-Broadway play. She followed its success with three more novels. The Mermaid Chair (2005), which focuses on a woman’s attraction to a Benedictine monk, won the Quill Award for General Fiction and was adapted as a Lifetime movie starring Kim Basinger and Bruce Greenwood. The Invention of Wings (2014), based on the life of a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights pioneer, was selected for Oprah's Book Club 2.0. The Book of Longings (2020) tells the fictional story of the forgotten wife of Jesus Christ.
Beyond her works of fiction, she is known for her bestselling 2009 memoir, Traveling with Pomegranates, co-authoredwith her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, documenting their shared journey through the sacred sites of Greece, Turkey, and France. Sue Monk Kidd was inducted into the South Carolina Academy of Authors in 2011 and the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2022. She lives in North Carolina with her husband.
