Mad Honey

By: Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan

Narrated by: Carrie Coon, Key Taw

Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Finalist for the 2023 AUDIE AWARDS® for Fiction

Jodi Picoult is the author of 17 number 1 UK bestsellers. Now with Mad Honey she has joined up with co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan to give us the most compelling, challenging and contemporary novel you will read this year - and which will start conversations we need to have.

Olivia fled her abusive marriage to return to her hometown and take over the family beekeeping business when her son was six. Now Asher is over 6 feet tall and in his last year of high school, a kind, good-looking, popular ice hockey star with a tiny sprite of a new girlfriend who Olivia loves. Then Lily is found with a catastrophic head injury at the bottom of the stairs - and Asher is arrested on a charge of murder. . . What was the truth of their relationship?

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Jodi Picoult and Finney Boylan (P)2022 Penguin Random House Audio

Well needed

This is a story that needs to be told. It provides education and helps the reader understand a minute experience of what it is like to be trans.

Mad Honey

Really loved this book. From how it was narrated to the lessons in bees. I thought the murderer was someone else not who we find out he/she is.

Brilliant. Compassionate. Fast paced

I didn’t read a blurb or any reviews on this book before delving in. It’s often the best way.
I didn’t see any of the twists, but as a person who enjoys the journey, I didn’t search for them either.
The many social issues tackled in this novel blended seamlessly together , for me, we’re believable and challenging and true to life for many. Soo often our challenges are interlaced with complications and other challenges.
I liked almost everyone in this story (apart from the obvious bad guy narcissist)
My only dislike was the narration of Lily from the start which I found stilted and slow and difficult to listen to. I was trying to hear it as the voice of a anxious, hesitant teenage girl, but it was hard going. I ended up speeding up those chapters so that she sounded like a regular girl talking. I found that this settled as the story progressed, so perhaps it was deliberate. Other than that one thing, this is my favourite listen so far this year. So well done.

Brilliant. Moving. Educational.

I have learnt so much from this story. I've learnt about law. Bees. Trans gender. Family. Abuse. Loyalty. love. Utterly brilliant, in every way. As a bonus, the performance by both narrators is sublime.
If you read ONE book this year, choose this one. You will NOT be disappointed.

Truly Authentic

Incredibly well written story that feels so authentic. I want to read this book over and over again!

So caring, thought provoking

I wish I could give this book 10 stars for its most sensitive handling of a difficult topic. The characters have real depth to them, no one is all good or all bad. The most thought provoking narrative I have read and it will probably stay with me for quite awhile.

So interesting!

Up there as one of the best from Jodi Picoult. Shocker of a twist in the middle of the book. The whole book was entertaining, thought provoking and educational, in my opinion

A novel that opened my mind

Like so many people, I had little to no understanding of transgendered men and women before reading this riveting, heart-rendering book. Written so beautifully with such sensitivity, narrated gently and convincingly, I challenge anyone to put it down without having a change in mindset and heart, as it should be. 10/10!

Loved it

A twisting turning captivating story, surprise held to the end. Enjoyed every moment of the book

Enjoyable

I really enjoyed the story, it was well researched and thought provoking. The narration of Olivia’s character was very fast so I had to turn the speed down and at times the story had quite a bit of repetition. I still really enjoyed it though, definitely worth a listen.