Like Bees to Honey [Kindle Edition]

Today, I got Like Bees to Honey in the mail.

Tonight, I finished reading Like Bees to Honey.

I only got it because a publisher friend of mine recommended it on Facebook - and because it was written by an English author, despite being set in Malta. I was not prepared for the story that followed, or for the emotions it evoked in me.

I originally thought this would be a cheap ghost story (for which Malta has the perfect setting, what with the spooky churches and deserted roads), but this is not the case. Nina, the main character, is desperately sad, consumed by a certain loss, that she is seemingly driving herself mad. She feels like she has no reason to live.
And this enables her to see spirits; to speak to them. And whilst Nina is travelling (via rickety yellow bus!) to some of her favourite childhood places in Malta from her parents' home in Valletta, we get to see her explore her grief, explore herself, and explore her roots.

What's most interesting about the book, however, is the way it presents Malta as a dusty haven, filled with lovely smells, traditional values, and strong family ties. For example- anyone who has visited Malta knows that upon landing, you get to see the arrivals lounge, filled with waving families. This scene makes up one of the book's key introductory moments.

The author lets Maltese characters use Maltese words like 'qalbi', 'pupa', and even full sentences throughout the novel. Nina, having lived in England for many years, translates these words and phrases mentally every time they occur, which leads to a very neat way of combining two languages for the reader. This play of tongues is woven into the theme of identity - how far away do you have to be from your family, in order to stop being who you were?...

This novel has hit home for me.
For the past five years, I have struggled with having left Malta. I have struggled with keeping my identity, with staying Maltese, with a changing landscape, and with changed personal values. These are all things that are addressed very precisely in the first few chapters of this book. And the way these are presented.. I can only praise the author for her deep understanding of Maltese culture.

I don't normally recommend books - but here's one you should add to your collection.. without hesitation! Read more ›

I downloaded `Like Bees to Honey' on a recommendation from a twitter friend. I wasn't too sure what to expect as this isn't my usual style of book.

I'll admit I found the first 30% really hard going; the writing style is unusual and I think it was that that made it a little difficult for me. That said I felt the book really came to life when Tilly's voice came through, I found that part the most touching and thought provoking.

The idea and concept are interesting, and outside of the normal type of book I'd usually read. That said, its entertaining and held my attention. I can image though that some would find this a tricky read as it is a little quirky and some might find the subject matter a little tought. It was, however s well worth the 49p download cost as it's a very thought provoking and somewhat quirky read. I've downloaded another Smailes' books and look forward to starting on that one soon.

Having had a `twitter' conversation with the author, I think this might be a book that is best read in paper format; simply because the author explained that in the paper format when the ghosts are talking, the edge of the pages are black; something that isn't replicated in the Kindle version. What does come through however, is the depth of knowledge that Smailes has in regard to Malta. Having visited Malta myself, I recognised the places and churches referred to, and she does an excellent job of invoking a real imagery around these places.

Nina is out of balance, has lost her sense of perspective, doesn't know what to hold on to and when to let go. She's grieving hard for multiple losses: of her home, culture, birth family and adult family. On a trip back to her homeland of Malta, she seeks answers, solutions, her self.

Caroline Smailes' two previous books were bravely, beautifully written, but unrelentingly grim. In Like Bees To Honey, she chooses again to deal with losses so great they threaten the main character's very identity, but with a lighter hand and some delightful touches of humour. I love the idea of a cool, skater-style-clad, toenail-varnish-wearing, beer-swigging Jesus, and I hope the author will let her sense of humour out to play more often in her future work.

In Smailes' previous books there was no forgiveness, no opportunity for redemption. This is important territory to explore, but so is the territory she covers in Like Bees To Honey: both the physical territory - an evocation of Malta so strong that, after reading the book, I feel as if I've been there myself - and the thematic territory of forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and the relationship between forgiving and letting go.

The structure of the book is interesting, as Like Bees To Honey is a frame or envelope story, with Nina's story enclosing other, shorter stories: of Elena, Tilly, Flavia and Christopher. Of these, for me, Tilly shines out: an engaging, angry, loving character with whom, again, Caroline Smailes uses humour to add a new colour to her writer's palette.

Almost all the characters in this book live with the supernatural as an accepted part of their daily lives. As an atheist myself, Like Bees To Honey might seem an odd book for me to recommend.... Yet the key to a successful book with supernatural elements - whether it be a ghost story, science fiction, fantasy, whatever - is that its internal rules must be consistent for the reader to feel secure. Caroline Smailes achieves this with apparent effortlessness, such that the reality of the characters' lived experiences - particularly those of Nina - are utterly congruent, believable and compelling. Read more ›

I'm really not sure about this book, but think maybe it's just me because the book has had rave reviews from everyone else. I bought it because I've been to Malta several times, love the island and enjoy reading stories that are set there. The author obviously knows Malta and it's people very well, and it was lovely to be able to visualise and get a feel for the places in the story. But the story takes a bit of swallowing if you are a non believer in the afterlife.

The story follows Nina, ostracised by her family who disown her when she comes to England and falls pregnant while at University. Years later she returns to Malta with the spirit of her now dead son (killed in a road accident) with the intention of reconciling with her parents, only to find their house inhabited by the spirits of souls waiting to go on to another life. These include the spirit of her mother, who cooks her delicious Maltese dishes, and the spirit of Jesus who drinks pint after pint of lager, has painted toe nails and wears a Mickey Mouse watch!

But mostly I found the format of the book rather irritating. Printed entirely in double line spacing, the text is further stretched out by sound effects being expressed over several lines (i.e. when Jesus drank a pint of lager we had the sound effect of "gu-lp" repeated on six lines of double spacing and when Nina put on her flip flops we had "fl-ip fl-op fl-ip fl-op" over numerous lines!). This happened repeatedly throughout the book. Also, spoken text in speech marks is often followed by "she said" on the following line. Weird!

The spirits and Nina all speak in a mixture of Maltese and English.... When Maltese is used, the author puts a translation underneath, but this becomes a bit tiresome when the same word or expression (for example qalbi - which means "my heart", a term of endearment) is translated continuously.

So, all in all, an enjoyabvle, interesting and thought provoking story, but the format is annoying and it's like the author - or publishers - wanted to pad it out to make 425 pages when it could have been printed on 150. Read more ›