Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

40 reviews

mgsingfiel_99's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence and Suicide

syd991's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

cassandra_grace's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

the book was good and i really liked the character development you saw throughout the whole book. there is very heavy racism and multiple instances of the n-word being said, as well as a suicide that happens in the book and another that is mentioned, and also child abuse is a big thing as well, so if that’s not something you want to read definitely don’t pick this book up. i really liked the book overall, though! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

kotashomelibrary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

Minor: Hate crime

midnightmarauder's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Secret Life of Bees is one of those movies that helps remind you that it is possible to come from a life full of hardship and struggle and go into one full of love and support. I am not at all surprised that the book it's adapted from is exactly like that. 

The story follows Lily Owens, a fourteen-year-old girl living in South Carolina in 1964. She lives with her abusive father, T. Ray, who is a constant ticking time bomb, and Rosaleen, a black woman who works as a maid in the Owens household and has been a motherly figure to Lily for as long as she can remember. 

Lily's mother died when she was four, the specifics of which are hazy in her memory. She holds on to the few belongings that her mother left behind, and, after a difficult night with T. Ray, she flees her house, eventually ending up in the care of the Boatwright sisters. 

What I liked about this book was the fact that Lily got a happy ending. One of my favorite tropes is the found family trope, and both the book and movie fulfilled it. Lily knew she would never truly be happy if she stayed with T. Ray, so even though her running away could've ended badly, I'm glad she decided to leave. She always had a family waiting for her in the pink house and it just took her some time to find them. 

I watched the movie way before I read the book, so I have a softer spot for the film adaptation. The characters really come to life on screen, and each actress that played the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah as August, Alicia Keys as June, and Sophie Okonedo as May) did an amazing job in their roles. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Bullying

sauvageloup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

a really beautiful read with a lot of poignancy.
pacing felt a little slow in a couple of places but that was part of the charm.
loved the mix of depicting the time periods racism, lily dealing with the loss of her mother, the goings on with August, may and June, and the beautiful descriptions of them and the surroundings and the bees.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

schorlett's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Blood, and Pregnancy

laurajenkins's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Lots of idolatry, which made parts of it difficult to read. Spiritual abuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

itsy719's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

zombiezami's review against another edition

5.0

This book left me almost about to cry. I realize from reading this and The Color Purple years ago: I'm a sucker for books about women and girls coming together to heal themselves from the pain of patriarchy. They build a form of spirituality that centers and affirms them. They learn to value themselves, their wants, and their perspectives. And then the healing they are able to do simply radiates outward, and it causes a reaction in everyone around them to witness that healing taking place. Some don't understand what's happening and they hate it. They mock or terrorize them for daring to live differently, to think that they can excuse themselves from the patriarchal structure they accept unconsciously. Others realize by their example that they don't have to accept patriarchy either, and they can find their own ways to be whole. 

I also especially loved the author's approach to grief, especially the importance of feeling it fully and creating rituals and remembrance about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Slavery

Minor: Animal death and War