The Bees

By: Laline Paull

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

Shortlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2015

Longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize for New Fiction 2015

Enter a whole new world, in this thrilling debut novel set entirely within a beehive.

Born into the lowest class of her society, Flora 717 is a sanitation bee, only fit to clean her orchard hive. Living to accept, obey and serve, she is prepared to sacrifice everything for her beloved holy mother, the Queen.

But Flora is not like other bees. Despite her ugliness she has talents that are not typical of her kin. While mutant bees are usually instantly destroyed, Flora is removed from sanitation duty and is allowed to feed the newborns, before becoming a forager, collecting pollen on the wing. She also finds her way into the Queen’s inner sanctum, where she discovers secrets both sublime and ominous.

But enemies are everywhere, from the fearsome fertility police to the high priestesses who jealously guard the Hive Mind. And when Flora breaks the most sacred law of all her instinct to serve is overshadowed by an even deeper desire, a fierce love that will lead to the unthinkable . . .

Laline Paull’s chilling yet ultimately triumphant novel creates a luminous world both alien and uncannily familiar. Thrilling and imaginative, ‘The Bees’ is the story of a heroine who, in the face of an increasingly desperate struggle for survival, changes her destiny and her world.

©2014 Laline Paull (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Critic reviews

“ The Bees is an extraordinary feat of imagination, conjuring the life of a beehive in gripping, passionate and brilliant detail. With every page I turned, I found myself drawn deeper into Flora's plight and her immersive, mesmerizing world.” (Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles)
“ The Bees” is one wild ride. A sensual, visceral mini-epic about timeless rituals and modern environmental disaster. Paull's heart pounding novel wrenches us into a new world.” (Emma Donoghue, author of Room)
“This is a rich, strange book, utterly convincing in its portrayal of the mind-set of a bee and a hive. I finished it feeling I knew exactly how bees think and live. This is what sets us humans apart from other animals, that our imagination can allow us to create a complete, believable world so different from our own.” (Tracy Chevalier)

amazing and accurate account of the honey bee!

An excellent read that's detail has been carefully researched to pull together a story of love, honey, and bees. I think beekeepers will adore this and it's been written so well that non beekeepers will understand and enjoy the journey too! You could not have picked a better suited narrator.

I enjoyed this

The characters were well drawn and the narration was appropriate to the story. I could have done without the predictable ending. I think anyone that has read these sorts of stories know how it is going to end, inside the hive and outside. The other thing I didn't like was that the spiders and wasps were given a stereotypical personality. That annoyed me a little, it would have been better if the author had understood the story of the scorpion and the turtle. Wasps and spiders are not bad per se, they just are. In spite of all this it was a pleasant listen.

The Bees - a buzzing debut novel

Many critics will describe this book as the bee version of the classic animal novel Watership Down. It's a great compliment. Watership Down is a detailed and fascinating exploration of the life of a warren of rabbits, and The Bees is a similarly detailed and fascinating exploration of the life of a hive of bees. The story is told from the individual perspective of a single bee, Flora 717, as she lives and works in the hive for the wellbeing of the hive and its queen, who is adored with religious fervour and whose love sustains the hive.

Laline Paull's novel is engrossing and interesting, and Orlagh Cassidy's narration suits it well and carries the drama of the story with style and subtlety. She has the richness of voice needed for the queen, the wheedling tones necessary for the dangerous enemies of the colony, and a brave and bold voice for Flora 717 herself, on whom the whole story rests.

This book will have you buzzing with excitement - buy it now!

Not what I expected

I have wanted to read this book since I first heard about it. Now I've listened to it, I'm not sure what I originally expected, only that this wasn't it. The story of bee sanitation worker, Flora 717, reminded me of a fanatical religious cult run by bullies.

I found the narration grating at times, particularly when the narrator voiced the myriad of particularly unpleasant creatures that Flora encountered. I wonder whether the book would sound different if I had read it myself, if I would have enjoyed it more.

That said, it was engaging enough for me to listen to the whole 10 hours. At about the 6 hour mark it was touch and go, but I persevered to the end and am glad I did. I think this book suffered under the weight of my expectation more than anything else. Well, that, and I'm pretty sure (well, I hope) spiders don't sound like that.

Wonderful

I loved the whole concept of this story, gave me a wonderful child like enjoyment. Very surprised I enjoyed it so much and highly recommended

WONDERFULL

The most enjoyable story I have listened to in a long while. Can rotally recommend it.

Beautifull, oh such a beautifull story!

great narrator, loved it!!!!!! great writer, great everything! I will never see the bees the sameway I used to.