Why Did I Listen To The Bees by Laline Paul?
The Bees by Laline Paull appealed to me, not because of the campaign where they mailed honey and the book to reviewers. But, because of how it is an anthropomorphic story and I have a soft spot for those. I mean, I grew up on the Redwall books and it has been an awfully long time since I’ve read a book about animals being sort of like humans. Also? The Bees was on Hoopla and I have this obsession with getting physical books off my shelf and into the donation box by listening to the audiobook version while I drive and do other non sit and read type things.
What’s The Story Here?
Laline Paull’s The Bees is a dystopian book about a hive of bees and focuses particularly on Flora 717, a sanitation worker. Technically, Flora shouldn’t be able to speak. She should just be able to do sanitation type stuff and live by the motto accept, obey, serve. Alas, Flora has some secrets. She can speak. Even more important, she’s got the ability to reproduce and have babies. This sort of sets her up to be a threat to the queen of the hive. Due to Flora’s intellect, she keeps on getting promoted to better and better jobs. This then leads to her doing the unthinkable and placing her life at risk.
What Did I Think Of The Bees?
One thing about me is that I love a good oppressive society and regime. Not in real life of course, but in books. The Bees certainly delivers on that. I felt like Laline Paull did an excellent job crafting her world building. The society of the bees in this book is very complex and intricate. I absolutely found myself enjoying that. This book is really absorbing and interesting. The plotting is well paced. The characters all have different motivations that served to draw me in. Plus, the premise is just so unique. I actually would seek out more books by Laline Paull after reading this.
How’s The Narration?
The Bees is narrated by Orlagh Cassidy. I guess I have listened to another book narrated by Orlagh Cassidy before but don’t remember which ones or one. However many. I felt like she had a wonderful voice for this book. She does different voices for the characters, but manages to sound entrenched in a regal society as she reads. I imagine that probably sounds nonsensical, but if you read this book via audio, you will get my meaning exactly. The audiobook is just over ten hours long and a delight to listen to.
Other reviews of The Bees by Laline Paull:
- Respiring Thoughts – “it didn’t really pan out“
- Rinn Reads – “brought so much life to all of them“
- Lonesome Reader – “an interesting perspective on individual will versus the collective need“
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