The History of Bees
Maja Lunde (transl., Diane Oatley), 2017
Touchstone
352 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781501161377
Summary
In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees—and to their children and one another—against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.
England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive—one that will give both him and his children honor and fame.
United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper fighting an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation.
China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao’s young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident, she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.
Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought-provoking story that is just as much about the powerful bond between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity.
(From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—1975
• Where—Norway
• Education—University of Oslo
• Currently—lives in Oslo, Norway
Maja Lunde is a Norwegian author and screenwriter. Lunde has written ten books for children and young adults. She has also written scripts for Norwegian television, including for the children’s series Barnas supershow (“The Children’s Super Show”), the drama series Hjem (“Home”) and the comedy series Side om Side (“Side by Side”). The History of Bees is her first novel for adults. She lives with her husband and three children in Oslo. (From the publisher.)
Book Reviews
Is climate-themed fiction all too real? As scientists’ projections about the effects of climate change have increasingly become reality, some works of apocalyptic fiction have begun to seem all too plausible. Maja Lunde’s first book chronicles three generations as they exploit, try to save and eventually mimic bees.
New York Times
The History of Bees brings climate change into the realm of book-club fiction.… Lunde’s exploration of the tension between human instinct and the need for selflessness couldn’t be more timely.
Los Angeles Times
Lunde, a Norwegian author and screenwriter, threads a common string through these characters. The novel becomes far less about bees than about family — about how the relationship between parent and child can be passionate, desperate, tragic and uplifting….The History of Bees is a dark read, and yet it ends on a wavering note of optimism. It’s been likened to Emily St. John Mandel’s 2014 sci-fi novel Station Eleven, with good reason.
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
[T]he author…explores…the potentially bleak outcome for a world that ignores the warning signs …and allows honeybees to disappear.… [B]oth a multifaceted story and a convincing and timely wake-up call.
Publishers Weekly
This book… weaves together three fairly disparate stories spread across the better part of two and a half centuries.… Lunde’s compelling narrative draws the reader in.… [T]he "butterfly effect" is in full effect, as decisions made long ago and far away influence outcomes in unpredictable but realistic ways.
BookPage
Three interwoven tales from 1851, 2007, and 2098 tell the story of our dependency on bees.…Tao's quest to find her son and understand what happened to him will ultimately tie the three stories together…. Illuminating if not much fun.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1. The History Of Bees alternates between three perspectives: those of Tao, George, and William. With which of these three main characters did you most relate? To whom did you find it hardest to connect? With whom do you most identify?
2. On page 30, William’s mentor, Rahm, opines "One reproduces, has offspring, one instinctively puts their needs first, they are mouths to feed, one becomes a provider, the intellect steps aside to make way for nature." Do you agree or disagree with Rahm’s statement? What do you think William felt when his mentor put it thusly?
3. On page 36, George thinks longingly of the bees’ buzzing as the "real reunion celebration." How does George’s expectation of how his reunion with Thomas will go impact how the two men relate to each other?
4. Throughout the book, there’s great emphasis on experience vs. intellect. Think of George’s experience vs. Thomas’s books, Tao’s attempts to discover what happened to Wei-Wen, William’s relationship with Rahm. Which brand of "knowledge" do you think is more valuable?
5. George is preoccupied with leaving a "legacy" behind, resisting Emma’s attempts to move them to Florida. From where does his legacy ultimately come? Is it what you expected?
6. William, on page 116, says of his desired creation "Only humans could construct proper buildings, a building it was possible to monitor, which gave humans, not nature, control." From where does the impulse to control nature come? Do you think that a desire to control the natural world is something humans can overcome without catastrophic reason?
7. How do the workings of the hive impart a lesson for humans? Is there any wisdom to be gleaned from the way their "society" works?
8. When George goes on the camping trip with young Tom, he tells him a tale about a snake (p. 186). What could the snake be symbolic of?
9. Colony Collapse is partially about abandonment of the queen. How does the theme of abandonment or fear of abandonment play out throughout the novel, specifically in Tao’s timeline?
10. Both William and Tao find refuge in going to bed, while George finds himself unable to rest. How do the characters hide from their loved ones? Where do they each find solace?
11. Which character do you think is most important in the book? Whose life story holds the three narrative threads together?
12. On page 316, Tao notices that Li Xiara and the teenage boy are using the same words to describe two very different feelings—"Each and every one of us is not important" could be about either community or loneliness. Do you find meaning in community? How? How could a sense of community be taken too far?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)