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superchemgirl's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
wells140's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this short read, between the bee expertise and the snapshot of one man's (fictional) experience in a post-Arab Spring town.
nferre's review
4.0
I might never have picked up this book had Amazon not had it up for free for “Celebrate World Book Day.” As it is I got the kindle for free and picked up the audiobook version for $1.99. And it was worth it!
The story takes place in a fictional country which is assumed to be Tunisia, shortly after the Arab Spring. There’s a beekeeper, Sidi, who lives in the village of Nawa; he is a gentle man who talks to his bees and cares for them with tenderness as one would care and talk to their pet cats or dogs. He calls them his “girls.” One morning finds his colonies of bees have been murdered by killer hornets. Parallel to his bees is the strife created by upcoming elections. Together with the theme of ecological wellness, of protecting the species of the earth, are themes of political corruption, fading democracy, religious righteousness, and fanaticism. Men enveloped in their own version of Islamic godliness are more bent on violence and personal enrichment than the kindness their religion espouses and come down hard on the villagers.
The book depicts the delicate balance of our world ecology and the importance of believing in science, and the danger of not doing so. If the bees are representative of working folks going about their business in the world, the hornets are representative of those who would attack without cause, for the sake of conquering and destruction. Unfortunately, a very appropriate theme for the situation in our world in April of 2022.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope, of kindness, and positivity within the book – one can only hope that this is not just a mirage in real life.
The story takes place in a fictional country which is assumed to be Tunisia, shortly after the Arab Spring. There’s a beekeeper, Sidi, who lives in the village of Nawa; he is a gentle man who talks to his bees and cares for them with tenderness as one would care and talk to their pet cats or dogs. He calls them his “girls.” One morning finds his colonies of bees have been murdered by killer hornets. Parallel to his bees is the strife created by upcoming elections. Together with the theme of ecological wellness, of protecting the species of the earth, are themes of political corruption, fading democracy, religious righteousness, and fanaticism. Men enveloped in their own version of Islamic godliness are more bent on violence and personal enrichment than the kindness their religion espouses and come down hard on the villagers.
The book depicts the delicate balance of our world ecology and the importance of believing in science, and the danger of not doing so. If the bees are representative of working folks going about their business in the world, the hornets are representative of those who would attack without cause, for the sake of conquering and destruction. Unfortunately, a very appropriate theme for the situation in our world in April of 2022.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope, of kindness, and positivity within the book – one can only hope that this is not just a mirage in real life.
aizataffendi's review
5.0
What a great read, this book is. It talks about the unwavering love of a beekeper towards his colonies, and that of hope for their revival after being swarmed and killed by hornets. It talks about hypocrisy and the sad reality of absolute power corrupts absolutely, illustrated by the Tunisian reformists who had overthrown an autocracy... riding on religious teachings for their own political and self benefit.
jiyoung's review
3.0
The author uses a bee colony and the threat of a foreign hornet invasion as an allegory for the spread of Islamist fundamentalism in Arab countries. The book was short and felt quite simplistic -- more like a political parable than a novel -- but I loved learning about bees and their survival tactics, especially the eponymous ardent swarm.
njw13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
4.5
homoerotten's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5