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stacyculler's review against another edition
2.0
The Hive is all about playground politics in the backstabbing world of the St Ambrose School parent fundraising committee. It is peopled by the punnily named Bea, who is the unrivaled Queen Bee of the hive, and all of her little worker bees: some who are in her inner circle, some who have been recently pushed out, and some who are just trying to escape. When a new headmaster comes along, seemingly too oblivious to grasp the existing social order, the Hive is disrupted.
It should be a good girl-fight of a book, but I just didn’t enjoy it very much. The overuse of slang made the book as difficult to understand in some places as if it was written in a completely foreign language. Bea is too pathetic and absent to be the girl-you-love-to-hate, and Heather is too pitiful to be the underdog that you root for. Although Georgia’s crunchy, satiated apathy was delightful, and Rachel’s “I Will Survive” evolution was cute, there were too many other characters to keep straight, as I couldn’t really distinguish them from one another.
Not my favorite.
It should be a good girl-fight of a book, but I just didn’t enjoy it very much. The overuse of slang made the book as difficult to understand in some places as if it was written in a completely foreign language. Bea is too pathetic and absent to be the girl-you-love-to-hate, and Heather is too pitiful to be the underdog that you root for. Although Georgia’s crunchy, satiated apathy was delightful, and Rachel’s “I Will Survive” evolution was cute, there were too many other characters to keep straight, as I couldn’t really distinguish them from one another.
Not my favorite.
my6boyzmom's review against another edition
2.0
I received this ARC through First Reads from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel, the narrator, is a children’s book illustrator. She’s recently separated from her cheating husband (who sounds like a total putz). She likes the school her children attend, but isn't very anxious to volunteer for any of the "mom duties". On the other hand, most of the other characters are falling over themselves to volunteer for PTA duties. They’re all competing for the attention of the queen bee mom, Beatrice (who of course is a total snob). She’s the PTA chairwoman, and it quickly becomes apparent that the icky jobs, such as sorting stinky laundry for a fund-raising yard sale, is delegated to the moms she does not like. Then her and her friends work on the activities that are more fun.
Somehow, Rachel has lost her status as BFF with Beatrice. When Rachel challenges her about their friendship, Beatrice explains it wouldn't be right to "take sides" after Rachel’s separation with her husband. From here Rachel pretends not to care even though she still takes an awful lot of interest in what Beatrice is doing.
The mothers all are one-dimensional and somewhat unbelievable. I am a mother of school aged children, and I don't really identify with any of these characters. Maybe as a satire that is blowing some of the typical behaviors out of proportion, but certainly not true to life.
It’s a vaguely amusing summer read. Just don't expect a lot of aha moments as you identify some of the annoying moms you know in real life.
Rachel, the narrator, is a children’s book illustrator. She’s recently separated from her cheating husband (who sounds like a total putz). She likes the school her children attend, but isn't very anxious to volunteer for any of the "mom duties". On the other hand, most of the other characters are falling over themselves to volunteer for PTA duties. They’re all competing for the attention of the queen bee mom, Beatrice (who of course is a total snob). She’s the PTA chairwoman, and it quickly becomes apparent that the icky jobs, such as sorting stinky laundry for a fund-raising yard sale, is delegated to the moms she does not like. Then her and her friends work on the activities that are more fun.
Somehow, Rachel has lost her status as BFF with Beatrice. When Rachel challenges her about their friendship, Beatrice explains it wouldn't be right to "take sides" after Rachel’s separation with her husband. From here Rachel pretends not to care even though she still takes an awful lot of interest in what Beatrice is doing.
The mothers all are one-dimensional and somewhat unbelievable. I am a mother of school aged children, and I don't really identify with any of these characters. Maybe as a satire that is blowing some of the typical behaviors out of proportion, but certainly not true to life.
It’s a vaguely amusing summer read. Just don't expect a lot of aha moments as you identify some of the annoying moms you know in real life.
saintgirl's review against another edition
2.0
This book is supposedly about female friendships, when in reality I found little friendly behavior in the majority of it The characters lacked depth and when I found myself liking a character's storyline, it switched off to another's and left me bored reading about one of the other many boring characters. The idea of the story, as a whole, seemed to be a good one, but it was not done in a believable way, in my opinion. The character's behavior and conversations were ridiculous and I think it could have been accomplished in a much more enjoyable, organized way. I did like the irony of the title, as it was explained throughout the book, but overall, I just didn't enjoy this book.
slbutcherauthor's review against another edition
3.0
I had high hopes for this book and liked it so much at the start, but I wound up disappointed with it at the end. My feelings mirror what other reviewers have expressed: some of the characters were one-dimensional, the dialogue was rocky (not to mention stiff), and at some point, I'd had enough of hearing about Jo's "cross" behavior.
Having said that, I didn't find myself trudging through this book. I did laugh quite a bit, and I found Rachel relateable. Georgie was funny; Heather's attempt at time-keeping kept me in stitches through the first meeting, but by the end of the book, I felt like she was the second-most annoying character (aside from Bea, maybe). I don't hold annoying characters against this book--it's expected that, in a book about catty women and their drama, some of the characters will be annoying.
Sometimes it felt like characters appeared out of nowhere, which isn't something I've ever noticed in a professional book. Occasionally I became frustrated during certain scenes, trying to figure out why certain people were present and where they came from.
All in all, not a BAD read, but nothing to write home about.
Also, as much as I love dashes, this book was crazy dash-happy.
Having said that, I didn't find myself trudging through this book. I did laugh quite a bit, and I found Rachel relateable. Georgie was funny; Heather's attempt at time-keeping kept me in stitches through the first meeting, but by the end of the book, I felt like she was the second-most annoying character (aside from Bea, maybe). I don't hold annoying characters against this book--it's expected that, in a book about catty women and their drama, some of the characters will be annoying.
Sometimes it felt like characters appeared out of nowhere, which isn't something I've ever noticed in a professional book. Occasionally I became frustrated during certain scenes, trying to figure out why certain people were present and where they came from.
All in all, not a BAD read, but nothing to write home about.
Also, as much as I love dashes, this book was crazy dash-happy.
kaileyjane's review against another edition
1.0
Nothing happens. The couple of instances where something interesting develops it is resolved in less than 10 pages.
sarahmacp's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my. I read this book with a wicked smile on my face just wishing I was a big enough bitch to send it to someone with a note 'you're Bea and I'm so over it'. I've decided to be the bigger person and just think it - lots!
An intelligent, funny and warm look at life from the school gates. Good fun.
An intelligent, funny and warm look at life from the school gates. Good fun.
aclav's review against another edition
I read less than 50 pages and that was too many. No time for bad books.
amandacole's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book free from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Hive is the story of a group of middle-aged mothers of schoolchildren. It's got an ensemble cast, which, if done well, can be very entertaining (think of A Casual Vacancy -- no real single plot, but lots of characters to follow). It has a little bit of drama, albeit quite petty. The characters have a goal. Well, sort of. In theory, it should be something really great.
In reality, though, it has some issues.
First, the characters. When you have an ensemble cast and no real plot, you need really, really good characters. They need to be well-rounded, fully developed, and interesting. No one really cares whether a group of women bickers over who's in charge of which fundraising activities for their kids' school. That shouldn't have been the main thread tying things together, in my opinion. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, and I didn't really care what happened to any of them. They seemed immature, petty, and cliquey, and I wouldn't want to be friends with any of them. Their cult-like following of Bea to the exclusion of others when Bea says so is incredibly frustrating, and I can't understand just why I'm supposed to care about women who can't or won't think for themselves. The more interesting story, in my opinion, would have been Bea's, but we hardly glimpse her side of things. I'd love to know why she's so awful. Is there anything redeeming about her at all? I'm not so sure there is.
Second, the dialogue. All I can really say here is: oh dear. I know that in real life some people go around saying things like "lolz" and "omg" and "btw," but for the most part, that language is confined to text messages, not spoken language. To me, it was disrupting and a bit lazy. Couldn't these women have expressed themselves better, without using tween slang? It was disappointing, and it pulled me out of the narrative of the book to read it. Characters don't need to sound totally stoic, but using these abbreviations isn't necessary to make them sound real.
Third, the writing. It was a bit unpolished. A lot of things were thrown in that probably didn't need to be there. I'm still not sure why the entire quiz from the quiz event shows up in the book. I understand that the characters interacted in between, but I don't think putting every question in the book in all caps was at all useful in moving the narrative forward or in creating a compelling story.
There were a few things I liked. I liked the idea immensely. I'd love to read about what are essentially PTA moms as part of an ensemble cast. I just wish there were more interesting secrets, more facets to their personalities, more depth to their interactions, and more variation in the types of things we see. How many meetings and fundraising events gone awry can we really enjoy in one book? I also liked that the book was split into parts according to the school term. It made a lot of sense to me, and it worked.
Overall, though, I just couldn't stay interested in this book. It was a struggle to keep going because I just couldn't find something I really cared about to keep me reading. I think it could have been very interesting, but it really fell flat. Without a plot, the characters should have been stronger and more unique. It was a good effort, but the execution was only so-so.
The Hive is the story of a group of middle-aged mothers of schoolchildren. It's got an ensemble cast, which, if done well, can be very entertaining (think of A Casual Vacancy -- no real single plot, but lots of characters to follow). It has a little bit of drama, albeit quite petty. The characters have a goal. Well, sort of. In theory, it should be something really great.
In reality, though, it has some issues.
First, the characters. When you have an ensemble cast and no real plot, you need really, really good characters. They need to be well-rounded, fully developed, and interesting. No one really cares whether a group of women bickers over who's in charge of which fundraising activities for their kids' school. That shouldn't have been the main thread tying things together, in my opinion. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, and I didn't really care what happened to any of them. They seemed immature, petty, and cliquey, and I wouldn't want to be friends with any of them. Their cult-like following of Bea to the exclusion of others when Bea says so is incredibly frustrating, and I can't understand just why I'm supposed to care about women who can't or won't think for themselves. The more interesting story, in my opinion, would have been Bea's, but we hardly glimpse her side of things. I'd love to know why she's so awful. Is there anything redeeming about her at all? I'm not so sure there is.
Second, the dialogue. All I can really say here is: oh dear. I know that in real life some people go around saying things like "lolz" and "omg" and "btw," but for the most part, that language is confined to text messages, not spoken language. To me, it was disrupting and a bit lazy. Couldn't these women have expressed themselves better, without using tween slang? It was disappointing, and it pulled me out of the narrative of the book to read it. Characters don't need to sound totally stoic, but using these abbreviations isn't necessary to make them sound real.
Third, the writing. It was a bit unpolished. A lot of things were thrown in that probably didn't need to be there. I'm still not sure why the entire quiz from the quiz event shows up in the book. I understand that the characters interacted in between, but I don't think putting every question in the book in all caps was at all useful in moving the narrative forward or in creating a compelling story.
There were a few things I liked. I liked the idea immensely. I'd love to read about what are essentially PTA moms as part of an ensemble cast. I just wish there were more interesting secrets, more facets to their personalities, more depth to their interactions, and more variation in the types of things we see. How many meetings and fundraising events gone awry can we really enjoy in one book? I also liked that the book was split into parts according to the school term. It made a lot of sense to me, and it worked.
Overall, though, I just couldn't stay interested in this book. It was a struggle to keep going because I just couldn't find something I really cared about to keep me reading. I think it could have been very interesting, but it really fell flat. Without a plot, the characters should have been stronger and more unique. It was a good effort, but the execution was only so-so.
resareads's review against another edition
4.0
Review of "The Hive" by Gill Hornby
Expected Publication: September 10, 2013 by Little, Brown and Co
On the surface this novel looks like another portrait of the lifestyles of the rich and bored, but what Hornby has actually written is a clever satire about mothers, daughters, and the cliques they share (even when they're old enough to know better). Pleasantly surprising in its intelligence, this novel manages to take Mean Girls into the mother's world in a way that's both realistic and funny. With characters you'll love (and some you'll love to hate) and just a dash of drama and romance thrown in Hornby's "The Hive" is a light read that will make you wonder whether or not there's hope for any of us to really "grow up."
As the title suggests, Hornby's novel centers around both a hive of women and a hive of bees. The metaphor is a little heavy-handed but that just adds to the obvious satire Hornby is trying to convey. The story is told through multiple perspectives, the main character/narrator is, for the majority of the story, Rachel. Rachel's husband Chris has just left her for an intern at his office, and after her marriage has fallen apart her social life starts to fall apart as well. You see, Rachel is best friends with Bea (pun intended) the social queen of the St. Ambrose parents, but once Rachel becomes less than perfect, Bea becomes less than present. Now Rachel has to find a new group and during the process begins to see just what kind of collective she's been a part of for all those years. And if that's not enough, dashing new headmaster Tom adds an element of romance to Rachel's life just to complicate things more.
In addition to Rachel there are several other characters worth mentioning. Georgie, the smoker who doesn't actually smoke with a large family and a no bullshit attitude. Heather, the mother who's desperate to please Bea, whatever the cost. And Melissa, the charming new mom with a big house and ideas that put Bea's to shame.
As the story continues it becomes fairly obvious just how this group of mom's mimics the hive, and as Melissa rushes in to save the day she starts to gain allies while Bea is out working her MUJ. The satire aspect of the novel becomes almost paradoy-ish by the last few chapters though, and while it was funny, the tone changed a little too abruptly for them to fit in with the rest of the novel. While the ending was appropriate and leaves you with questions, the shift in tone was a little jarring and completely lost the reality Hornby cultivated in the rest of the book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
Expected Publication: September 10, 2013 by Little, Brown and Co
On the surface this novel looks like another portrait of the lifestyles of the rich and bored, but what Hornby has actually written is a clever satire about mothers, daughters, and the cliques they share (even when they're old enough to know better). Pleasantly surprising in its intelligence, this novel manages to take Mean Girls into the mother's world in a way that's both realistic and funny. With characters you'll love (and some you'll love to hate) and just a dash of drama and romance thrown in Hornby's "The Hive" is a light read that will make you wonder whether or not there's hope for any of us to really "grow up."
As the title suggests, Hornby's novel centers around both a hive of women and a hive of bees. The metaphor is a little heavy-handed but that just adds to the obvious satire Hornby is trying to convey. The story is told through multiple perspectives, the main character/narrator is, for the majority of the story, Rachel. Rachel's husband Chris has just left her for an intern at his office, and after her marriage has fallen apart her social life starts to fall apart as well. You see, Rachel is best friends with Bea (pun intended) the social queen of the St. Ambrose parents, but once Rachel becomes less than perfect, Bea becomes less than present. Now Rachel has to find a new group and during the process begins to see just what kind of collective she's been a part of for all those years. And if that's not enough, dashing new headmaster Tom adds an element of romance to Rachel's life just to complicate things more.
In addition to Rachel there are several other characters worth mentioning. Georgie, the smoker who doesn't actually smoke with a large family and a no bullshit attitude. Heather, the mother who's desperate to please Bea, whatever the cost. And Melissa, the charming new mom with a big house and ideas that put Bea's to shame.
As the story continues it becomes fairly obvious just how this group of mom's mimics the hive, and as Melissa rushes in to save the day she starts to gain allies while Bea is out working her MUJ. The satire aspect of the novel becomes almost paradoy-ish by the last few chapters though, and while it was funny, the tone changed a little too abruptly for them to fit in with the rest of the novel. While the ending was appropriate and leaves you with questions, the shift in tone was a little jarring and completely lost the reality Hornby cultivated in the rest of the book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
tabula_risa's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0