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emmagalt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
< spoiler >
This book tries to do far too much and it suffers because of that. The authors needed to pick one hobby, but there are so many tangents about Lily fencing, playing cello, absorbing facts, as well as Olivia keeping bees that it becomes boring and skimmable.
More than that they needed to pick one trauma. If you try to have a book about murder, domestic abuse, transphobia, suicide, self-harm, abortion, racism in the justic system, etc, then none of the topics are covered with the grace and nuance they deserve. The marginalised characters in the book like Selena and Elizabeth felt like educational tropes pulled from inspirational quotes than 3D people with lived experience.
I felt that the parts about Lily's transition was beautifully written and informative. This book could have been such a positive platform to talk about the love and support she was given to transform as a teenager, and the benefits of being able to act on this choice so young so that she could live as her authentic self for the majority of her life. Unfortunately, this was used as a plot twist to offer motive for Lily's death, instead of a full story about Lily's life.
Finally, the main plot of the book was the trial, but the case and arguments were so weak because too much focus was put on trying (and I think failing) to make the characters seem murky and mysterious.
Such a shame because I always love Jodi Picoult books, but this just didn't do it for me.
</ spoiler >
This book tries to do far too much and it suffers because of that. The authors needed to pick one hobby, but there are so many tangents about Lily fencing, playing cello, absorbing facts, as well as Olivia keeping bees that it becomes boring and skimmable.
More than that they needed to pick one trauma. If you try to have a book about murder, domestic abuse, transphobia, suicide, self-harm, abortion, racism in the justic system, etc, then none of the topics are covered with the grace and nuance they deserve. The marginalised characters in the book like Selena and Elizabeth felt like educational tropes pulled from inspirational quotes than 3D people with lived experience.
I felt that the parts about Lily's transition was beautifully written and informative. This book could have been such a positive platform to talk about the love and support she was given to transform as a teenager, and the benefits of being able to act on this choice so young so that she could live as her authentic self for the majority of her life. Unfortunately, this was used as a plot twist to offer motive for Lily's death, instead of a full story about Lily's life.
Finally, the main plot of the book was the trial, but the case and arguments were so weak because too much focus was put on trying (and I think failing) to make the characters seem murky and mysterious.
Such a shame because I always love Jodi Picoult books, but this just didn't do it for me.
</ spoiler >
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Bullying, Violence, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Death, Deadnaming, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Outing, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Murder, Hate crime, Transphobia, Body shaming, Suicide, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Car accident and Abortion
logikitty's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Suicide, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Outing
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual content
evieslibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
✨Synopsis✨
Olivia escapes her abusive marriage and comes back to her hometown to run the family beekeeping business with her son, Asher. As Asher grows up and becomes a popular ice hockey player, he finds love with a new girlfriend, Lily. However, tragedy strikes when Lily is discovered with a severe head injury and Asher is accused of murder, leading to questions about the true nature of their relationship.
✨My Thoughts✨
Wow, this book was great, absolutely harrowing in parts and the writing was beautiful. I absolutely loved the use of metaphors throughout, not just about the bees but also just about general life. I loved the representation and the education throughout and thought the growth of the characters was executed well. I enjoyed seeing both Olivia and Lily through their very different journeys of discovering their own identities but also in discovering their own flaws too. I would say the less you know about this one going in the better, I went in very blind and I think it really added to my enjoyment. The reason this one wasn’t 5 stars for me was because it felt like a great ending with 50-100 pages tagged onto the end in a way that I didn’t love, but overall a very heart wrenching, thought provoking read that I’m sure so many people will find themselves in the pages of. I would definitely advise checking the trigger warnings before picking this up as this one is heavy! Particularly in relation to bullying/abuse/gaslighting
Spoilers ahead!!!
Omg what on earth was that last twist?! It was just so unnecessary to the whole book and made the book feel too long too! I would have been so much happier if it ended straight after the trial with an epilogue to follow- I don’t know if it was perceived as being a big potential “mic drop” moment but for me the ending had already happened!
I did absolutely love the transgender representation in this, I loved how they managed to naturally weave so much education and loved experience through the story in a way that didn’t feel non fiction. I just loved it! But it also just broke my heart and made me so angry at humans for being so intent on not allowing people be who they are!
Olivia escapes her abusive marriage and comes back to her hometown to run the family beekeeping business with her son, Asher. As Asher grows up and becomes a popular ice hockey player, he finds love with a new girlfriend, Lily. However, tragedy strikes when Lily is discovered with a severe head injury and Asher is accused of murder, leading to questions about the true nature of their relationship.
✨My Thoughts✨
Wow, this book was great, absolutely harrowing in parts and the writing was beautiful. I absolutely loved the use of metaphors throughout, not just about the bees but also just about general life. I loved the representation and the education throughout and thought the growth of the characters was executed well. I enjoyed seeing both Olivia and Lily through their very different journeys of discovering their own identities but also in discovering their own flaws too. I would say the less you know about this one going in the better, I went in very blind and I think it really added to my enjoyment. The reason this one wasn’t 5 stars for me was because it felt like a great ending with 50-100 pages tagged onto the end in a way that I didn’t love, but overall a very heart wrenching, thought provoking read that I’m sure so many people will find themselves in the pages of. I would definitely advise checking the trigger warnings before picking this up as this one is heavy! Particularly in relation to bullying/abuse/gaslighting
Spoilers ahead!!!
Omg what on earth was that last twist?! It was just so unnecessary to the whole book and made the book feel too long too! I would have been so much happier if it ended straight after the trial with an epilogue to follow- I don’t know if it was perceived as being a big potential “mic drop” moment but for me the ending had already happened!
I did absolutely love the transgender representation in this, I loved how they managed to naturally weave so much education and loved experience through the story in a way that didn’t feel non fiction. I just loved it! But it also just broke my heart and made me so angry at humans for being so intent on not allowing people be who they are!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Bullying, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt
bek67's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Thought provoking book. Would be a great book club selection due to discussions that would be involved. I struggled at the start with the backward timeline during Lily's chapters. I needed more resolution regarding the who-do-it portion of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Minor: Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Medical content
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.75
One evening Olivia gets a phone call that no mother wants to get, her son, Asher, is being questioned for the sudden death of his girlfriend Lily. He is adamant that he is innocent.
This is such a beautiful story. As we flip between Olivia and Lily's POVs shocking secrets are revealed. Olivia is torn between believing her son and her fear that he could be like his father. We see how her own baggage and ignorance influences how she sees the world and her son's trial.
We follow Lily as she struggles to navigate not only her new relationship but her own identity and secrets. She has had extensive trauma and struggles to trust people. She is nervous to let Asher know her true self but, as we see in the flashbacks, he is actually able to handle it with maturity. He shows a deep love for Lily.
There were some twists in this book that shocked me, in a good way. I love the direction this book took. This is such a heavy topic that was approached with incredible sensitivity and care.
My only qualm is the ending, I felt that it was rushed and that Maya's confession came out of nowhere. There was no real indication of her jealousy throughout this book. It was shocking the she allowed her "best friend* to go through the trial knowing he was innocent and when she finally confesses there are no consequences.
This is such a beautiful story. As we flip between Olivia and Lily's POVs shocking secrets are revealed. Olivia is torn between believing her son and her fear that he could be like his father. We see how her own baggage and ignorance influences how she sees the world and her son's trial.
We follow Lily as she struggles to navigate not only her new relationship but her own identity and secrets. She has had extensive trauma and struggles to trust people.
There were some twists in this book that shocked me, in a good way. I love the direction this book took. This is such a heavy topic that was approached with incredible sensitivity and care.
My only qualm is the ending,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Child death, Grief, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
sandysmith's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.5
A great story told from differing points of view and differing timelines which could have been confusing, but I felt able to follow it. Olivia is a single mum who left an abusive relationship to return home to her family, home, and a beekeeping business with her son Asher, who is unaware. Lily and her mother also starting again setting up in a new home. Lily and Asher become boyfriend and girlfriend until Lily dies, and Asher is charged with her murder. A massive twist halfway through the book and what felt like a rushed ending. Very educational, and I loved the bee facts interspersed into the story. It didn't feel like 2 authors and read seamlessly. It would make a fantastic book club pick, as there is loads to think about and discuss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Self harm, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, and Toxic relationship
finnmiles's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.75
A beautifully written book with so much you can learn from it. The story telling was astounding and the education given about trans and nonbinary people is unlike another book I've read. It wraps love, grief, suspense, hope, loss, and learning all in one wonderful package. I would recommend this book to just about anyone I would meet. Be sure to take a look at content warnings as well. The book deals with many heavy topics, including but not limited to transphobia and domestic abuse.
As soon as I learned Lily was trans, everything she had went through made so much sense to me. Reading this as a nonbinary person was so life changing in a way. Seeing the way trans people are spoken about and the education this book brings is something everyone needs to witness. I love Lily, I love the fight she put up to win her life back, and I will always think of her.
The biggest thank you to Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan for this collaboration. The world needs more humans like you and books like Mad Honey in it. I will absolutely be buying my own copy of it. <3
The biggest thank you to Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan for this collaboration. The world needs more humans like you and books like Mad Honey in it. I will absolutely be buying my own copy of it. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Deadnaming, Grief, Mental illness, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
kah296's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.0
What a joy it was to read a Jodi Picoult book! I think the last one I read was probably in high school and Mad Honey felt like such a wonderful mix of classic Jodi while also new - I loved that it was written with Jennifer Finney Boylan! I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately and this book was exactly what I needed. It is definitely a courtroom drama but it’s clear that this book was written with love. The honey metaphors were smart but not overdone. It was all perfectly balanced for a quick beach read but it’s definitely a book I will be thinking about for a long time. I got such a kick out of the authors’ notes at the beginning and the end - I really hope they both continue writing thoughtful and thought provoking books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Outing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Bullying, Child death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse
staceyinthesticks's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Violence
tyreadsbooks_'s review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
If you were only going to read one book this year, make it this one. I recommend going into it like I did: as blindly as possible.
This story was so many things.. Powerful. Eye opening. Insightful. Devastating. Suspenseful. Beautiful. Real.
It featured eloquent writing, well-developed characters and thought provoking topics. It had a little bit of everything: drama, mystery, twists, romance. I LOVED all the facts about bees, the art of beekeeping and honey itself, and how they somehow were both informative while connecting to the themes of the plot.
I was anticipating a courtroom drama with a whodunnit feel, but this was more than that. It was about self-identity, relationships, family, resilience and what it means to be a woman. The representation was so well done. This is one of my favorite contemporary fiction reads to date.
If you want to discuss this book with me, my DMs are open! The book hangover is real!
Favorite quotes:
“Sometimes, making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it."
"If you want to understand something, you first need to accept the fact of your own ignorance. And then, you need to talk to people who know more than you do, people who have not just thought about the facts, but lived them."
“This has always been my favorite fact about bees: in their world, destiny is fluid. You might start life as a worker, and end up a queen.”
This story was so many things.. Powerful. Eye opening. Insightful. Devastating. Suspenseful. Beautiful. Real.
It featured eloquent writing, well-developed characters and thought provoking topics. It had a little bit of everything: drama, mystery, twists, romance. I LOVED all the facts about bees, the art of beekeeping and honey itself, and how they somehow were both informative while connecting to the themes of the plot.
I was anticipating a courtroom drama with a whodunnit feel, but this was more than that. It was about self-identity, relationships, family, resilience and what it means to be a woman. The representation was so well done. This is one of my favorite contemporary fiction reads to date.
If you want to discuss this book with me, my DMs are open! The book hangover is real!
Favorite quotes:
“Sometimes, making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it."
"If you want to understand something, you first need to accept the fact of your own ignorance. And then, you need to talk to people who know more than you do, people who have not just thought about the facts, but lived them."
“This has always been my favorite fact about bees: in their world, destiny is fluid. You might start life as a worker, and end up a queen.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia