A review by kayls2315
Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I gave the book 2.75 stars. The only reason it’s not lower is because it started strong, hooking me in from the beginning. However, around the halfway point, at a crucial twist, it began to unravel. It felt like the story was suddenly forced into addressing numerous societal issues—LBGTQ, transgender, suicide, abuse, abortion, race, bullying, gender roles, feminism even squeezed in a brief mention of a school shooting. This overload detracted from the initially good storyline.

 This book didn’t land in my DNF only due to the fact that the beginning was put together so well and as a hobbyist beekeeper myself, I appreciated the well-researched beekeeping elements. Listening to the audiobook saved some time, thankfully. Lily’s character and her narrator became tiresome. The rushed ending crammed in every controversial topic, almost making me feel duped into reading about subjects I wouldn’t typically choose. 
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