The Death of Bees

The Death of Bees by author Lisa O'Donnell is an excellent, affecting debut novel about two sisters whose abusive, drug addicted, absentee parents die unexpectedly. Afraid of losing each other to separate foster homes, the girls bury their parents in the garden and try to subsist on their own. They catch the notice of a neighbor, Lennie, who takes the girls in. He cares for them and they begin to realize what it is like to have a real family. However, before long their maternal grandfather arrives with probing questions about the whereabouts of his daughter.

This is a profoundly sad and moving novel about the lose of innocence and childhood. The girls lost everything and everyone important in their lives and have only each other until Lennie comes into their lives. It is a story that explores the power of the bond between sisters and between those who are not related by blood but by a deep connection.

The distinctive style of shifting viewpoints between the three central characters adds different perspectives on the story. Each character's voice is unique, dynamic, and raw, yet limited. It is only through the combination of the three protagonists that we get the entire story, which reflects the theme that these characters need each other to survive. This is a novel about escaping the clutches of poverty and the cycle of abuse and will leave you unable to forget the girls who buried their parents under the lavender bushes.