This is not a happy book. It follows 3 people in 1880’s, 2007, and then 2098. It is a story of bees and families and what will happen. The book focuses on climate issues, families attempting to survive and all that will be lost. It does end on a somewhat hopeful note. ( )

Fra fam. Knut

An interesting read by topic, but something was missing for me. I did not find the protagonists very sympathetic, and the audiobook narration really didn’t help. ( )

Three stories from different times, past, present, future intertwined around the collapse of bees. All three protagonists are pretty unlikable which prevented me from caring deeply about the story. Maybe the idea is better than the execution.

What would happen if bees disappeared? This book combines three seemingly disparate stories: one set in the past, one in the present, and one in the future, to depict such a calamity. In the early 1850’s in England, William has fallen into depression, but is revived by the desire to impress his son through designing a better beehive. In 2007 in Ohio, George is a beekeeper dealing with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) (a genuine issue in today’s apiculture), while attempting to convince his son to take over the family farm. In 2098 in China, the bees have disappeared, and Tao is a worker that pollinates fruit-producing trees by hand. She wants her son to excel so he can gain an education to avoid the same fate.

In addition to the “bee connection,” each of the protagonists is dealing with family issues. The author uses the environmental theme to probe spousal relationships and parental expectations of their children. I was drawn into the lives of these characters. These three apparently separate stories are woven together artfully by the author, with their interconnectedness becoming more apparent as the story unfolds. Overall the tone is sad but includes an element of hopefulness.

The author has creatively combined science fiction, contemporary fiction, and historical fiction into an engrossing and thought-provoking narrative with a message. I learned a great deal about bees and beekeeping but felt the primary power in this novel derived from the poignancy of the interpersonal relationships. Recommended to those interested in environmentalism, humankind’s interactions with nature, or family dynamics. ( )