You’re not supposed to know what this book is about. Really.
Direct quotes from the back of the book: “We don’t want to tell you what
happens in this book,” and “…please don’t tell them (your friends) what
happens.” At first I was a bit perturbed by this, and I probably would not have
read it, but it was recommended by a good friend who has recommended good books in the past.
I think it’s okay to give you a little more detail about the
book. What I say here will in no way ruin it. The story starts with a
young woman named Little Bee who is a refugee from Nigeria. She is in an
England detention center, where she’s been for the last two years. Little Bee
is on a journey to find a husband and wife whom she met in her home country while
they were vacation. Turns out the wife, Sarah, has been having an affair, and the
husband recently committed suicide. Their lives are forever linked by what
happened that fateful day in Nigeria.
If I had known these were the descriptions of the two main
characters, I probably would have skipped the book (even with the
recommendation – sorry!). A refugee, an unfaithful wife, more suicide (seems
that’s all I’ve been reading lately), not my cup of tea. The beginning of the
book makes it a struggle to keep going. I guess the only reason I kept reading
was I wanted to know what could’ve been so dramatic to tie these two women
together. I’m not going to give it away, but you’ll understand once you’ve read it.
The book is written from Little Bee and Sarah's perspective. Little Bee learned the Queen’s English and therefore speaks
elegantly. The only dialects come from other refugees, and it’s minor at that. The chapters go back and forth between Little Bee and the wife. For me, Little Bee’s
chapters are what make the book. The things she
says make you think about everything you take for granted. Lastly, I should warn you a majority of the book is sad and tragic (in case you weren't getting that feeling).
My rating for Little Bee: 3 stars out of 5. Get it here!
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