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The Bees
- Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
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Summary
Shortlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2015
Longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize for New Fiction 2015
Enter a whole new world, in this thrilling debut novel set entirely within a beehive.
Born into the lowest class of her society, Flora 717 is a sanitation bee, only fit to clean her orchard hive. Living to accept, obey and serve, she is prepared to sacrifice everything for her beloved holy mother, the Queen.
But Flora is not like other bees. Despite her ugliness she has talents that are not typical of her kin. While mutant bees are usually instantly destroyed, Flora is removed from sanitation duty and is allowed to feed the newborns, before becoming a forager, collecting pollen on the wing. She also finds her way into the Queen’s inner sanctum, where she discovers secrets both sublime and ominous.
But enemies are everywhere, from the fearsome fertility police to the high priestesses who jealously guard the Hive Mind. And when Flora breaks the most sacred law of all her instinct to serve is overshadowed by an even deeper desire, a fierce love that will lead to the unthinkable . . .
Laline Paull’s chilling yet ultimately triumphant novel creates a luminous world both alien and uncannily familiar. Thrilling and imaginative, ‘The Bees’ is the story of a heroine who, in the face of an increasingly desperate struggle for survival, changes her destiny and her world.
Critic reviews
“ The Bees” is one wild ride. A sensual, visceral mini-epic about timeless rituals and modern environmental disaster. Paull's heart pounding novel wrenches us into a new world.” (Emma Donoghue, author of Room)
“This is a rich, strange book, utterly convincing in its portrayal of the mind-set of a bee and a hive. I finished it feeling I knew exactly how bees think and live. This is what sets us humans apart from other animals, that our imagination can allow us to create a complete, believable world so different from our own.” (Tracy Chevalier)
What listeners say about The Bees
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- Alice in England
- 15-08-18
Beautiful & Unique
I've read this book before but loved it so much I bought this audio version too. It's read really beautifully, and the characters sound so convincing. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the story again, and the performance was so immersive. Loved it!
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- Caroline+Kats
- 07-03-18
complicated
very well written but complicated to keep track of who was who and not much actually happens so I flagged in the middle. reminded me of Handmaid Tale with bees!
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- philippa hall
- 15-06-24
Beautifully written.
Liked the concept. Got bored after a while! Could have been half the length and told the same story.
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- Sparkest
- 13-09-15
A richly attuned nature fantasy of a bee hive
A genius piece of writing, imaginative with magnificent descriptions of the senses, particularly smell which in the English language are rather limited, but expressed seamlessly in an engaging way. Timely too, with the current demise of bees.
Orliagh Cassidy narration was outstanding her identification with the different members of the hive and predators.
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- Guy
- 28-04-18
Fascinating and gripping
This booked hooked me from the first chapter. A story set in a bee hive with rules and regulations reminiscent of those in a handmaids tale.
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- Mr McD
- 27-10-21
A wonderful read, beautifully written, truly unique.
A wonderful read, beautifully written, truly unique. Would highly recommend this fabulously edgy fictional Bee drama.
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- Lanky
- 07-01-21
Not the dystopian novel you might think
This is a superb story. Epic in its proportion and Greek in its lust and tragedy. A grand education on life in the hive, told from the perspective of one gifted but lowly sanitation worker. I loved it!
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- Redyakyak
- 29-05-20
Not what I was expecting.
I have to say I really enjoyed this book, I love an underdog story. But so much for bees being kind and caring, the society hierarchy is surprising.
Sad in parts, shocking in others but plenty to keep your attention throughout.
I have listened to this story many times now, and still puck up differ things each time.
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- EWARD
- 23-07-24
What an interesting story!
It took me a few chapters to get into this but when I did wow I was hooked. Read as part of a book club book so not something I’d normally ever choose but the life of the bees really did keep me interested and I felt fully vested in the evolution of the story and the life of the bees!
I have also learnt a lot about bees and as an avid gardener the literary references to the varieties of flowers was fabulous for me! All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had no idea humanising bees and the colony could be so interesting and thought provoking too! I am going to listen to her other books for sure!
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- Dominic
- 03-08-24
I sat on this book for far too long!
I found this book and knew Id found something interesting but didn’t find time to read the physical copy I had and never finished it until now!
A very clever, interesting and fresh read I found this to be.
This book feels like if Alien, the hands tale combined this would be a close result. It’s characters to me were surprisingly deep, it’s world was large and the way writer brings in wasps and spiders I couldn’t help but want to know more!
If you think I want to read this but unsure definitely get the book you’ll be happy you did for sure.
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