Little Bee: A Novel

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It's a hit!

Little Bee is a novel about two women, one from England and one from Nigeria (named Little Bee), whose lives intersect in a chance encounter with r... (show more)

Little Bee is a novel about two women, one from England and one from Nigeria (named Little Bee), whose lives intersect in a chance encounter with repercussions that change the lives of both women forever. Told from alternating first-person perspectives, the story unfolds slowly, allowing the reader to discover the details along with the women. This masterful construct pulls the reader along the same emotional journey as the characters and powerfully depicts how a split-second decision can have enduring and unexpected effects.

One of those effects is Little Bee’s forced assimilation into British culture. Her unique voice, which grows into the dominating force of this novel, humanizes the plight faced by many immigrants:

“I am only alive at all because I learned the Queen’s English. Maybe you are thinking, that isn’t so hard. After all, English is the official language of my country, Nigeria. Yes, but the trouble is that back home we speak it so much better than you. To talk the Queen’s English, I had to forget all the best tricks of my mother tongue. … Learning the Queen’s English is like scrubbing off the bright red varnish from your toenails, the morning after a dance. It takes a long time and there is always a little bit left at the end, a stain of red along the growing edges to remind you of the good time you had.”

Although there is a political message here, it never overshadows the personal stories of these finely drawn characters. Cleave’s beautiful prose, infused with subtle humour, lightens this book’s dark and haunting story, creating a perfect balance between beauty and horror, laughter and tragedy. Little Bee might be a perfect novel, and it’s certainly the best book I’ve read this year. (show less)

 

 

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No, it's a flop!

I liked this book. I found the character Little Bee to be quite engaging. She has a really unique view of life which I suppose makes sense given th... (show more)

I liked this book. I found the character Little Bee to be quite engaging. She has a really unique view of life which I suppose makes sense given that she is a refugee from Africa. Little Bee is wise beyond her years and quite funny actually. The other characters in the book I didn't like so much to varying degrees but I'm probably being too judgmental. I mean who knows how you would react in any given situation until you are actually have to face it. It makes me wonder if I would be destroyed like Andrew if some situation made me have to face who I REALLY am vs. who I THINK I am. It's easy to judge but we really have it so easy here in the US... I wonder. I did have a problem with the open-ended nature of the conclusion of the book. Especially since I was in knots almost the whole book hoping that everything was going to work out. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook-användare

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  I went into this book thinking it would be a tour-de-force due to all the high recommendations. But I finished the book underwhelmed and disappointed.

  Chris Cleave wrote this after interviewing African refugees in a refugee detention center, and his research paid off. Little Bee's journey is compelling, and her story is lurid, but Cleve's inconsistent storytelling takes away from the horror of it all. He put so much into the suspense leading up to the beach incident but when he actually ... (show more)

  I went into this book thinking it would be a tour-de-force due to all the high recommendations. But I finished the book underwhelmed and disappointed.

  Chris Cleave wrote this after interviewing African refugees in a refugee detention center, and his research paid off. Little Bee's journey is compelling, and her story is lurid, but Cleve's inconsistent storytelling takes away from the horror of it all. He put so much into the suspense leading up to the beach incident but when he actually got to it, it was like he either ran out of steam or didn't want to horrify us too much with the details.

  And Sarah. Whereas Little Bee was compelling, Sarah was self-absorbed and ridiculous. I assume the contrast in their personalities was intentional. But how are we supposed to believe that someone who shacks up with her lover mere days after her husband's death would sacrifice anything, much less put herself through so much pain for a girl she'd never met and would never see again.

  And much of the plot was filled with twists that were too "easy." Bringing in Lawrence as an antagonist (didn't we have enough of those already?), the fateful trip to London, even the completely implausable plane scene. All difficult to believe. The ending almost seemed like an afterthought--almost like a test audience didn't like the original end, so he slapped together a happier, more palatable ending.

  Overall, I thought it was an okay read. But the best book of the year? Not so much. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Jul 31, 2009 at 11:02PM

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  I loved this book. I agree with Adrienne about liking closure at the end of a book but I felt like the open ended style worked within this story.

  I really found both of the main characters likeable and completely relatable even though I can say I've never been any where near being in either ones position. The story flowed really well and the changing POVs was done so smoothly that it really helped add to a story rather than making it jumbled as can happy with some books where this tactic i... (show more)

  I loved this book. I agree with Adrienne about liking closure at the end of a book but I felt like the open ended style worked within this story.

  I really found both of the main characters likeable and completely relatable even though I can say I've never been any where near being in either ones position. The story flowed really well and the changing POVs was done so smoothly that it really helped add to a story rather than making it jumbled as can happy with some books where this tactic is used.

  The thing I most enjoyed about this book was the style. The prose was absolutely amazing and it really drew you into the novel as a whole. It was just incredibly well written. The characters each had their own voice and there was a good relay of the facts while also containing parts that were nothing short of poetry.

  This book really made me think and it made me realize yet again how lucky and blessed we all are. I would totally recommend this book! (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Mar 18, 2009 at 07:40PM

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