Thursday, June 03, 2010

Like Bees to Honey

A week or so ago, I had the pleasure of going to Caroline Smailes' launch of her third book, Like Bees to Honey. Although I hadn't read her previous novels, I'd heard such good things about her writing that I had to buy this book.

Here's the synopsis from Amazon:

Nina, her son Christopher in tow, flies to Malta for one last visit with her aging parents.

Her previous attempt to see them ended in tears. Disowned for falling pregnant while at university in England, she was not allowed into the house. This will be her final chance to make her peace with them. But Malta holds more secrets and surprises than Nina could possibly imagine. What she finds is not the land of her youth, a place full of memories and happiness. Instead she meets dead people. Lots of them.

Malta, it transpires, is a transit lounge for recently deceased spirits and somehow Christopher enables her to see them, speak with them and help them. And, in return, they help Nina come to terms with her own loss. One so great that she has yet to admit it to herself. Like Bees to Honey is a story of family, redemption and ghosts. It is a magical tale that will live with you long after you finish reading.

I read books usually before I go to sleep, so this struck alarm bells. I didn't want anything too ominous or depressing, something that would keep me up all night staring into dark corners and imagining shapes. But Caroline's spirits are nothing like the ghouls in fairytales: these are spirits who are just as real as humans, with their own anguish over not being able to touch the ground or missing out on reality TV (Jesus, in particular, seems to harbour an obsession with telly!).

This is such a beautiful book - unique and unlike any I've ever read. A former linguist, Caroline plays with language and sound to fully immerse you in the world of the main character, a woman who goes to Malta to seek respite from her grief. You breathe the dust of the island and feel the cracks of the pavement almost as if you were there. It's vivid, lyrical writing that wraps around you much like the spiritual inhabitants of the islands themselves.

You can order Caroline's book through Amazon UK or from The Book Depository, with free worldwide delivery.

Coming up tomorrow: an interview with an author who's just signed her FIRST CONTRACT! Yippee!

(I will try my best to get around to everyone's blog tonight but I seem to have acquired a pounding headache over the course of the day thanks to some lovely drilling by my neighbours, so please excuse me if I don't make it over!)

43 comments:

  1. what a great review!! looks very exciting :D

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  2. I added it when I saw your Goodreads review. Can't wait to read it, then here you go and give me the link to order! Oh dear! Should I or shouldn't I? What's the Book Depository? Well, maybe I'll go there and find out :) Hope you get over your headache soon. Ugh those are no fun!

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  3. Sounds like my kind of book.. thanks for the review...
    hope u and ur headache are lying down in a shaded room by now!
    Mind urself. b

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  4. Thanks, guys!

    It is a fantastic book.

    Karen - Do it! Order! :) The Book Depository is basically a place where you can order UK books with free delivery!

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  5. Sounds really good, I'll have to add it to my reading list.

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  6. Thanks for the review! Hope you're feeling better soon. Seems to be a lot of that going around!

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  7. Should I shouldn't I, order it, add it to my wishlist, oh dear what a quandry. You have tempted me Talli!

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  8. I like the sounds of this book! Thanks for sharing.

    Take care of yourself - headaches are the worst.

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  9. Talli,
    Hope you feel better. Get some rest. Look forward to the author interview.

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  10. Talli your book looks awesome on your sidebar :)

    As for the review I appreciate it, sounds like an awesome read. Looks like another book to be ordering this weekend (the hubs is going to kill me!)

    Yay for an interview!! I get to interview someone lovely as well!! NEXT WEEK! Stay tuned :)

    Hope your headache disappears!

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  11. Great review - and YAY for interviews!

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  12. Interesting that she is a former linguist, and now she is using words this way. I'll bet her writing is lyrical!

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  13. Oooh thank you for not posting a spoiler. I am planning on reading this next week (yay). I'm looking forward to tomorrow's interview. Hope your headache gets better soon. x

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  14. Another book to add to the growing reading list. Thanks!

    Can't wait to see that interview!

    Hope you headache goes away soon!

    ~JD

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  15. I love the premise....but yikes. I'm going to have to quit reading blogs because if my TBR list keeps growing like this, I'm going to be broke and permanently attached to my couch, book in hand.

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  16. Eek - a Maltese friend of mine just had a bereavement so this sent shivers up my spine!

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  17. Great review! If I read scary stuff (or watch it on TV) before bed, I never sleep as well, either!

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  18. Sounds very interesting. I'll definitely have to give it a read sometime!

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  19. It was already top priority on my wish list, but your review makes me me even more eager to buy it. Thanks.

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  20. Sounds like an interesting book... Malta, huh? I am also eager to check out your interview tomorrow.

    CD

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  21. Sounds like a fabulous book. Thanks for the recommendation!

    Hope your headache eases quickly!

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  22. Thanks everyone! My headache is gone - yay! I really think it was a drilling.

    At the risk of sounding sappy, Caroline's book really is special (and I mean that in a good way!).

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  23. Ooh, this sounds like something I'd love to read!

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  24. Certainly sounds like a unique and interesting book. Thanks for mentioning it today.

    Sorry about the headache! I'm looking forward to tomorrow's post.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

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  25. Ooh 'Like Bees to Honey' sounds intriguing, I am going to add it to my reading list too!!! xx

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  26. As your regular obsessed with death Buddhist this book idea intrigues me! Good review and I'll be looking for it.

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  27. Interesting book Talli. I'll add it to my reading list.

    Hope you feeling better soon. Headaches are awful. Hugs.

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  28. Talli,
    I like the title & now I want to read the book as I really enjoy checking out new authors who dare to be unique & are linguists on top of that. So it does sound compelling.

    Too bad about your neighbors making so much noise. Get your rest & you'll feel better! :)

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  29. Oh no! I hope your headache is better now! It's all that staring out of the window and watching people rummage through dustbins that's done it!

    Oh but seriously!!! It may be hayfever - pollen is so up now that the sun is out!! Yay, the sun is out!!

    ANYWAY!!! I love the title of the book "Like Bees to Honey" - it sounds as if it's well in magic realism land and as I'm a sucker for those, this is so on my list!!! Thank you!!

    And ooooh, excitement for tomorrow's interview!!! Can't wait.

    Take care
    x

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  30. This book sounds very interesting. Have added it to my must read list. Hope your headache has eased up a bit. Have a restful night.

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  31. Love the book synopsis;I will definitely have to check it out. And I hope you get to feeling better!!

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  32. It sounds like such a poignant and moving book. Thanks for the review.

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  33. Sounds like a great book for people who love language and all it can accomplish!

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  34. This book sounds great (and very different) - thanks for the review!
    And I hope your headache's gotten better. :(

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  35. I hope you wake up fresh and headache free this morning!

    I'm looking forward to this book which has been sent to my parents' in the UK. Can't wait.

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  36. The book sounds smashing!

    I hope you are feeling better and have a lovely weekend. :)

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  37. Great review, sounds like a good read. Hope your headache is better. Take care.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  38. Sounds like a great book, ghosties and all. Thanks for sharing!

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  39. That sounds fantastic! I'll have to check it out :)

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  40. I've never seen this one. I'll have to add this to my list.

    I hope your headache went away. :)

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  41. Thank you so much for this wonderful review AND for reading my novel. It means so much to me x

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