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The Bees
- Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
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The Bees
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Summary
The Handmaid's Tale meets The Hunger Games in this brilliantly imagined debut.
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)
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What listeners say about The Bees
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Giftgiver
- 15-07-15
Unusual and beguiling
What made the experience of listening to The Bees the most enjoyable?
The whole concept of the story taking place within a hive hooked me from the beginning. It was very well narrated, although I found the mispronounced (to an English ear) names of some of the flowers a little jarring.
What did you like best about this story?
Its unusual subject matter. I had an interest in bees before listening to this book, and it has increased! I can see the similarities mentioned between this and "Watership Down" and "The Handmaid's Tale", and would add "Perfume" by Patrick Susskind as another echo that I heard.
What about Orlagh Cassidy’s performance did you like?
A warm, feminine tone; ideal for the matriarchal society she was reading about.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Neither.
Any additional comments?
Whilst there were some weaker moments (it was never clear how in such a rigidly hierarchical society Flora was able to change roles so successfully), this was a wonderful work. I fear that the author may struggle to follow it up, but hope that she does.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- PT
- 31-07-15
It was a great story of the bees and I have loved bees since I was two.
Bees are the most interesting thing ever.me and family have lavender for bees to land on .they love it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- emma bradford
- 01-11-17
Refreshingly different concept
I loved this story. If it is accurate, and I don't see why the relationships it describes wouldn't be based on known facts, then it is a charming explanation of how a colony works. Besides the story thread, I enjoyed learning about how bees work.
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