The Secret Life of Bees

Our next book is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Some questions to ponder:

1. Were you surprised to learn that T.Ray used to be different? What happened?

2.  What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to survive, endure, and eventually thrive despite T.Ray?

3.  Who is the queen bee in this story?

4.  Lily's relationship to her dead mother was complex: from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. Is she right in saying that people would rather die than forgive? Was it harder to forgive herself or her mother?

5.  Have you had a mother figure in your life who wasn't your true mother? Have you ever had to leave home to find home?

6.  What did you like best about Rosaleen?

7.  What is the role of the Divine Mother in the book? Do you see this evident in reality?

8.  How was Lily transformed by the circle of females - Calendar sisters and Daughters of Mary? What did you think of them?

9.  Do we need rituals, like wailing walls, to help us deal with grief and suffering?

10. How would you describe Lily and Zach's relationship?

11. How would you like the story to play out for Lily, T.Ray, Rosaleen, Zach?