Review: This review has given me a lot of difficulty. It is hard to really discuss the book without giving away too much plot, but I am going to attempt to do so.
Little Bee is the story of two women whose paths cross on a beach in Nigeria and neither one is ever the same. The novel alternates between voices, that of Little Bee, a young woman from Nigeria and that of Sarah O’Rourke, a married woman who lives in England with her husband and four year old son. The connection between the two women is not apparent at first, but as the novel progresses you begin to see how their lives are intertwined with one another and the profound effect they have on each other. This is a story about friendship, love, compassion, loss and the things we do when confronted with our fears.
Of the two women, I felt a deeper connection with Little Bee’s character and preferred her chapters to Sarah’s. Her voice was more convincing and I loved her fresh, sometimes humorous, perspective, even in the darkest of moments. There was something lyrical to her voice. She is one of those characters you won’t forget when you put the book down.
As far as this mysterious secret that is so hyped up in the book, I have to say it was pretty predictable. It didn’t exactly take me by surprise, but that didn’t lessen my experience with the book. I would recommend this book, especially for a book club looking for their next book. It is one that will definitely generate discussion.
State of Denmark 