It really is a great book with a good plot, memerorable characters, and a touching story about the strong bonds that form between women. It was well written and quite the page turner.
These are some of the parts of the book that stuck out to me-
"I unscrewed the lid and set it aside. 'You can go,' I said. But the bees remained there, like planes on a runway not knowing they'd been cleared for takeoff. They crawled on their stalk legs around the curved perimeters of the glass as if the world had shrunk to the jar. I tapped the glass, even laid the jar on its side, but those crazy bees stayed put." Page 28
"Some people have a sixth sense, and some are duds at it. I believe I must have it, because the moment I stepped into the house I felt a trembling along my skin, a traveling current that moved up my spine, down my arms, pulsing out from my fingertips. I was practically radiating. The body knows things a long time before the mind catches up to them. I was wondering what my body knew that I didn't." Page 69
"She reminded me that the world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places: Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee's temper. Act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved." Page 92
"She laughed again. 'You know, some things don't matter that much, Lily. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart- now that matters. The whole problem with people is-' 'They don't know what matters and what doesn't.' I said filling in her sentence and feeling proud of myself for doing so. 'I was gonna say, The problem is they know what matters, but they don't choose it. You know how hard that is, Lily? I love May, but it was still so hard to choose Caribbean Pink. The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters." Page 147
"August took Rosaleen's hand and pulled her over, then went on holding it, the way she used to hold May's sometimes, and it struck me that she loved Rosaleen. That she would change Rosaleen's name to July and bring her into their sisterhood." Page 203
" 'Every person on the face of the earth makes mistakes, Lily. Every last one. We're all so human. Your mother made a terrible mistake, but she tried to fix it.' 'Good night', I said, and rolled onto my side. 'There is nothing perfect,' August said from the doorway. 'There is only life.' " Page 256
" 'This Mary I am talking about sits in your heart all day long, saying, 'Lily, you are my everlasting home. Don't you ever be afraid. I am enough. We are enough.' " Page 289
"This is the moment I remember clearest of all- how I stood in the driveway looking back at them. I remember the sight of them standing there waiting. All these women, all this love, waiting." Page 299
3 comments:
It was such a good book. You picked some of my favorite parts. We are going to have to read The Mermaid Chair and see if it is as good.
'Every person on the face of the earth makes mistakes, Lily. Every last one. We're all so human.
'There is nothing perfect, There is only life.'
This was, to me, the most amazing and beautiful story of the stregnth and love that all women posses, whether they know it or not.
Glad that you finally read the book.
I read it on a plane (well, finished it on a plane) the summer before Matt and I got married. I remember I was on my way to visit Matt and when he picked me up at the airport I was still teary from finishing the book. That's pretty much all I remember from it--that it made me cry. I should read it again.
Not to disappoint you, but Mermaid Chair is NOWHERE near as good. I was very sad about that. It pretty much rips off the same ideas she had in the first book, (stuff about her mom, guilt, etc.) but isn't done as well. I will be interested to see if you like it, though.
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