Book Snails Book Group discussion

Our February winner is the debut novel, The Death of Bees, by Lisa O'Donnell. It was a clear winner receiving 7 of the 12 votes (58.3%), we'll be reading "The Death of Bees" for the month of February. Here's the book synopsis from Goodreads:

Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister Nelly are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren’t telling. While life in Glasgow’s Hazlehurst housing estate isn’t grand, they do have each other. Besides, it’s only one year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.

As the new year comes and goes, Lennie, the old man next door, realizes that his young neighbors are alone and need his help. Or does he need theirs? But he’s not the only one who suspects something isn’t right. Soon, the sisters’ friends, their other neighbors, the authorities, and even Gene’s nosy drug dealer begin to ask questions. As one lie leads to another, dark secrets about the girls’ family surface, creating complications that threaten to tear them apart.

If you decide to join us for this read, please post your discussion comments in this thread. Enjoy!

Great characters in this story. And that blurb Keli mentioned is awesome:

Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved.

And the setting is Glasgow, Scotland :)

PS Don't get THE DEATH OF BEES by Lisa O'Donnell confused with a similar title and amusing cover:

(view spoiler)[


The Bees of Death
(hide spoiler)]

StarMan wrote: "PS Don't get THE DEATH OF BEES by Lisa O'Donnell confused with a similar title and amusing cover:




The Bees of Death
"

Lol. It looks to be a very different book.

As the death of bees isn’t available in my library, I might try this one! 😄

Hope y'all are enjoying this one. I found it to be different and well-written -- andI gave it a high rating. And I think this is the author's first published novel.

Very short, no-spoiler review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

So I got the novel last Saturday but have failed to crack the spine. My copy is 295 pages so I'm writing out my plan to finish by the first. If anyone has a copy and wants to read along with me here's what I'll be doing:
24/02 - prologue to page 50
25/02 - 51 - 102
26/02 - 103 - 150
27/02 - 151 - 195 (start of summer section)
28/02 - 199 - 238 (start of autumn section)
29/02 - 241 - 266 (start of winter section)
01/03 - 269 - 295

I LOVED this book. A re-read for me and this 2nd time around i finished in 1 day. I am from Glasgow so very close to home for me. I LOVE Lennie.

F wrote: "I LOVED this book. A re-read for me and this 2nd time around i finished in 1 day. I am from Glasgow so very close to home for me. I LOVE Lennie."

Lennie was my favorite character.

Ooops, actually I meant NELLY! I'd already forgotten who was who. But both Nelly & Lenny were fun to read about ;)

So I made that reading plan but ended up reading it in two days. I thought it was really well written, with great characters. I also loved the way it was written. It made the story move quickly and kept it fresh. But what I loved most is that it's a ya yet it didn't have all that whiny inner-monologue crap that most seem to have.
I loved Nelly. I thought she was a hoot.
Do you think she is autistic? Or just emulating the one woman who was fairly positive in her life?
Also, (view spoiler)[wasn't Gene and Susie a surprise? I didn't see that coming. (hide spoiler)]
I'll definitely read her next novel.

StarMan wrote: "F wrote: "I LOVED this book. A re-read for me and this 2nd time around i finished in 1 day. I am from Glasgow so very close to home for me. I LOVE Lennie."

Lennie was my favorite character."

He is the best

F wrote: "StarMan wrote: "F wrote: "I LOVED this book. A re-read for me and this 2nd time around i finished in 1 day. I am from Glasgow so very close to home for me. I LOVE Lennie."

Lennie was my favorite c..."

Ooops, actually I meant NELLY (the younger sister) and her way of speaking. But Lennie was great too, and in fact Marnie and all the characters were very interesting.

Keli already asked a couple of good discussion questions. So here they are, and a few more. Feel free to answer one or more, or ask other questions.


1. Do you think Nelly (the younger sister) is autistic (or perhaps on the Asperger's spectrum)? Or is she just emulating the one woman who was fairly positive in her life?

2. Were Gene & Susie a surprise? Or did something else in the story surprise you?

3. Did the beginning of the book capture your attention?

4. What did you think of how it all ended?

5. Favorite & least favorite character?

6. Is this a typical YA story? Do you think it's a book both Young Adults & Adults can enjoy?

7. Did you have a favorite scene, or did anything make you laugh out loud (or cringe)?

4. What did you think of how it all ended?
I thought the ending was a bit saccharine, though that may not be the right word. It was too happily ever after, that they would meet up with the good guy gone bad, and not be alone in a rather uncaring world. I mean I'm happy that it didn't completely end up terrible for them, but that was too convenient.
7. Did you have a favorite scene, or did anything make you laugh out loud (or cringe)?
I thought there were quite a few good scenes, some very funny ones, particularly when Marnie is talking about her friends but I loved the scene when the dog trots of carrying an arm. I just pictured a little terrier with his rotting prize.

Keli wrote: "4. What did you think of how it all ended?
I thought the ending was a bit saccharine, though that may not be the right word. It was too happily ever after, that they would meet up with the good guy..."

I was expecting a less saccharine/convenient ending as well. It didn't seem to match the tone of the rest of the book, but at least it was a decent ending for characters who had been through so much. I'd call it a 2.9-star ending in an otherwise 5-star book.

Lots of good scenes for sure, including some laugh-out-loud moments.