Mad Honey A Novel

I had no idea what this book was about when I bought it but I love Jodi Piccoult and ordered it. Not what I expected in a good way. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this book.

If this book doesn’t inform and make you more compassionate through a novel, I don’t think any one can. Once again Jodi Piccoult captured the very essence of the human struggle, and the book is seamless even though written by 2 authors. JF Boylan is also exceptional in all of her parts of this book. Love is love and everyone needs and deserves it is such a poignant theme that everyone should read this book. I highly recommend it to everyone!

Mad Honey is a bit of a challenge to write about, mostly because I don’t want to ruin any of this excellent read for others out there. At its foundation, it’s the love story of two high school seniors: Asher — captain of the hockey team, the popular kid in school — and Lily — newly transferred in to their high school in New Hampshire from California. The story alternates chapters between those told from Lily’s point of view, and those told from the point of view of Asher’s mother, Olivia. And, in an interesting twist, Lily’s chapters are told in reverse chronological order.That reverse chronology choice allows us to see a unique perspective of the moments that built Asher’s and Lily’s relationship. When we meet them, they are deeply in love. And working backwards from there, we get to see the building blocks laid down for that relationship. We also get to see when key pieces of information were disclosed and how that changed things for both of them.The novel is not purely about the two lovebirds, although they are clearly at the center. Olivia, as the narrator of half of the chapters, is in many ways more of the focus than Asher, and the reader gets to see how she relates to her son as well as how she copes with the challenges of her abusive relationship with her ex-husband (and Asher’s father), Braden. Her brother plays a prominent role in the story as well, and I think that the authors did a really fine job of capturing sibling love (and tension), as well as the guilt her brother feels for not recognizing the abuse in Olivia’s marriage.Against that setting, there is tragedy that happens relatively early in the novel, and a murder trial that dominates a good portion of the book. Those who read Defending Jacob by William Landay (an excellent read, by the way, if you have never sought it out) will likely pick up on some parallels and common themes. But, where that was a more straightforward legal thriller, this is a wholly unique novel that carries the story to significantly greater depths, with a surprising twist about halfway through that plays a brilliant role in the novel executing its purpose.I had never read anything by Jennifer Finney Boylan, and the only book I had previously read from Jodi Picoult was My Sister’s Keeper, and that was over a decade ago. Despite a lot of press and buzz, thought My Sister’s Keeper was…fine, but mostly unremarkable. Mad Honey is significantly better. As the authors share in the acknowledgments, Picoult actually wrote all of the Olivia chapters, and Finney Boylan wrote all of those from Lily’s point of view. Except, just to keep things interesting and to make sure it felt consistent throughout, they each wrote one of the opposite chapters. I had no idea that was the case while reading, and I think even if I re-read the novel with that knowledge, I’d have a very hard time picking which chapters were written by the “other” author. That’s a long way of saying that despite having two authors, the novel feels seamless and as if it was written by one person.If you read Mad Honey purely for plot, it’s a compelling mystery / legal thriller. But because of the subject matter and the layers built into that solid plot, it’s quite a bit more. That depth elevates it from something good to something more powerful and important than it perhaps would have been otherwise. This will keep you entertained, and you’ll learn something along the way as well. Highly recommended.

My apologies for this review being as lengthy as it is, but I just couldn’t find anyway to shorten it. 🙃I was immediately captivated by the storyline and the characters as the plot began to unfurl from page 1, and onward. Having said that, I’m not surprised, considering that Picoult was a contributing writer for this book. No disrespect meant toward Boylan, I’m just simply not familiar with her writing.There is a huge amount of intensity, both good and bad, as well as contentment and certainty regarding the mother/son relationship, the other mothers, and Lily (one of the key characters) as well as the strong bad-ass females that are representing for our gender. (Hoo-gah!!)There is an undeniability, together with an apprehensiveness, as to what is eventually expected to unfold as told on the “jacket cover” description provided by the publisher/writer.This begins to build as the reader is submersed further into the narrative, and as the story moves around from the POV’s provided by two main characters of the story. You’ve previously been forewarned, and conscious of what is yet to come.Even if you care to have it delayed a bit longer, it’s one of those novels you irrefutably can not put down. It’s like watching a passenger train on the tracks, knowing it’s about to derail, and it’s evident there’s nothing you can do to stop it, yet you can’t turn away from the horror that’s about to unfold before your eyes.There is one major key genre that is curiously left out of any of the previews, but to have it included, would destroy what is to develop at a later stage. It would’ve been a HUGE spoiler. For that reason, it makes it even more difficult in writing this review. I honor the writers, and will not mention it here either.All I can say is to continue reading through, until the end to see why my mind was so completely blown!The ending alone regarding the responsibility of Lily’s death, is another mind stunner.I also want to mention, that while reading, I was very curious and hoped to be enlightened as to who wrote which sections of the book. Thank goodness I always read what the authors write in the the “Dear readers:” section, as will as anything else that follows.I unequivocally feel the need to include something Jennifer Finney Boylan states in her ending message/notes:”All of us have something in our hearts like a flower that cannot bloom because it is held in secret. The adventure of life can be to get that thing out of the darkness where it lies and let the sun shine on it. So it can go back inside your heart facing the right direction.” WOW!Doesn’t it appear we all have that abysmal, cavernous secret buried so far down, it’ll never see the light of day again, if it were up to us? Imagine considering her outlook toward it instead? Just something to ponder at a later date, possibly…And I also feel the need to share something that Picoult wrote in her ending message/notes:”What would I like you to take away from this novel? Absolutely nothing. I’d like you to give—a chance, a thought, a damn. Like gender, difference is a construct. We are all flawed, complicated, wounded dreamers; we have more in common with one another than we don’t. Sometimes making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it. —Jodi Picoult” Another WOW moment!I rarely give out 5 star ratings and have a system of 3 key qualifiers, one of which is:”Those that profoundly affected my whole being while reading, and left an intense deeply-rooted impression as well.”This one is a 5 star rating for sure, and I significantly advocate, encourage, and recommend this as a Must Read Novel.

I have read Picoult books for many years. They usually are above the norm in book lists.This book us one of the best. The subject does not disappoint, and the writing is excellent. Don’t know author Boylan, but total book was very readable, and intelligent. Picoult writes her books about subjects in the news of our U.S. culture and they just jump out of the page for the reader.We learn about bees and beekeeping, mother love, real story about law and trial, teens trying to find their gender, in walkways, not headline reports. We see all sides if problems, and work through the characters as they try to figure out answers. A girl dies, is her boyfriend her killer?What would make anyone kill a likeable young girl? Motive? As far as bee info, it was very interesting, never boring. This is a WOW of a story that can’t be put down till the end!!!Recommend this book to anyone over age 16.Will miss these characters for some time. You feel as if you are with them in the story. Great writing, wonderful explanation of sex problems, but never steamy. Intelligent. Not over your head.Loved this book. Once in awhile you are lucky enough to read something like this.