Of Bees and Mist
Erick Setiawan
416 pages
August 2009
Published by Simon & Schuster
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FTC disclosure: I bought this book. In hardback. That’s a habit I need to break…maybe you know of a good 12-step group?
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Synopsis shamelessly cribbed from the B&N site:
Reminiscent of Keith Donohue’s The Stolen Child (note from softdrink: I’ve never heard of this book, or the author…have you?), Erick Setiawan’s richly atmospheric debut is a beautiful, engrossing fable of three generations of women in two families; their destructive jealousies, their loves and losses, their sacrifices and deeply rooted deceptions, and their triumphs.
Of Bees and Mist is the tale of Meridia — raised in a sepulchral house where ghosts dwell in mirrors, she spends her childhood feeling neglected and invisible. Every evening her father vanishes inside a blue mist without so much as an explanation, and her mother spends her days venomously beheading cauliflowers in the kitchen. At sixteen, desperate to escape, Meridia marries a tenderhearted young man and moves into his seemingly warm and charming family home. Little does she suspect that his parents are harboring secrets of their own. There is a grave hidden in the garden. There are two sisters groomed from birth to despise each other. And there is Eva, the formidable matriarch whose grievances swarm the air like an army of bees. In this haunting story, Setiawan takes Meridia on a tumultuous ride of hope and heartbreak as she struggles to keep her young family together and discovers long-kept secrets about her own past as well as the shocking truths about her husband’s family.
Readers of magic-realist fiction will instantly be captivated by this richly evocative fairy tale. Of Bees and Mist takes place in a nameless town during a timeless era, where spirits and spells, witchcraft and demons, ghosts and clairvoyance — both real and imagined — are an everyday reality. Setiawan skillfully blends the real and the fantastical as he follows our heroine over a 30-year time span in which her love, courage, and sanity are tested to the limit.
While I didn’t not like this book, it wasn’t as enthralling as I had hoped it would be. I like a good magical realism story every once in awhile (Sarah Addison Allen being a favorite), although at times it can annoy me. But while I was good with the magical realism in this one, it was just slow to get off the ground. And then the years kind of drug on. Final synopsis: moderately entertaining, but certainly not memorable.
At least you made it all the way through.
I wanted to like this one but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it in the end. I do love the title though and I liked the writing.
Literary Feline´s last [type] ..2010- A Year in Review
Hmm that’s sort of disappointing! I have this on my TBR. I am a little weird about magical realism though.
I have gone back and forth about whether or not to pick this one up. I am kind of glad I never did!
Stephanie´s last [type] ..The Sunday Salon- 1-2-2011
I have this one on the to read shelves… perhaps it can move back a few spaces….
Trisha´s last [type] ..Christmas- Mexico- and Books Oh My!
oh what a pity. I have this one and had hoped it would be good.
vivienne´s last [type] ..A Belated Happy New Year!
I liked this book, but do agree that it was slow at times. I think the most interesting sections to me were the bits between the feuding women. I found the first hundred or so pages to be a little more of a slog.
I was disappointed in this one, because I felt there was the potential for a much better book in there somewhere… But as you say, it wasn’t bad.
Laura @ ImBookingIt´s last [type] ..Looking back on my books of 2010
Yikes! I really want to read this one since I love magical realism as well (I’m with you on Sarah Addison Allen as well – love her!). I plan to download onto the Nook and check it out *one day.*
Coffee and a Book Chick´s last [type] ..Ahhhthe Nook Color
Hmmm, I have this one on my shelf – now I am not so sure! Also, in hardback, btw!
Amused´s last [type] ..Mailbox Monday- Dec 27th- 2010 – Jan 1st 2011
My mom said Autumn Falls was a good magical realism story. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
heidenkind´s last [type] ..The Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart
The reviews of this book seem to be mixed, I won’t be in a hurry to read it since I trust your judgment.
I read and liked this book but could never really tell if what I was reading was real or not…I know that sounds strange but I think I had a sort of love/hate with it…the author is really unique…along with his style…
Patty´s last [type] ..I Love Setting Goals For Other PeopleEspecially My Husband
I bought this one in 2010 but have not read it yet. Why do I do that? I may never read it either sadly? Sorry it was not outstanding for you.
Bibliophile By the Sea´s last [type] ..Mailbox Monday – January 3 – 2011
Oh, I read The Stolen Child. It looked so cool, with the changelings and everything, but I didn’t care for it at all. I’m hoping for better things from Of Bees and Mist.
Jenny´s last [type] ..Wrapping up 2010
Aww too bad.
I really liked it, but magical realism and I don’t know each other too well so I don’t think I was expecting much!
Heather @ Book Addiction´s last [type] ..Dirty Secret by Jessie Sholl
I just have to get Sarah Addison Allen. Did you ever read Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel – I liked it a lot too. It has magic realism and romance.
Veens´s last [type] ..The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
I would second that. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t really really good either. I think I need to read Sarah Addison Allen.
Jenners´s last [type] ..A Eulogy for My Mom
Haven’t heard of this author but this is a book I might consider for future reading. I tend to enjoy magical realism (I’m a huge Sarah Addison Allen fan too!)
Jennifer´s last [type] ..Review- Bload Oath
Keith Donohue’s The Stolen Child — LOVED it on audio. I’m not much for magical realism, but I might give this a try just for the Stolen Child comment.
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