Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
About the Book
A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep
from our past and what we choose to leave behind, from the New York Times bestselling author of WISH YOU WERE HERE and the
bestselling author of SHE'S NOT THERE.
Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect
life --- living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon,
raising their beautiful son, Asher --- was upended when her husband revealed a
darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New
Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her
father's beekeeping business.
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom
relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both
hope it will be a fresh start.
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia
and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school,
and Lily can't help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the
first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him completely.
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is
being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But
she would be lying if she didn't acknowledge the flashes of his father's temper
in Ash, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he has hidden more than
he?s shared with her.
MAD HONEY is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story,
and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we
take in order to become ourselves.
Author Bio
Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels, including BY ANY OTHER NAME, MAD HONEY (co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan), WISH YOU WERE HERE, THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, A SPARK OF LIGHT, SMALL GREAT THINGS, LEAVING TIME and MY SISTER'S KEEPER, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, BETWEEN THE LINES and OFF THE PAGE. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband.
Questions about Mad Honey to Contemplate and Discuss
1. What surprised you about MAD
HONEY? Did you have any emotional reactions? Discuss.
2. Both Olivia
and Lily share a love for fun facts, especially about bees. What is the
significance of having these bee facts
in the book? Is there one that particularly stood out to you?
3. Olivia's
chapters move forward in time while Lily's move backward. How did this affect
the story's narrative and the way information was revealed? Why do you think
the authors specifically chose to focus the points of view on Olivia and Lily?
4. In many
ways, Asher and Lily are two sides of the same coin. How does Asher's
relationship with Braden (or lack thereof) mirror Lily's relationship with her
own father, and how does this contrast with the relationships they have with
their mothers?
5. Do you
believe someone who hits and abuses their partner can ever change? And if you
were in Olivia's shoes, would you be worried about the potential cycle of abuse
that could pass from parent to child? If so, what steps may you have tried to
take to prevent this?
6. Did you
agree or disagree with Olivia's decision to keep Braden's abuse a secret from
Asher? Knowing what we know about the
things Olivia and Asher hid from each other, does this ultimately do more to
help or hurt Asher?
7. Do you
believe that love between a parent and child can be unconditional? Are some
actions, taken by either the parent
or child, beyond redemption and deemed unforgiveable? Discuss.
8. Was the
volatility of Lily's relationship with Asher a red flag (a sign that a person
will turn out to be --- or is --- a bad or problematic partner), or something
that could be chalked up to a teenage relationship?
9. At one point, Jordan snaps at Asher and says, "The truth has no place in a court of law, goddammit (sic). And since the prosecution's
already painted you as an abuser and a liar, how good do you actually think
your word is?? In what ways do the
procedures of this trial --- and the larger justice system--- affect Asher and the other witnesses?
10. The court
of public opinion impacts all the characters involved in the case, something
we've seen continuously play out in contemporary society, especially with the
popularity of social media and instant access to the news cycle. Do you think
it's fair for casual observers to take sides and make assumptions about events
they see and hear, and why do you think we, as a society, are so drawn to doing
this?
11. What did
you think when you learned that Lily was trans? And which societal factors in
your life may have affected how you felt about this?
12. During
Elizabeth's conversation with Olivia, she says, ?You know what they say: if
you've met one trans person, you've. met one trans person.
What's true for Lily might
not be true for someone
else.? Which other
movies, shows and/or books offer genuine
depictions of the trans characters and stories featured?
13. How did you think
Lily died before
it was revealed in the end? Did you make certain assumptions about other
characters, and who was your prime suspect?
14. One of
Olivia's beehives is attacked by a bear, and she springs into action to save
the bees, even as she knows it?s a lost cause. What does this symbolize within
the larger story?
15. What do you think about the prosecutor's decision
not to charge Maya? Do you think Mike is correct in assuming
that Ava prefers this as well? Why or why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment