Written by bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, today’s Book Club Spotlight, Mad Honey, was made possible by the power of the internet and a (literal) dream. Known for their thoughtful and provoking works, Picoult, a writer on complex and controversial issues, and Boylan, the President of PEN America, combine their talents into a riveting story of love, identity, and tragedy. As Women’s History Month ends with the celebration of International Transgender Day of Visibility on the 31st, both topics are at the heart of today’s Spotlight.
“Mad Honey”- a sweet comfort turned poison by the pollinators we thought we could trust. In a small New Hampshire town, beekeeper Olivia McAfee has worked hard to keep her teenage son away from the world’s poison, including her abusive ex-husband. But now Asher’s girlfriend, Lily, is dead, and all fingers point towards him. All the while, Lily’s own story falls back through time, from the day she died to her first meeting with Asher. It was true love. Sure, he could get angry, but it was love- wasn’t it? In the present, Olivia must work through the pain of seeing her child accused of murder, not knowing if she can trust the boy she raised, while mourning for the tender girl they lost.
“Everybody is always still trying to learn, day after painful day, how to be themselves. I can’t wait”
– Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Told in dual timelines, Mad Honey shines in one cohesive text, drawn together by the dangerous reality of womanhood. The reader, like Olivia, goes back and forth throughout the novel, unsure of Asher’s innocence, scared that he’s not. But will the truth change the reality of Lily’s fate? A suspenseful novel for mature young adults and adult Book Club Groups, Mad Honey asks how much our identities and the past shape us. And how far would we go to defend a loved one. For fans of Picoult, her recurring character Jacob McAfee from The Pact, Nineteen Minutes, and Salem Falls makes an appearance as the family’s whip-smart lawyer.
If you’re interested in requesting Mad Honey for your book club, you can find the Request Form here. There are 5 copies. (A librarian must request items)
Picoult, Jodi and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Mad Honey. Ballantine Books, 2022.
