I don’t know why I do this. Well, I do, and I know I’m wrong, which makes things that little bit worse. (I don’t like being wrong.)
When I get a book I know I’ll like, I put off reading it. I tell myself: ‘Nik, you want to read this when you’ve chance to enjoy it. When there are no distractions.’
There are always distractions. And when I finally decide that enough’s enough, and that I should just get on with reading the book I always love it and wish I’d have just got on with it earlier.
I did it with Caroline Smailes’ ‘In Search of Adam‘ (I talk about it here) and, more recently, her latest, the wonderful ‘Like Bees To Honey’.
So. ‘Like Bees To Honey’ is the story of Nina. A young woman ostracised from her family in Malta because she fell pregnant by a non-Maltese man. The story charts her return to her home island to see her parents again, one last time. But the Malta she finds is somewhat different to the place where she grew up.
Mainly because there are ghosts there.
And Jesus (who’s actually more like Johnny Depp than one might have imagined).
I can honestly say that this is one of the most affecting books I’ve read. It’s beautifully written, deeply moving and very funny in places. It’s the perfect story of understanding, of family, of home, of grief and of healing. And it will probably break your heart.
I’ve said many times on here that I’m rubbish at reviewing books so all I’ll say is that Like Bees To Honey is a wonderful, wonderful book which I wouldn’t hesitate to both recommend and give it a great big five star rating.
You know what to do. Just, you know, do it quicker than me.