Tender and Heartfelt: Read our Review of Honeybee by Craig Silvey

Tender and Heartfelt: Read our Review of Honeybee by Craig Silvey

‘Find out who you are, and live that life.’

Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below.

At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette.

The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. Slowly, we learn what led Sam and Vic to the bridge that night. Bonded by their suffering, each privately commits to the impossible task of saving the other.

Honeybee is a heartbreaking, life-affirming novel that throws us headlong into a world of petty thefts, extortion plots, botched bank robberies, daring dog rescues and one spectacular drag show.

Honeybee is the long-awaited new novel by Jasper Jones author, Craig Silvey. Jasper Jones was a bestseller, won a slew of awards and was turned into a film. It has been 11-years between books, and surely there must be some trepidation following up such a hugely successful novel, but Silvey has delivered – Honeybee is superb, different and shows maturity in his already incredible writing style.

At the heart of Honeybee is Sam: a solitary, resilient young person battling to navigate the world as their true self; ensnared by loyalty to a troubled mother, scarred by the volatility of a domineering stepfather, and confounded by the kindness of new alliances.

It’s clear that Silvey understands the uncertainty and frustration of many young people as they navigate the world, and this is beautifully personified in Sam as she comes to understand her own life. Her journey is written with such honesty and sympathy, which amplifies the emotional rollercoaster this novel takes you on.

Honeybee is one of those books that stays with you long after the final page. It is a coming of age story that highlights the many struggles of not only young people, but people struggling with identity as they come to understand themselves. It’s a mesmerising read with many heartfelt moments that will make laugh and cry.

Honeybee is a tender, profoundly moving novel, brimming with vivid characters and luminous words. It’s about two lives forever changed by a chance encounter — one offering hope, the other redemption. It’s about when to persevere, and when to be merciful, as Sam learns when to let go, and when to hold on.

Craig Silvey is a masterful writer and has blown me away with the tenderness and honesty in this story. A new favourite of mine. I highly recommend it.

Reviews

Honest and Profoundly Moving: Read an Extract from Honeybee by Craig Silvey

Review | Extract

30 September 2020

Honest and Profoundly Moving: Read an Extract from Honeybee by Craig Silvey

    Read About the Incredible Story Behind Craig Silvey's New Book, Honeybee

    Review | Author Related

    28 September 2020

    Read About the Incredible Story Behind Craig Silvey's New Book, Honeybee

      Related Articles

      Podcast: Better Reading Top 100: Craig Silvey on the Books that Shaped his Childhood

      Podcast

      3 May 2022

      Podcast: Better Reading Top 100: Craig Silvey on the Books that Shaped his Childhood

        BOOK NEWS: Winners Announced for the Indie Book Awards 2021

        News | Awards | Book Life

        23 March 2021

        BOOK NEWS: Winners Announced for the Indie Book Awards 2021

          Live Book Event: Craig Silvey, Author of Honeybee

          News | Events & Festivals

          12 November 2020

          Live Book Event: Craig Silvey, Author of Honeybee

            Publisher details

            Honeybee
            Author
            Craig Silvey
            Publisher
            Allen & Unwin
            Genre
            Fiction
            Released
            02 November, 2021
            ISBN
            9781761066542

            Synopsis

            Voted at #1 in the Better Reading Top 100 of 2023...

            'Find out who you are, and live that life.'

            Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below.

            At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette.

            The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. Slowly, we learn what led Sam and Vic to the bridge that night. Bonded by their suffering, each privately commits to the impossible task of saving the other.

            Honeybee is a heart-breaking, life-affirming novel that throws us headlong into a world of petty thefts, extortion plots, botched bank robberies, daring dog rescues and one spectacular drag show.

            At the heart of Honeybee is Sam: a solitary, resilient young person battling to navigate the world as their true self; ensnared by a loyalty to a troubled mother, scarred by the volatility of a domineering step-father, and confounded by the kindness of new alliances.

            Honeybee is a tender, profoundly moving novel brimming with vivid characters and luminous words. It's about two lives forever changed by a chance encounter – one offering hope, the other redemption. It's about when to persevere, and when to be merciful, as Sam learns when to let go, and when to hold on.
            Craig Silvey
            About the author

            Craig Silvey

            Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia. His critically acclaimed debut novel, Rhubarb, was published in 2004. His bestselling second novel, Jasper Jones, was released in 2009 and is considered a modern Australian classic. Published in over a dozen territories, Jasper Jones has won plaudits in three continents, including an International Dublin Literary Award shortlisting, a Michael J. Printz Award Honor, and a Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlisting. Jasper Jones was the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year for 2010. Honeybee is his third novel.

            Books by Craig Silvey

            COMMENTS

            Leave a Reply

            Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *