Identity, Relationships and a Past That Comes Back to Sting

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

What’s it About?

“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.

I knew absolutely nothing about Mad Honey before I picked it up and I am so glad I did! With two accomplished authors writing opposing characters’ voices, the partnership of Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan has created an important book that encourages dialog surrounding relationships, secrets, abuse and gender identity.

Olivia Macafee left her abusive marriage and, with her son Asher, moved back to her hometown. Lily and her mom relocated to that same town to finish her senior year in high school, and Asher and Lily fall in love. These new beginnings are hopeful, yet there are secrets from the past that remain private, until they don’t. Then Lily is dead.

From the perspective of Olivia and Lily, we learn about all that leads up to the day Lily dies and then the court case and trial where Asher is charged with her murder. In addition to the suspense created as bits and pieces are revealed leading up to Lily’s death, Olivia schools us on beekeeping her father’s business she has taken over. A bonus at the end of the book – some recipes that include honey!

This book deals with lots of issues – how much can we trust those we love and is it possible to harbor a secret, keeping the past hidden indefinitely? The characters are compelling and flawed; great examples of growth and how we become who we are meant to be. Their journeys are complex and heartrending: an abused single mom, a teenage girl with a secret, a boy charged with murder… and I want to root for all of them!

Author Jennifer Finney Boylan had a dream she co-wrote a book with Jodi Picoult about a transgender girl and… she tweeted about it. Jodi Picoult had been wanting to write about gender identity but was not confident she could adequately represent a transgender character on her own, so when she saw Boylan’s tweet she was thrilled and responded “Let’s Do This!”

Boylan’s voice brings credibility and experience to Lily and with Picoult’s expert storytelling, young love, controversy and a court case, Mad Honey was the bee’s knees! I hope people read this book and walk away with a better understanding of humanity, making acceptance a priority.

Publish Date: October 4, 2022

Genre: Fiction

Author: Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Page Count: 464 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books

ISBN: 9781984818386

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