Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan have teamed up to write the highly anticipated release, Mad Honey. The novel is centered around two single parent families in a small New Hampshire town, with themes of family, love, abuse, secrets, loyalty, friendship, and identity.
Book review Mad Honey
The story follows the tragic accident that changes the lives of Lily and Asher, who fall in love, and one of them ends up dead and the other charged with murder. The authors explore the impact of family secrets and inherited behaviors on this tragic loss, as well as other issues such as single parenting, motherhood, coming of age, bullying, escape, resettlement, sexual relationships, domestic abuse, family ties, incarceration, and the law.
Mad Honey takes a unique and gripping narrative structure, with the story unfolding in a backwards versus forwards format, told from the perspectives of Lily and Olivia. The tie-in with regular face Jordan McAfee, the brother of the main character, adds to the intrigue and drama of the story, as he takes on the role of the lawyer in the case. Picoult and Boylan deliver some surprising twists, especially at the mid-way point of the novel, which turns the whole narrative on its head. With the overarching theme of apiculture ruling Mad Honey, the authors have done extensive research to make it an informative and captivating read.
As a long-time fan of Jodi Picoult, the reviewer commends Mad Honey for allowing the authors to return to Picoult’s roots and reminding readers of her earlier works, such as The Pact and Salem Falls. They were initially concerned about how the author combination would work, but their fears were quickly put aside as the novel was a fully charged read. The characters and their related lives are utterly compelling, making it almost impossible to put the book down.
The reviewer recommends Mad Honey as a contemporary and issue-based novel that gets right under your skin, leaving readers wanting to discuss it with others. They suggest making it the next book club or buddy read, and give it a five-star rating.
In conclusion, for fans of Jodi Picoult’s work, Mad Honey is a must-read collaboration with Jennifer Finney Boylan. For those looking for more of Picoult’s solo work, the reviewer suggests checking out her other best-selling books such as Small Great Things, My Sister’s Keeper, and Nineteen Minutes.
