The History of Bees

***THE NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER***
In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees – and to their children and one another – against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.

England, 1851. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive—one that will give both him and his children honour and fame.

United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation.

China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao’s young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident—and is kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition—she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.

Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought provoking story that is just as much about the powerful relationships between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity.

Praise for The History of Bees:

'A brilliant and beautiful novel' Jan Askelund, Stavanger Aftenblad
 
'She does everything right […] She paints on a broad canvas, the topic is highly important and the language is both comprehensive and precise' Geir Vestad, Hamar Arbeiderblad
'One can easily understand the buzz …' Maria Årolilja Rø, Adresseavisa

'The settings portrayed in the novel are impressively visual and each character is perfectly naturally rooted in his or her own era and environmen' Janneken Øverland, Klassekampen

'Maja Lunde will reach a big audience with The History of Bees. (…) She has written a novel many will read in one go, and then sit down and think, about life, the world and the future. That is unique and it is very well done' Annette Orre, littkritikk.no

'The History of Bees is a fascinating and brilliantly written novel that elegantly moves between the various stories and timelines' Oddmund Hagen, Dag og Tid