Song of the Bees

Women of Ireland #2

by Kristin Gleeson

From the author of the USA Today bestselling novel, In Praise of the Bees , is another tale of Medieval Ireland in a time of turmoil and change.

Ireland 1349
Inside the nunnery of St Gobnait’s, Meadbh’s days are constrained by the hours of prayer and the close scrutiny of the abbess, though Meadbh has yet to take her vows. Her bees are her only solace. They understand her. But as the plague slowly creeps westward towards this group of nuns, Meadbh’s ordered life is thrown into chaos when she’s called home to tend her ailing father and the chosen accompany her there proves to be more than just an escort, one whose skills are more a warrior’s than a labourer. A man she’s not sure she can trust.

Meadbh is tossed into a world where the upheaval of war, cycles of famine and now plague have changed the very nature of society’s fragile structure for both native Irish and Anglo-Irish. And now, Meadbh must now navigate a path through the chaos to secure her own future at a time when women have few choices.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Medieval, Ireland, Historical

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2024

About the author

USA Today Bestselling author, Kristin Gleeson is originally from Philadelphia but has lived in West Cork in Ireland for a number of years where she plays the harp and sings, in addition to painting the beautiful landscape around her. She holds a Masters in Library Science and a Ph.D. in history, and for a time was an administrator of a large archives, library and museum in America and also worked as a public librarian in America and Ireland. She has won numerous awards for her writing

Myths and other folk tales have always fascinated her and she combined her love of these tales with her harp playing and performed as a professional harper/storyteller at events in Britain, America and Ireland.


She has also written history freelance and published articles and essays in reference works and academic books.

Reviews

[J.G. Harlond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mark of a truly good book is that it stays with you for a long time - some, forever. 'Song of the Bees' comes into this category for me. A quietly told story full of atmosphere that fits the location perfectly. Gleeson tells how a young woman tries to survive in the dark days of the distant past. Meadbh has no home, no caring family, and is surrounded by the plague, yet she finds her way. The description of rural Ireland is so evocative I could hear the birds in the trees. A joy to read.

[Jean Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love of Ireland shines through, especially of medieval Ireland.

The opening scenes are beautifully written, with lots of hooks to make me read on, and I was off to a flying start, loving the detail of medieval Ireland through the eyes of one young woman who faces harsh challenges and choices.

Meadbh is a very engaging main character and her point of view immerses the reader in her daily routine, first in the nunnery, and then on her dangerous plague-ridden journey back to her family’s homestead. There, she is trapped by her duty to her family and old wounds are opened.

The slow-burn tease of a potential love affair creates suspense, as we understand why Maedbh cannot trust this man despite their attraction to each other, and we feel for her as the trap of family duty closes around her. Women’s relationships, viewpoints and lack of choices are very well written, even to the impact of medieval laws. These can be shocking by today’s (western) standards but are coherent and fair, according to medieval Irish values and social structure – fascinating stuff and conveyed through the story without being heavy.

Don’t expect an action-packed narrative but there are high moments as well as the overall daily experiences of our heroine. The bardic test is just wonderful and the ending is high drama - very satisfying. One character I hated got her come-uppance, which I enjoyed – no spoilers!

As always, Kristin Gleeson’s love of Ireland shines through, especially of medieval Ireland. ‘Song of the Bees’ brings to life the people of that time, in authentic detail. 'Women of Ireland' is the perfect title for the series and if you enjoyed 'In Praise of The Bees' you will love this.

[Louise Steer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a gentle read that meanders like the various journeys of the main character, Madbh. The ending is satisfying, although achieved a little too easily. And it's simply incredible that Madbh wanders about Cork alone, and is never physically harmed or threatened by the roaming bands of men. Her only threat is her own mother, the most malevolent mother since Lady Macbeth (and the malevolence is more spiteful than evil). The bees don't do much except as an expression of Madbh's moods. Madbh also appears to have an eating disorder as she fails to eat whenever food is available. This is meant to be an expression of her inner turmoil, but if she really didn't eat at all, she wouldn't have the strength to go riding or survive a serious illness.
The author has chosen to use Irish spelling, which is not phonetic, the letters are meant to indicate accents on letters that could not be spelt in English, but unless you know the Irish language, the spelling unfortunately makes the names incomprehensible to a non Irish reader. I was amazed in the epilogue when I read what we know now the names to be. Modern spelling would have made reading easier for non Irish speaking readers.
More could also have been of the freedoms allowed women by Irish law, which were significantly greater than those experienced by Norman or English women, and which ultimately save Mabhd. The bardic episodes were very interesting, especially as I am a poet.

[B.A. Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book in the Women of Ireland series, the author introduces us to Meadbh a young woman, corralled into convent life by duty and family obligations. The life is hard, her choices as a medieval woman non-existent and only her affinity with her beloved bees ground her in a world beset by war, famine, and plague. And yet there may be a way out, via a man she neither trusts nor understands. The path will be dangerous and the cost high but for Meadbh there is no real alternative if she is to protect her family and the land.
This is Ms Gleeson at her best. Her love of Ireland and her in-depth knowledge of this period, of the traditions, the music, and the religion, combine with skilled storytelling and beautiful, lyrical prose. Make no mistake this was a hard time for rural folk, but for women it was particularly brutal and uncompromising. Gleeson brings this to life through her wonderful characters, their challenges, and heartbreak. It is easy to root for Meadbh and despair for her when the challenges seem too great to overcome. Meadbh’s tale will undoubtedly leave the reader with a huge amount of respect for all medieval Irish women.
An inspiring tale. Wholly recommended.

[Verity Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at Irish society during the Black Death

This is a well-written and interesting story, but there are a couple of issues that make this a 3 1/2 star book instead of a 4. One is the excessive use of Irish words. Concepts that are not easily translated into English are fine, but many of the words are simply there to give flavor...which would be okay if so many of them were not unpronouncible. It's one thing to keep referring to the glossary in a printed book, but quite a different (and much more inconvenient) thing to do this in an ebook.

The other issue was Maedbhe herself: I found it very difficult to like her. While her experiences with her mother (when we find out about them) explain a lot about her behavior and attitude, I get the impression that she is more like her mother than she realizes or would like to believe.

I do appreciate the fact that the author portrayed the female characters realistically within their historical surroundings. The women in the story were very much at the mercy of the powerful men around them, and this was not altered or prettied up. But some things were rather surprising, like the marriage laws, which gave Maedbhe different options than she would have had in England at the same time.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book in Gleeson’s Women of Ireland series, readers follow Meadbh, a beekeeper at a nunnery. However, this is 1349 and the plague has reached Ireland and Meadbh’s family outside the convent walls. As the social hierarchies and her family change with the arrival of the plague, Meadbh leaves the convent to travel with a strange man back to her home and save her family from the ravages of plague, war, and famine. With few choices available to her, Meadbh must do her best and follow her head and the bees to keep her part of Ireland together. Gleeson has clearly done her research into medieval Ireland and the options available to women at that time. Meadbh is a strong yet realistic heroine, and the circumstances that she finds herself in are period-typical. The complexity of this narrative and the social forces at play all add to the atmosphere of the novel and the circumstances that Meadbh finds herself in. With excellent characters, a vibrant setting, and incredible worldbuilding, this is a strong second novel in the Women of Ireland series, and fans of the first book will definitely want to read this one and join Meadbh on her journey across Ireland.

Thanks to NetGalley and An Tig Beag Press for the advance copy.

[Judi Easley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medieval storytelling like no other...

Ms. Gleeson's second medieval Irish story is about Meadbh. That's Maeve in the old tongue. She's been sent off to a nunnery, but now she's been summoned home because her father's ill. They assume it's the "pestilence," so she's not welcome back into the convent. Whatever she finds at home will be her life from now on. She won't be a nun. She's provided with an escort, the handyman from the convent. To Meadbh, he looks more like a warrior than a farm hand, though. He's tall and handsome. He has the type of muscles a man who handles weapons would develop. And his clothing is of fine fabrics, finer than a farm hand or other worker could afford. He also has eyes for Meadbh. As fate would have it, though, they get separated on their travels, and she gets married to another man. This upsets all her mother's schemes, which is not a pretty sight. In the long run, Meadbh's pretty boy will have to "sing for his supper" and win the fair maiden, but it is a close thing. Recommended.

[Katerina Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary fiction is not one of my favourite genres, but I decided to read this book because I live in Ireland and I love medieval history. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Song of the Bees. The author has great knowledge not only of the history but also of the cultural, social, religious, linguistic, agricultural and many other aspects of medieval Ireland. The slower pace of the narrative enables the reader to appreciate the lyrical language, the small details of the main character’s emotions and connection with nature, as well as the sometimes beautiful sometimes stark descriptions of a countryside plagued by pestilence. An Ireland steeped in traditions that poor and rich alike respect and cherish, such as bard singing, music and hospitality, comes alive on the pages. The heroine’s journey is not an easy one; but drawing inspiration and strength from the song of her bees, she strives to protect her land and the people she loves. I would definitely recommend.

[Nora D. Zee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, complicated story set in plague era. Characterization was rather shallow, however. The glossary would have been helpful if it were more accessible, but on Kindle it is not. The author is much more familiar with the old Gaelic words than most contemporary readers are, but I felt like I had to memorize a list of words like in my long ago language classes. The Gaelic spelling does not help non-Gaelic readers to even guess at the pronunciation of words and names, which would have helped me to know who the kings or lords were.
Maeve's endless wandering around the countryside was tiresome. Maeve is supposed to be a "healer" but there is little specific about what she does or how honey is used medicinally. I guess she didn't know Bro Cadfael.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this novel very much! I found it extremely interesting to read about Ireland in the Middle Ages, particularly about the place and role of women. I learned a lot about this country ravaged by numerous wars and starvation before many succumbed to the plague. The descriptions of the lands, the people and how Ireland was politically organised were well reflected in the characters' own lives. Highly interesting indeed!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

[Kasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book in the "Women of Ireland" series is undoubtedly worth reading.
I don't like Kristin's literary style with narration written in the Present Simple tense, but this book's content is fascinating and rarely explored by writers.
All the small details: the customs, the food and the clothes of the Medieval era are beautifully woven into this story and create rich and informative content in addition to a generally enticing plot.
The tempo of the narration is relaxed if not slow but it somehow harmonizes with the described times.
Pleasant read.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction about women in Irish Middle Age. A vivid portrait of their life, of the age and how they could be able to find a way for them.
Well plotted and well written.
I want to read the first in the series, this one can be read as stand-alone
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Judi Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect in reading this book, the intricate way that the plot unfolded kept me engaged with the writing. I loved the interspersed Irish and Gaelic phrases throughout the text. The perspective of the main character is an interesting one and seeing the family dynamics in these clans unfolding adds insight to life in Ireland during medieval times.

[Ruth Cozad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved in “praise of bees” by same author and this one is almost as good but for some reason I liked the story line better on first. Excellent writing and was even okay with Irish language when used. Will read more by this author

[Gail M. Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read

I enjoyed the book as I love historical content. This is the second book I have read by this author.

[Zom Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book during the plague in Ireland. Entirely from one woman's point of view. It gave me a deep sense of what it would be like to be a single woman at that time.