Day of the Bees

by Thomas Sanchez

In this story of an astonishing love, Thomas Sanchez portrays the violence, hope, and grandeur of lives transformed by war and exile. At the heart of the novel are Zermano, a world-famous Spanish painter, and his beautiful French muse, Louise Collard -- whose lives are torn apart by the German invasion of France in World War II. Leaving Louise in Vichy-controlled Provence, Zermano returns to occupied Paris. But while he eventually goes on to celebrity and fortune, Louise disappears into obscurity.

Fifty years later, after Louise's death, an American scholar arrives in the south of France seeking the truth about the lovers' tempestuous romance and sudden separation. Why did the painter abandon the young beauty? What was the cause of her lifelong reclusiveness? What dark mysteries were being concealed by the ill-fated couple? By chance, the professor finds a cache of correspondence -- Zermano's letters to Louise in her remote mountain village, and her intentionally unmailed letters to him in Paris. In their vivid, wrenching contents he uncovers secrets that Louise kept even from Zermano about her wartime the dangers of her participation in the Resistance, and her complicity with one of its leaders, the Fly; her struggles to elude a sadistic officer who hunts her for political and personal reasons; her lyrical intimacy with a mystical beekeeper. Louise is forced to make a fateful decision between the love for her man, and the ultimate sacrifice for her country.

In a powerful climax, the scholar is compelled to journey to Mallorca, where Zermano is rumored to be living in self-imposed exile. Determined to reveal Louise's fate to the painter, our narrator does not suspect that he, too, will be forced to confront the enigma of his own desire.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, World War II, Art, Book Club, Adult Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I said in my review of MILE ZERO, Sanchez is an unjustly overlooked writer. This was his first novel in 11 years, and it received only lukewarm reviews in part because a chunk of it is an epistolary novel but also because he was aiming to describe in highly ornate the nature of passion, which struck some readers as overwrought. What's cool about this book is the modernist milieu Sanchez explores. You can't go wrong with a Picasso-esque main character, a beautiful woman, a war-ravaged Europe, and lotsa talk about art. I still hope Sanchez will someday publish what was supposed to be his big epic, BELLE EPOQUE, but in the meantime, I can enjoy this one, too.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the only reason I am giving this book 4, not 5 stars, is that it got slow at times (which DID irritate me). Otherwise, it's a lovely, warm story (though there were a couple of descriptions which seemed a bit brutal to me) witnessing a passionate love between a painter and his muse! All that is expected from a good fiction (historical fiction with romance elements) you will find among these pages..no doubt about it! Passionate love...forbidden love...war...sacrifice. Enjoyed the story very much and definitely recommend the book, especially to readers who enjoy romance books!

[Oz Cabana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for the same rip-roaring action as “King Bongo,” you won’t find it, but this novel is absolutely amazing, in different ways.

Set in a tumultuous time (like most T.S. Novels), this one really hones in on the personal experiences of one ☝️ tiny individual and her will to live through it, alone. There’s also a super enticing, tragic-yet-beautiful, love story that I don’t want to spoil for you.

The gore is less in this book than in most TS novels, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting!! It’s probably my favorite work of his, and it’s underrated.

[Rachelle Seymore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lyrical and poetic read by Thomas Sanchez. His novel unfolds with the letters between Louise and Zermano; She as his muse and he, a world famous Spanish painter. The story goes into WW2 with all its death and destruction, but I was riveted to the pages as it kept me guessing until late into the book why he had to save her. I beautiful read!

[Marija · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nisam mogla da završim roman. U ovome što sam pročitala nisam videla ništa naročito upečatljivo osim toga da me je nervirala i dekoncentrisala neautentičnost njegove epistolarne strukture. Neverovatno je lako bilo osetiti da ih je pisao isti čovek i taj otklon je razrušio svaku iluziju da poverujem u ovu ljubavnu priču.

Možda mu se ponovo vratim kad budem malo romantičnije nastrojena.

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not real sure why I finished this book. The characters were cartoonish, the love story was thin, the writing was so embarrassingly bad. Except for the first book of my reading year, not a great start in star power

[Marija Atanasova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Она што во минатото претставувала музата во сооднос со уметникот (поврзаност која вришти од еротски набој, сила која урива се пред себе и создава трагична убавина), во очите на дежурниот циник од 21 век изгледа како анимална страст помеѓу една дролја-нимфоманка и еден мрсник, по некоја случајност допрен од милоста на Бог.Горенаведениот дечко би имал безброј забелешки за оваа љубов (каде е местото на пчеларот и жената на Зермано во оваа нераскинлива љубов; или се овде во функција на зголемувачи на трагедијата- “Ја љубим друге јер тебе не могу,срце ми плаче, волим те све јаче:); доколку нивната врска е над физичките граници, зошто акцентот е ставен на нивните сексуални интеракции...) и порив да викне: Get a job and wash your hair!
Како и да е, би требало да знам подобро од ова, како дел од една генерација жигосана од alienation, генерација современик на “Вики-Кристина-Барселона“ од Вуди Ален, генерација заситена од вљубеност, жедна за љубов.Сепак не можам:) Колку за стилот,стилот е питок, драматичен во согласност со темата.Никако и предобар.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is very engrossing and it kept me engaged. It's about an artist, his muse and great love, WWII partisans. But the book is overwritten, the prose is flowery, the characters are not well enough developed, and it stretched the boundaries of reality. My internal monologue was on overdrive:"This could not have happened because...". But I enjoyed it and if Allan Furst had written it, it would have been great.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not generally like novels in letter form. The letters in this one do a better job of advancing the story than in most of this genre, but in doing so are quite a bit less convincing as correspondence. About half-way through I was ready to bail. But I did not, and am glad for it. There really is quite a good story here, and the characters are strong and compelling.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

From almost the first page, I was sucked into the romantic prose of Sanchez's writing style. His descriptive use of language was intoxicating and I just found myself lost within this story. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it's letter form didn't irritate me like I thought it might. There are some slow parts, but it's definitely worth it to reach the end.

[Alden · Rating 2 out of 5]

In retrospect, I'm less enthralled by this book. There is some great writing in it, but some parts don't quite hold together. Sanchez himself however is a very interesting personality. And his first book was hugely important.

http://www.bookpage.com/0006bp/thomas...

[Irene Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. The story line was also captivating though I often became bored with the letters taht told the story...sometimes too much "stuff" that did not move the story line forward.

[Rita Andres · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was disturbing at times due to the incident with the soldier while the artist/lover was present. When an incident is so poignant, I realize that the author is good. Truly, I enjoyed the references to Mallorca and to the Spanish painters.

[Clarance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful, romantic read.

It is very... flowery. But I think that is what makes it beautiful. And sad. I cried quite a few times...

If you don't mind romance, you like this. If you love romance, you'll probably love this.

[Annabelle]

Granted, it would be hard to top Rebecca, the book I read immediately before picking this up. But this one is a story that contrives to be so many things at once: high romance/anti-war/travelogue/pseudo-poetic/soft-porn/mystery/trash. No rating.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about a woman in the midst of WWII. Great characters and a suspenseful story.

[Nora paxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite book. Beautiful lesson of love.

I highly recommand this book

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is truly a unique book. There are parts of this book that continue to haunt my psyche. This woman, became part of my life in a strange way.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed but very heavy going at times.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.

[Niecey Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. So much so that I couldn't put it down. I was so wrapped up in the mystery and I needed answers. I will read this book again.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular work. Beautifully envisioned and beautifully rendered. A love story that will haunt me for some time.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely complex.

[Ugo21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best one I read last year. The story and the writing are impressive. I recommend it.

[Cathy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down. You kept wanting to know what was going to happen...