The Honey Farm

by Harriet Alida Lye

The drought has discontented the bees. Soil dries into sand; honeycomb stiffens into wax. But Cynthia knows how to breathe life back into her farm: offer it as an artists’ colony with free room, board, and “life experience” in exchange for backbreaking labor. Silvia, a wide-eyed graduate and would-be poet, and Ibrahim, a painter distracted by constant inspiration, are drawn to Cynthia’s offer, and soon, to each other.

But something lies beneath the surface. The Edenic farm is plagued by events that strike Silvia as ominous: taps run red, scalps itch with lice, frogs swarm the pond. One by one, the other residents leave. As summer tenses into autumn, Cynthia’s shadowed past is revealed and Silvia becomes increasingly paralyzed by doubt. Building to a shocking conclusion, The Honey Farm announces the arrival of a bold new voice and offers a thrilling portrait of creation and possession in the natural world.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Canada, Adult

328 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2018

About the author

Harriet Alida Lye is the author of four books: two novels, one memoir, and one children's picture book. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Globe & Mail, The National Post, The Happy Reader, Hazlitt, Vice, Catapult, and more. She founded the literary magazine Her Royal Majesty, which ran for six years and republished the first ever short story by Alice Munro. She teaches Creative Writing at the University of Toronto. She lives in Toronto with her partner, their two children, and two dogs.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m on the star rating fence on this one - between two/three stars. I liked the start off / beginning of a lucrative ad being placed by Cynthia, to attract individuals to work at her bee farm. Room and board, food and drink are free, fresh clean air, blue skies, green grass, freedom, quiet, isolation, and the opportunity to spend time on your artistic endeavors with like minded others. Sounds like a great opportunity to me, where and when do I sign up???

Ugh, so things are not quite what they appear to be. The isolated farm is solely owned and run by Cynthia, who has some inner past secrets. Her male sidekick, Hartford, is devoutly loyal to his “bee mistress,” though do I discern some subtle warnings coming from him to the others??The farm and local area is currently undergoing a severe drought which plays into the story.

The other array of characters/participants are briefly touched upon but one by one, they end up leaving, leaving behind Silvia and Ibrahim. These two immediately have a physical and emotional connection from their first meet, and their young love/budding relationship is very sweet. In the end, they are the only two “artists” who have stayed longer than the others; longer than summer season.

Silvia is an only child, very passive, has very manipulative, overprotective, highly religious parents and that alone was enough reason for her to take leave and hightail it away from them. When asked to describe her writing, there really isn’t any other than one copied Shakespeare poem and another she wrote a while ago. Her creative juices (did she ever even have them?) have been stifled, suffocated, repressed, the same of how her parents have treated her, and how her religion and family value programming have brainwashed her.

Ibrahim, is an artist, a painter with a common means of collecting cardboard from dumpsters, behind warehouses, which he uses to paint his paintings. He works by night, his best time for his creative juices to flow. He amasses these paintings but has never sold any. It is when he paints Silvia that their love grows as well as his passion and insight. Unfortunately, he too, is quite passive and in retrospect, could have sprung into decisive action a lot sooner, but he didn’t.

Seasons change and routines continue in the house and on the farm, until the reader starts picking up (if you haven’t already) that something is not quite right. People start behaving abnormally. Past history and relationships reveal themselves. The bees still need their care year-round, and we learn a bit about the life and management of bees which was quite interesting. But it is more so the itended life and care of Silvia and Ibrahim, by Cynthia, their benefactor, that creepily comes out of the pages, mid to end of book. As our parents have always taught us, “Beware- it’s too good to be true.”

About the end...it was startingly abrupt. Boom! Done! The end! Like a disappearance into thin air! A magic trick!
The end was not explained AT ALL. Did the author run out of creative juices? Did she lose the last three pages of this book en route to the publisher? Did her dog eat it? Could she not have expended the extra effort and written a few more lines or paragraphs to take us to the next level or possibly to some kind of closure? Ok so whoever reads this book can just make up or take away their own ending as they like and I can guarantee they will all be different. It’s your personal perogative to do so, just one I don’t particularly care for. So authors: If you are giving me your story, you’ve got to give me your all; a Beginning -middle -and some kind of an end...just not nothing nor a dead, blank page. Zero.

There may be an analogy between the bees and the books’ characters: Cynthia = the queen bee, the incoming artists = the worker bees, males = drones, etc. I may be correct or I could be making an assumption where none was intended... There were also biblical/religious passages and references in this book that came out from the unstable, guilt ridden mind of Silvia.

Well, I’m not sure if there is a plan to do another “Honey Farm” book - 2, because I wouldn’t bother. And, I’m not really sure I care now about what happens to the remaining characters at this point, but I do so care about the bees, who seem to have more sense and purpose in life than the characters in this book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going hard on this book 📖 to a 2.5 stars the beginning was great sucked me in but by the middle it was dragging badly. All I can say it was a very disappointing read.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
The Honey Farm, penned by Canadian debut novelist Harriet Alida Lye, is a lyrical story with a strong line of mystery. With a shroud of unsettling menace underpinning the novel throughout, The Honey Farm explores the art of beekeeping, love, obsession and possession in the one evocative novel.

The Honey Farm revolves around struggling Ontario based farm owner Cynthia. In drought stricken times, Cynthia is desperate to reap the rewards of her honey farm. She decides to open her farm and home to artists, looking for a creative haven. The catch is, these artists must earn their keep on the farm, Cynthia will provide a home in exchange for manual labour around the farm. The offer attracts a small group of artists, among them, Silvia, a college grad and an aspiring poet, looking to escape the strict clutches of her fiercely Christian parents. Another of these artists is talented painter Ibrahim, a young man who quickly finds himself attracted to Silvia. Once the artists have settled into the daily life of the honey farm, one by one they leave, each unsettled by the farm itself and the eccentric owner, Cynthia. Then strange occurrences arise on the farm, each more menacing as the other. These odd situations range from red blood water running through the taps, to plagues of frogs and combined with the constant buzz of the bees on the farm, it is enough to send any sane person off kilter. Coupled with the isolation of the farm itself, eventually only two artists are left of the farm, Silvia and Ibrahim. With Cynthia keeping tabs on this couple constantly and displaying an unhealthy attachment to Silvia, a lunacy begins to form in Silvia’s mind. Silvia and Ibrahim find it hard to gauge just how dangerous Cynthia is and what her motivations are for keeping the couple on the farm, despite the bee season coming to a close. When the couple begin to make plans to exit the farm, it presents a challenge to this young couple.

The art of beekeeping and it is an art, has always fascinated me greatly. The opulent sunflower filled cover and the premise of The Honey Farm quickly drew my attention. I was very keen to delve into the pages of this debut psychological mystery and learn a thing or two about the world of beekeeping. For the most part this book delivered, especially in providing me with a comprehensive overview of taking care of and harvesting bees for the production of honey. However, there is a big drawback to this novel, which I will outline later in my review.

The setting of The Honey Farm is by far one of its strengths and despite my obvious reservations about part of this novel, it does have it positive points. I do not recall reading many novels previously set in Canada, so this setting was original and very refreshing to follow. I enjoyed being transported to the isolated Canadian farm, seeped deep in drought. Lye activated all my senses in the setting based descriptions; she is a very visual writer, which helped me connect with the text. I was impressed by the imagery and rich lyrical prose that worked to illuminate the honey farm setting. It was a highlight of this fertile debut.

Lye knows a thing or two about the business of beekeeping and the behaviour of bees themselves. Her dedication to her main subject matter was impressive to say the least. I expected to learn a few passing facts about bees, but instead, I received an excellent and well informed lesson on the employ of beekeeping, as well as the unique characteristics of these insects. It so fascinating and I did not feel dragged down at all by the dryness of facts presented by the author. Lye expertly wove her detailed understanding of bees and was able to sew these around her compelling narrative.

There are some strong themes that come with the process of reading The Honey Farm. There was also an immediate cult like feel that to this novel and the overall set up of the honey farm. Cynthia obviously wanted to be revered as the queen bee of her own hive, with the artists she employed, placing them into her role of worker bees. This is where The Honey Farm reminds me very much of the book and film, The Beach by Alex Garland. The Honey Farm is a Garden of Eden paradise, offering an alternative way of living, with virtually no contact with the outside world.

As the book is titled The Honey Farm, it is obvious that the central crux of the novel is based on beekeeping, which is used to full effect within the novel. In addition, there is a good exploration of farming, the art world, poetry, painting, nature and religion. There are also biblical references that float through the heart of this text, with inclusions of verses within the novel. I think these worked well and suited the overall direction of the novel. There are also echoes to biblical plagues and these calamities are enacted in the novel to great effect. These segments of the novel definitely add to the puzzle of the overall narrative. I personally directed my suspicions at Cynthia and grew deeply unsure of her motivations, especially in her desire to force feed the occupants of the honey farm milk. I think this is where the source of the problems in the novel, especially for poor Silvia. I may be wrong in my assumptions though.

Lye’s characterisation is rich and faultless. Her presentation of the whole character set in this novel is generous and detailed. Cynthia, the farm owner and lead, remains quite the enigma for the whole of the novel and I believe this shroud of mystery worked well to draw the reader further into the novel. I felt a strong sense of unease whenever Cynthia appeared on the pages of the book and it riled somewhat that I could never put my finger on her motivations. Her offsider, Hartford, is a gentle character, but very little is revealed about his character too. The artist group that forms and then leaves, save for two, is well represented by Lye. Likewise, the concerned parents of the leads, Silvia and Ibrahim, play an important role in the overall proceedings of the novel. The leads, poet Silvia and Ibrahim the painter, are worthy primary protagonists. Silvia’s naivety pressed on me at times and despite the fact that I feel the storyline directed the reader to doubt Silvia, I rooted for her triumph over her impossible situation. Ibrahim was a low and impressionable man with an unfortunate attitude to match. Despite these characters getting under my skin, by the final moments of the novel I found myself deeply concerned for their welfare.

So that brings me to the downfall of The Honey Farm and it is an aspect of the novel that I feel I would be remiss in not mentioning. I find it fortunate that I was forewarned about the negative drawback of this novel and despite this, I tried my very hardest to keep my judgement clear. When I reached that final destination of the novel, I had to do a double take. I flipped back a few pages re-read them and shook my head. The Honey Farm is a book that comes to an abrupt close. Generally, I am not a fan of open endings but I feel The Honey Farm did not end in the right place at all. It is hard to draw any kind of personal conclusion to the final fate of the characters and these were characters I become very concerned about. So, if you don’t like plot holes and unexplained endings, The Honey Farm is one book that may not be worth investing your energy in. I’m sitting on the fence with this one and awarding it a 3 and half star rating, mainly based on my appreciation of the notable prose.

*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually write reviews but I disagree with so many people about the end of this book!

The Honey Farm is beautifully written and unlike any novel I’ve read before. Poetic lines like “The sadness comes in waves and then leaves like the tide, so gradual you can’t see how dramatically it moves” really stayed with me. It is also anything but predictable, which I love. I was constantly guessing what the end could possibly be, and constantly changing my mind based on the changing circumstances and increasingly ominous tone.

I see people’s reviews that they hated the end, and I get that, but totally disagree. The ending Harriet wrote is the only possible end to this carefully crafted story and the only thing that could have satisfied me as a reader.

SPOILER - The ending feels unfinished, at first. After reading it, I thought “Whoa, that was abrupt, what happens next?!” And then I was like well, wait. If we are reading this as Silvia has post-partum psychosis, it’s kind of inevitable that she gets well, goes back, and just gets the baby. There’s no need to write that out because it’s boring and the story ends when they leave the farm. And what could the end really be other than Silvia and Ibrahim eventually come back and leave with their baby? The farm magically disappears? Cynthia pretends she doesn’t know them? There’s no way Cynthia gets to, against their will, just keep this baby.

And when I thought back on the rest of the book with this in mind, the biblical italicized chapters became clear clues that this is all just circumstantial instead of the sinister stories supporting the ominous tone they were the first time around. That I’m just as guilty as Silvia in creating menace and danger where there was, in truth, none. This ending gives us the true journey Silvia went on, realizing that God isn’t punishing her or even involved with her, and that things happen in our lives that have no larger meaning, but there’s still beauty, magic, and wonder all around us.

I love that Harriet didn’t hit readers over the head and made us work for a resolution, since she knows she’s kept us guessing all along. I think maybe people are so mad at the ending because they love the beautiful world of the Honey Farm that Harriet created for them and wanted to stay in it just a little while longer.

I also feel like I learned a lot about bees, so there’s that too.

[Theresa Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where this novel shines is in the clever characterisation and foreshadowing. Cynthia, the owner of the bee farm, is clearly intense, yet I veered from thinking she was up to something to thinking she was simply acting normal for a farmer who is used to living alone. Her farm assistant, Hartford, was as loyal as they come, yet at times, I felt as though he was tentatively warning the others, watching Cynthia closely, and bracing himself for something untoward. Ibrahim was incredibly weak, easily flattered and consequently misguided. I became disappointed in Ibrahim part way through the novel and this never eased, merely intensified.



Sylvia, who I’d like to think of as our main character, was crafted to perfection. Escaping the confines of a strict religious upbringing, coming to the Honey Farm was the first decision she had made on her own. She signed up as a means of finding herself, telling everyone she was a poet, yet she never wrote a single thing. Cynthia is immediately drawn to Sylvia because she strongly resembles her previous partner, a woman named Hilary who left her, taking their daughter with her. The reasons for this are left undisclosed but as the novel progressed, there were enough hints, combined with Cynthia’s bizarre behaviour, to enable me to put two and two together. Sylvia becomes an unwitting pawn in Cynthia’s game, and as the inevitable occurs, things just go from bad to worse. Incidentally, Sylvia’s predicament draws attention to one of the more problematic aspects of organised religion: the manifestation of guilt and how easily this can be used to manipulate a young person who has lost their way. Cynthia saw this in Sylvia very early on and used it to her full advantage. Had Sylvia perhaps been more worldly and less steeped in religious induced guilt, then she might have been safe from Cynthia’s machinations.



There are many biblical references throughout which tie in neatly with Sylvia’s religious upbringing and present day beliefs. I thought this aspect of the story was very well drawn out and when combined with the behaviour of the migrating bees, a powerful Armageddon style day of doom element began to play out. I think, in all honesty, that Cynthia was poisoning Sylvia with some sort of hallucinogenic substance, increasing it over time. There was a confusion to Sylvia’s scenes as the novel progressed that was reminiscent of that movie starring Natalie Porter, Black Swan. Sylvia increasingly was set up to be an unreliable narrator, a technique the author executed with skill. I am only hypothesising about the poison because we never find out what really was going on. Which brings me to my problem with this novel.



It just finishes. Now, I have no problem with stories that just fade off, curtain dropped, that’s the end. I don’t necessarily need to have everything tied up in a neat little bow with no loose ends. But I kid you not when I say that I was closely examining my copy of this book for missing pages. Sadly, I quickly realised that my inspection of the spine for gaps was futile as the last page was numbered 326 and the acknowledgement began on page 327. Not only is there no resolution with this story, but I truly was left with this sense of having no idea about what had just happened. It’s almost like the author simply tired of writing about these characters and gave up. This spoilt the novel for me and also ticked me off quite a bit. Not only do I not know if all of my guess work was right, I also feel as though I wasted several hours reading this novel, enjoying it, puzzling over it, being unsettled by it, only to have it taken away from me at the last, and very crucial moment. I was, and still am, rather disappointed, which is such a shame because all that came before this was incredibly good.



A quick perusal of other early reviews shows a lot of consensus with my view on the ending. A few reviewers made a great mention of how they didn’t need more resolution at the end because they knew exactly what was going on and weren’t left wondering at all. The fact they mentioned all of this tells me otherwise. Why mention it if it didn’t unsettle you? Do I recommend this novel? I don’t know. Up until page 326, I was enjoying it immensely, utterly engrossed in the miniature of life on the honey farm. Turns out I do like a proper ending though. If you don’t, then this might be a novel you will enjoy. But don’t come back at the end and say I didn’t warn you!



Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Honey Farm for review.

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Cynthia the owner of The Honey Farm, decides that she can get people to work for free by advertising for artist and writers to come to her farm to learn about bees and honey making. They will not get paid but will have free room and board and cooked meals. In there spare time they can work on their art and writing, etc. After several different groups of people arrive after seeing the advertisement they find out the work is a lot more them bees and honey. They have to do a lot of manual labor such as gardening, taking care of livestock, tending to bee hives etc. and don't get much free time. There is no phone reception. There is a payphone that you can use that is a long distance away and you need plenty of coins in order to finish a conservation with your family and friends. Cynthia is a strange lady and has an assistant named Hartford, but needs reinforcements.. Silvia and Ibrahim have a room right next to each other and end up falling in love and having sex. Silvia ends up pregnant and feels guilty because she is from a Christian family that will not understand. Ibrahim is Muslim and is afraid of what his father will think. Silvia is torn about her love for Ibrahim and her pregnancy. Cynthia was in a relationship with a lady named Hillary that resembles Silvia. Hillary and Cynthia get a man sperm donor so that they can have a baby. Hillary ends up falling in love with the sperm donor and leaves Cynthia taking the baby girl with her. When Cynthia finds out that Silvia is pregnant she starts to get real protective of Silvia and the baby before it is born. Eventually all the other guest leave the farm and go back to their homes, but Silvia and Ibrahim stay on. Silvia fills like Cynthia is up to no good and may be thinking of trying to steal her child from her. Cynthia has Hartford paint and decorate the baby's room in pink even though she doesn't even know if it will be a boy or a girl. Also the baby's room is downstairs and far away from Silvia and Ibrahim's room. After the baby is born Cynthia delivers the baby instead of waiting for the midwife to come. I think she might have put something in the milk she gave Silvia to induce labor, so that the baby would come sooner. Cynthia just can't wait. Silvia insist that Ibrahim get the midwife because she doesn't trust Cynthia. She said she couldn't get a hold of the midwife, but she really never tried to contact her. Cynthia takes control of the baby after it is born. She talks Ibrahim into taking Silvia to the closest hospital saying that Silvia is unstable and cannot take care of the baby. Cynthia is hoping to have Silvia committed so that she can raise the baby. Ibrahim doesn't know what to do. The ending is really sad and strange. I am curious if there will be a sequel to this book. There are still a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the story. I read this book in wo days as I could not put it down. A must read. Highly recommend.

[Jazz Click · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly this book was amateurish. Fiction is supposed to make you feel something, and I didn’t feel anything until the end - the feeling was anger that I spent so much time reading a book that didn’t even have a good ending to make up for the mess that was the rest of the novel. Well on second thought, I also felt irritated throughout that nothing was happening and when it did happen it didn’t make me feel anything.

First of all, it’s poorly researched. The main character is supposed to be catholic but I have a feeling the author does not know anyone who is catholic or even bothered to read up on the tradition. There were various “minor” mistakes that detracted from the realness of the main character. She referred to her priest as a minister and didn’t even call him Father. She called the Catholic parishes “churches” instead of parishes. There was no mention of any liturgical events which even lapsed Catholics, especially if they come from a devout home, do pay attention to (Lent, Advent, Easter). Especially if there’s going to be biblical references, the author could have easily used these times that are central to the catholic faith. The author could have easily incorporated catholic practices like the rosary - the sorrowful mysteries would have fit the theme great. And the biblical parallels were honestly pathetic.

Secondly, the characters were awful. They were supposed to all be post-college aged, some even late twenties and possibly thirties. However they all acted like juveniles. I felt like I was reading the most apathetic Young Adult Fiction novel ever. They acted like stereotypical teenagers. I honestly, for lack of a better term, felt weirded out by a lot of the behavior - and not in like a funky goth way - just in a “what the hell is this author thinking”.

I could go on but just know:
-poor research
-poor character development
-lack of character complexity
-it drags on and on, the plot is unclear.

[Gaby Meares · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me so cranky. Well, not the book exactly, but the ending. It just finishes, with absolutely no resolution - I actually called out a very loud Nooooooo when I found there was no page 327.
This novel has much to offer: lyrical descriptions of the seasons and the landscape; well developed characters and detailed descriptions of how bees live and make honey. It’s wonderfully atmospheric and the tension is built with great skill. But then it just stops.
So, my stars are for the novel up to page 326. It needs to be properly finished.

[Jerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an interesting premise and good characters, but I was really disappointed in the way it ended. Audiobook narration was so-so.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Honey Farm is atmospheric and immediately creates a subtle, creeping sense of dread. I was fully immersed in the world and lives of the characters, and I absolutely needed to know how the book would end. The ending was a tad too abrupt in my opinion, although upon reflection, it really is one of the best ways it could have ended. While other reviewers felt lukewarm at best about this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Burt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since there are several other well written reviews that summarize all the major characters and plot points of this book, I’ll just cut to the chase: the ending sucked. Wait, I guess I can’t really say the ending sucked because there was no ending. The story just stopped as if the author just gave up and walked away without actually ENDING the story. Did she just decide it was too much work to have a beginning, a middle, AND an end? Most books do, right? Don’t waste your time reading this, you’ll only be frustrated and disappointed by the lazy, incomplete, unresolved non-ending.

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book finished on vacation, actually somewhere over Montana according to the photo gps. I started this one for a book speed date, back on Reading Envy Podcast Episode 120, and liked it enough to finish it.

Cynthia runs a farm in Canada where the honeybees are in danger due to drought. She invites artists to stay, room and board and creative space in exchange for working on the farm. Silvia is a young poet, Ibrahim is a painter, just two of the artists whose lives will change on the farm during increasingly ominous events. While I found the metaphor and allegory to be heavy handed at times (literal plagues, artist colony, you get the picture), I was interested to the end.

Thanks to the publisher for granting me early access; the book came out 29 May 2018.

[Brittany Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you for the print copy of The Honey Farm, which I won through the giveaway program on Goodreads.

The cover is soooo beautiful and velvety!!

Part 1 of this book was the most beautifully written book I have ever read. It truly moved me, while I learned alot about bees and nature in such a deep and detailed way.

Part 2 of this book however, I did not like at all, my reason being for 2 stars only. Part 1 was so great I'm truly upset with how Part 2 went, and the ending just left me hanging. But if the goal of the author was to leave readers feeling empty, maybe as to relate to the characters, then it was most definitely a success.

This book isn't for me, but I do love the beginning, and don't think I will ever forget how it was written. I will always remember the style of Part 1.

[Jaana Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was excruciating. Unlike most, I had no issue with the ending, that I actually kind of liked. Up in the air, left for you to interpret. It's the rest of this book up to about 3/4 of the way through. It's boring. Mind numb boring. I get that it's about the atmosphere, trying to build that tenseness, beautifully descriptive but I just didn't feel any of that, I was just bored.

[Big Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have liked to have seen:
1) More bees
2) More creepiness
3) A compelling plot

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to Katie Adams, an editor at Liveright Publishing who sent me a copy of this forthcoming debut novel. Cynthia owns and runs a honey farm in a remote area of Canada and during a drought, she advertises for creative people to come live and work on the farm. She is successful at recruiting a number of people, but as no one is paid in cash, almost everyone leaves over the course of the summer. After the harvest, only Silvia and Ibrahim are left and while the drought continues, they "choose" to stay for the winter. This is a story where everything may not be as it seems and a little creepy as well. Harriet Alida Lye writes of the nature surrounding the farm in wonderful detail, and describes the weather so clearly that I really felt hot and cold. It is being published in late May and I think this is a great, smart summer book.

[Dale Harcombe]

I have gone as far as I am going with this one. The cover says about the bees being restless. The bees were not the only ones. Although the writing is descriptive, I did not care about any of the characters or the story. Pretty writing was not enough for me. By the time I came to blood coming out of the tap, I decided to call it quits.
That's not to say this may not appeal to others. It just didn't grab me, despite the enticing cover and what initially seemed it could be an interesting story line. I'm getting to the stage these days where I don't want to persist with books that are not holding my interest.
Not going to rate it since I abandoned the read.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending left me confused and furious. Otherwise, a good story.

[Vicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly like a bad fever dream and not enough bees. THAT'S MY FINAL OPINION.

[Shellie Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very grateful to W.W. Norton for this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy. Although I wanted more out of the ending of this book, I was deeply moved by the writing of this piece. The parallel between the story and the life of bees was beautifully and poetically translated onto the page. There were some strong characters (Silvia), characters I felt strongly about, either positively or negatively (Cynthia), and weak characters (Ibrahim) but their stories were woven together seamlessly and I commend the writer for this. I wish that Ibrahim was more of a man in this book. He just seem deflated and stupid. I'm not one of those people who needs a "happy" ending. In fact, I've been angry before at books with those kinds of endings and I'm all about realistic endings, but this book had so many unanswered questions, it left me more irritated than appreciative. I recommend this book to those who like creepy suspense and the just plain weird, but I will warn people that the first 3/4 of this book is worth the read but the conclusion is lacking....well, a conclusion.

[Nicola Davison · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people who love poetry, literary fiction, and suspense, this one checks every box.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I don't read books that are considered "Science Fiction." But, I just did. The title is The Honey Farm. The premise is that a woman who owned the farm put ads in papers that she needed young people to help out during her busy season. Applicants could sign up and be provided a place to live and food to eat in exchange for them helping out with the production of honey during a drought when the soil dries into sand, honeycomb stiffens into wax, and production slows down. Cynthia sells the idea that for helping out, she will provide food, a place to live, and the offer for them to have time to work on their writing, painting, or other personal endeavors. Silva is a would-be poet relishes the idea. Ibrahim is a painter and soon he and Sylvia start a romantic relationship. Something strange lies beneath the surface and soon strange happenings begin to occur. Frogs prolificate and run amok over the farm. Blood is found running from the water taps, and different plagues strike. When Sylvia becomes pregnant, she slowly becomes like the Queen Bee gaining weight and behaving oddly. As the summer progresses, the students notice they are being manipulated and they are under the spell of the farm owner and her assistants. Much detail is given about the process of making the honey and what life is like on a farm. After I finished, I realized the plot was certainly indeed outlandish, but enjoyable.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good debut. Beautifully written but tense and creepy. What’s real, what’s imagined and what’s speculative?

Reminds me of THE CARETAKER OF LORNE FIELD.

Three words that describe this book: Unreliable narrator, lyrical, but also incredibly scary.

On blog and in my Reader's Shelf Column in 10/1/18 issue if Library Journal: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/20...

Horror is not always gorey or filled with jump scares; sometimes the unease sneaks up on you throughout an entire novel, until you reach the final page and only then realize how terrifying a reading experience you just had. In THE HONEY FARM by Harriet Alida Lye Sylvia, an aspiring poet from an oppressive evangelical family and Ibrahim, a talented painter who needs more room for his art, meet at an isolated bee farm, run by the enigmatic Cynthia, who is trying to keep her operation running through a crippling drought by offering artists an all inclusive retreat in exchange for free labor. Told mostly through Sylvia’s skewed eyes, we see her mature and fall in love, but she also describes escalating, unsettling occurrences reminiscent of biblical plagues. The unease and anxiety build relentlessly as artists leave and Cynthia’s hold on those who remain strengthens. Is she a caring motherly figure or Sylvia’s worst nightmare? It may be up to you to decide.

[ATLANTIC BOOK REVIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read through this book I felt a mounting dread that left me anxious to be finished with the turmoil happening on the pages and at the same time frightened to know how it would end. The forces of nature, belief, doubt, madness and belonging converge in this book in a way that left me drained as I strained to want a different ending than the actual ending.
The characters in this book are so damaged by their distorted realities and histories that I knew in my heart that it was only a matter of time before those realities turned into a force that led to nothing but heartache and disaster.
Art and its creation plays a significant part in this novel. The power of art to transform - to see things differently and to be different adds to the development of the novel's tension.
The story flows like honey - smooth, beautifully colored and thick - with perfect timing, just as the bees transform their collected nectar into the rich product that The Honey Farm harvests.
The Honey Farm left me breathless. The Honey Farm left me broken. The Honey Farm left me wanting such a different ending, but Harriet Alida Lye gave me the only ending possible in this stunning debut novel.

[Jim Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set near Smooth Rock Falls in Northern Ontario, The Honey Farm is a delightful and mistily enigmatic story that progresses over the course of a drought-stricken year on a small honey farm. The farm itself is owned by Cynthia and the sole permanent worker there is a local man named Hartford. To help with the harvesting of the honey and the maintenance of the farm itself, Cynthia posts an advertisement promoting the farm as an "artists retreat" where, in exchange for their labour, they will get free room & board. In their free time, they can practice their art in quiet, peaceful surroundings.

[Jennie Falen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first 1/2 of the book quite a lot, but feel it lost ground after that. I had expected more about bees, and felt some of the farm characters could have been left out--they were not well-developed. The ending was a disappointment--it was sudden and left me wondering what happened. I do think this author can write beautifully, but in this story her abilities were not consistent.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a strange book. Strange, strange, strange. The writing is very sensory and atmospheric and I was oddly compelled to keep reading. There is a lot of biblical imagery and symbolism mainly related to the 10 plagues in Exodus (but then there is a verse from John, the story of Samson and the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah) going on, and I frankly don’t get it at all.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A triumph. Dark and sticky and also light and sweet, balanced in the most artful ways. An ending that left me unmoored and troubled in the best way. Characters who whipsawed from benign to sinister back to benign again. A tense read.

[Sean C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Honey Farm" by Harriet Alida Lye is a richly constructed, evocative meditation on love, power and nature.

It's Ontario farm setting is atmospheric and vivid. Its reclusively is equal parts peaceful and claustrophobic. The description of the bees and beekeeping is deft and meticulous. The owner of the farm, Cynthia, is the novels finest feature. Lye uses her sparsely and effectively through-ought, and though we don't trust her, her certainty and passion are tantalizing. Lye' writing style is lush and delicate. She takes her time and you'll find yourself savouring her similes and scenic descriptions. The novel also feels distinctly Canadian. She captures the spirit of rural Ontario gloriously.

Some minor gripes would be the novels slight over reliance on suspense-genre cliches (She thought she saw a shadow but it was just a trick of the light) and religious imagery. Nonetheless, this is a highly promising debut from a fresh Canadian talent. Read it to feel inspired, a little disturbed and deeply engaged.

[Megan Aruta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not disappointed by this book. A debut from a young author, The Honey Farm is well-researched and subtly informs a reader on the lifecycles of bees, on the role of a queen bee, and the ways in which humans interact with bees.

However, this aspect of the book is just one layer of what felt like a twenty-five layer cake. On one hand, the tone is eerie and gives a reader the feeling of being off-kilter the entire time, but, on the other, the actual premise brings together people from many different backgrounds to live a familial existence on a quaint farm. Along the way, the book also addresses religion, nature versus nurture, creativity and artistry, power dynamics, and so many more interesting topics. I am starry-eyed by Lye's ability to meld all of these themes and so many more together to create a coherent, enchanting novel.

I took slight issue with the ending, but I delve into that more in my full review.

FULL REVIEW HERE: http://meganprokott.com/the-honey-far...