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The Last Beekeeper
Reminds me of Khaled Hosseini, poignant and heartwarming. Simply a beautiful story that had me reading until 3:30 in the morning'' Sarah, NetGalley''I am a friend of the bees. Like you.''''So, you have been waiting for me?''''The forest has been waiting for you.''Pakistan, 1974: The secret-wreathed trees of Harikaya have always called to Hassan. He knows if he doesn''t find the last beekeeper and salvage a precious jar of his mythical black honey before the floods come, his mother will lose her sight.But then he wins a scholarship to study with the state governor in Karachi amidst a brewing storm of political turmoil and simmering espionage.His entire world is turned upside down when he meets Maryam, the governor''s niece visiting from London.All the while the fate of his mother and his promise to the bees calls him back to the forest, and so he must Maryam or the beekeeper, England or Pakistan, his head or his heart.One of the most exciting debuts of 2021, this is a lyrical historical novel of family, friendship, and self-discovery exploring the power of choice in a changing world and love in communion with nature. Perfect for fans of Christy Lefteri, Yann Martel, and Monique Roffey.Praise for The Last absolutely beautifully written novel'' Eszter, NetGalley''Magnificent and magical'' Kimberly, NetGalley''I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really appreciate the representation it gives my community'' Resham, NetGalley''Magnificent! Perfect for a long summer''s day spent in a hammock'' Literary Redhead, NetGalley''A beautiful story of finding hope'' Zoe, NetGalley''This is Siya Turabi''s debut novel. I fell in love with her lyrical writing, her vivid descriptions and her tale of family and friendship as well as her love of nature and the expression of its magic'' Norma, NetGalley''The story has a lot of magical elements and sort of a fairy tale feeling at times as poetry and the bees envelop Hassan'' Sara, NetGalley
400 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
August 19, 2021
Pakistan, 1974. Hassan is almost fourteen. With his mother’s failing sight, father and son go to the forest to collect black honey to cure her failing sight. But the black honeybees don’t like to share their honey. They’re wilder. Nevertheless, Hassan vows to get it to save his mother’s sight.
The government puts more restrictions and banning different traditions. It’s a dangerous time, when the government is seeking spies.
The chance for Hassan to have a better life is to further his education. The scholarship is his mother’s dream, but not Hassan’s. He wants to stay with his mother and take care of her. Nevertheless, the mother convinces him to go and to become a professional and this way helping his parents.
While studying, he meets the governor’s niece visiting from London, and his world is shaken.
Will he stay in Pakistan and keep his promise or go to London?
The story has an endearing aspect of love for family and wanting to take care of them. It has a good pace. Hassan is a likeable character, but I never got really attached to him. I wished his character was more developed.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The government puts more restrictions and banning different traditions. It’s a dangerous time, when the government is seeking spies.
The chance for Hassan to have a better life is to further his education. The scholarship is his mother’s dream, but not Hassan’s. He wants to stay with his mother and take care of her. Nevertheless, the mother convinces him to go and to become a professional and this way helping his parents.
While studying, he meets the governor’s niece visiting from London, and his world is shaken.
Will he stay in Pakistan and keep his promise or go to London?
The story has an endearing aspect of love for family and wanting to take care of them. It has a good pace. Hassan is a likeable character, but I never got really attached to him. I wished his character was more developed.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2022
Visit historic Pakistan, 1974 through this novel.
"This is a lyrical historical novel of family, friendship, and self-discovery exploring the power of choice in a changing world and love in communion with nature."
Hassan has a dilemma, he must find the last beekeeper, he is very elusive not making himself seen or available to anyone in his forest home. If he doesn't find the beekeeper so he can harvest a jar of miraculous black honey for his mother's eyes before the flood comes she will become completely blind.
This young man has his sights set on other things to improve his station in life as well. He wins a scholarship to study with the state governor in Karachi despite political turmoil and simmering espionage. He also meets and becomes interested in Maryam, the governor’s niece visiting from London. His father forbids him from going in search of the beekeeper and the healing honey for his mother's eye's. To not listen and disrespect his father's wishes is unheard of.
This young man has a lot of choices to make in this novel of self discovery.
Pub Date 19 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
"This is a lyrical historical novel of family, friendship, and self-discovery exploring the power of choice in a changing world and love in communion with nature."
Hassan has a dilemma, he must find the last beekeeper, he is very elusive not making himself seen or available to anyone in his forest home. If he doesn't find the beekeeper so he can harvest a jar of miraculous black honey for his mother's eyes before the flood comes she will become completely blind.
This young man has his sights set on other things to improve his station in life as well. He wins a scholarship to study with the state governor in Karachi despite political turmoil and simmering espionage. He also meets and becomes interested in Maryam, the governor’s niece visiting from London. His father forbids him from going in search of the beekeeper and the healing honey for his mother's eye's. To not listen and disrespect his father's wishes is unheard of.
This young man has a lot of choices to make in this novel of self discovery.
Pub Date 19 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
July 23, 2021
Hassan's Choice
Hassan has always loved the forest and his village of Harikaya in Pakistan. When his mother's eyesight fails he and his father go into the forest to find the black honey which will heal her eyes. It ends as a disaster and his father is taken away by guards for breaking the law and going into the forest when it was forbidden.
Hassan knows he must go into the forest and get the black honey for his mother before he rains come. The bees are calling to him, however, he wins a scholarship to study with the state governor in Karachi. While he is there the bees keep calling to him, but he meets the governor's niece Maryam and has a chance to go back to England with her and study.
Now he must choose, his mother and the bees or England and Maryam. Which choice will he make? Will he find the Beekeeper and the black honey and save his mother's sight or leave his village for a different life.
This is a story of a boy with a magical pull toward the bees and the forest. It is also the story of a boy's first love . He is a young person conflicted with his feelings and responsibilities. He doesn't know who to trust, his father is missing and he has no one to confide in other than his new friend Maryam.
Conflict is brewing in Pakistan and he is concerned with the safety of his mother, but his heart pulls him a different direction. It is a story of coming of age and of finding his way in life.
I liked the telling in the words of Hassan, reading of the customs of the Villagers in Pakistan and in the city. The description of the countryside and the forest was such I could experience the pictures in my mind. I could see the squander in the city. I could feel the hum of the bees in the hive . This is a beautifully written book.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Siya Turabi, Harper Collins, U.K. One more chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
Hassan has always loved the forest and his village of Harikaya in Pakistan. When his mother's eyesight fails he and his father go into the forest to find the black honey which will heal her eyes. It ends as a disaster and his father is taken away by guards for breaking the law and going into the forest when it was forbidden.
Hassan knows he must go into the forest and get the black honey for his mother before he rains come. The bees are calling to him, however, he wins a scholarship to study with the state governor in Karachi. While he is there the bees keep calling to him, but he meets the governor's niece Maryam and has a chance to go back to England with her and study.
Now he must choose, his mother and the bees or England and Maryam. Which choice will he make? Will he find the Beekeeper and the black honey and save his mother's sight or leave his village for a different life.
This is a story of a boy with a magical pull toward the bees and the forest. It is also the story of a boy's first love . He is a young person conflicted with his feelings and responsibilities. He doesn't know who to trust, his father is missing and he has no one to confide in other than his new friend Maryam.
Conflict is brewing in Pakistan and he is concerned with the safety of his mother, but his heart pulls him a different direction. It is a story of coming of age and of finding his way in life.
I liked the telling in the words of Hassan, reading of the customs of the Villagers in Pakistan and in the city. The description of the countryside and the forest was such I could experience the pictures in my mind. I could see the squander in the city. I could feel the hum of the bees in the hive . This is a beautifully written book.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Siya Turabi, Harper Collins, U.K. One more chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
July 9, 2021
I did not finish this book. I could not get interested in it at all. I made it about one-third of the way through it and have no idea what it is about. Not for me but thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.
July 4, 2021
Siya Turabi’s debut, which she started at age 40, is magnificent! I love the main character, Hassan, torn between finding Black Bee honey to preserve his mother’s eyesight, or following his new love, Maryam, to England.
Descriptions of 1974 Pakistan are so vibrant that you feel the tension of political intrigues, contrasted with the cool dark forest where healing honey is found.
Relationships and nature are at the heart of this compelling story, which grabbed me from the first. A lovely offering, perfect for a long summer’s day spent in a hammock.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 19 Aug 2021
Thanks to the author, HarperCollins, UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.
Descriptions of 1974 Pakistan are so vibrant that you feel the tension of political intrigues, contrasted with the cool dark forest where healing honey is found.
Relationships and nature are at the heart of this compelling story, which grabbed me from the first. A lovely offering, perfect for a long summer’s day spent in a hammock.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 19 Aug 2021
Thanks to the author, HarperCollins, UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.
August 19, 2021
Do you ever dream of becoming one with nature? The coming together of everything around you in perfect harmony. The soft buzzing of bees, the hexagonal and spiral shapes found throughout nature and your life. If you pay close enough attention. Softly drawing you into the world of the bee. A world of magic, mystery, and dancing. Siya Turabi brings the inner workings of the bees and their hive to life, through a young Pakistani teenager, Hassan, in the book The Last Beekeeper.
Hassan is an intelligent, caring, brave soul, who wants to do right by everyone in his life. He looks up to his father and wants to follow in his footsteps as a poet and harvester of honey. His mother's eyesight is deteriorating, due to glaucoma. Nothing they have done so far, has been able to save her sight. The only thing left to try is the magical healing powers of the black honey. It is only found in the depths of the forest, where legally no one is allowed to go. Due to the governor's laws or so the villagers are made to believe.
I was completely enraptured with the background story that was entwined with the mystical black bees. The turmoil that is brought on by the changes and greed that the Prime Minister is putting forth, is felt throughout Pakistan, and is an undercurrent running throughout the book. The Governor and Hassan have many discussions on how to improve Pakistan and linking it to what the bees would do if put in this situation. It is a fascinating tale of love, family, and the forces of nature. The only issue I had with the book were the in-depth descriptions of what was occurring within the hive, I tended to drift off a bit. Thank you to Siya Turabi, Harper Collins, and One More Chapter for this enchanting ARC.
Hassan is an intelligent, caring, brave soul, who wants to do right by everyone in his life. He looks up to his father and wants to follow in his footsteps as a poet and harvester of honey. His mother's eyesight is deteriorating, due to glaucoma. Nothing they have done so far, has been able to save her sight. The only thing left to try is the magical healing powers of the black honey. It is only found in the depths of the forest, where legally no one is allowed to go. Due to the governor's laws or so the villagers are made to believe.
I was completely enraptured with the background story that was entwined with the mystical black bees. The turmoil that is brought on by the changes and greed that the Prime Minister is putting forth, is felt throughout Pakistan, and is an undercurrent running throughout the book. The Governor and Hassan have many discussions on how to improve Pakistan and linking it to what the bees would do if put in this situation. It is a fascinating tale of love, family, and the forces of nature. The only issue I had with the book were the in-depth descriptions of what was occurring within the hive, I tended to drift off a bit. Thank you to Siya Turabi, Harper Collins, and One More Chapter for this enchanting ARC.
July 30, 2021
This book was really melodramatic and flat. I had so much trouble just simply even getting into the book, but I hate leaving unfinished books, so finish it, I had to.The whole mood was serious and somber and there were barely any emotions (excepting that one scene at the end that made my throat start hurting). Literally, there seemed to be only 2 characters: Hassan and Maryam. We could make a case for Mir Saab, Kulsoom, and the Chef, but honestly, the only two characters that even seemed to be alive were Hassan and Maryam. Hassan was too mature and serious for a 14 year old, but even so, maybe we could accept it because he often has to be the one looking out for his dad and taking care of him instead of the other way around. (He would make a better 18 year old or something; the book description is really misleading too, it makes him and Maryam seem older). The attraction he has with Maryam also: I don't know, it just made everything seem so much more mature. Why was she the only one to see his true self, why could no one else see when he was hurting? Which brings me to her: I don't know why, but Maryam kept coming across as a flirt. She kept touching Hassan unnecessarily, and also felt too mature. At the way they came across, they might as well have gotten married.
Also, this book was supposed to be about Pakistani Muslim characters, but it just seemed so lacking. There were a few Urdu words, but not as much to be considered "Pakistani-rep". There was also no reference to actual Muslim vocabulary, like instead of saying "prayer rug" or "beads" or something else like that, I would've liked the words to be said in their original manner. The descriptions were so lacking; instead of talking about Hassan's "waistcoat", use the actual word, and describe what the people at the wedding were wearing instead of just saying that they were wearing nice clothes or just saying nothing at all.
While the first 50% of the book could put anyone to sleep, the latter half picks up a little more speed, but even so, everything seemed to be drawn out so much when we could've finished the book chapters ago. There's only three things I guess that I actually liked about the book:
1. Mir Saab, Hassan, and his father's affinity for nature
2. The ending, or more so, the decision of Hassan's choice. Not the other thing that happened and made my throat tight.
(Oh, and I also liked Sami, but she barely makes an appearance, so, half, I guess?)
3. This one scene that was so relatably funny:
"The distant family came in, one by one in a line, each wearing a chiffon scarf hanging loosely over her hair and smiling and giggling like schoolgirls without a teacher. Once seated, the head of the line said, ‘Dupattas off.’They removed their scarves and all of them smiled until one of them screamed, ‘There’s a boy in the room!’Hassan nearly choked on a biscuit –his third. Elbows bumped into other elbows as chiffon was flung back over hair. Giggles squeezed through multi-coloured veils. Heads were lowered and raised again to sneak a look at him. ‘Why are they…?’Maryam began. ‘Whenever there’s a boy…’Amina said. Hassan started to cough. ‘I’ll wait in the library.’He picked up a leaflet and waved at them before he slipped through the door, dodging the shower of giggles behind him.
They removed their scarves and all of them smiled until one of them screamed, ‘There’s a boy in the room!’ Hassan nearly choked on a biscuit – his third. Elbows bumped into other elbows as chiffon was flung back over hair. Giggles squeezed through multi-coloured veils. Heads were lowered and raised again to sneak a look at him. ‘Why are they…?’ Maryam began. ‘Whenever there’s a boy…’ Amina said. Hassan started to cough. ‘I’ll wait in the library.’ He picked up a leaflet and waved at them before he slipped through the door, dodging the shower of giggles behind him."
Also, this book was supposed to be about Pakistani Muslim characters, but it just seemed so lacking. There were a few Urdu words, but not as much to be considered "Pakistani-rep". There was also no reference to actual Muslim vocabulary, like instead of saying "prayer rug" or "beads" or something else like that, I would've liked the words to be said in their original manner. The descriptions were so lacking; instead of talking about Hassan's "waistcoat", use the actual word, and describe what the people at the wedding were wearing instead of just saying that they were wearing nice clothes or just saying nothing at all.
While the first 50% of the book could put anyone to sleep, the latter half picks up a little more speed, but even so, everything seemed to be drawn out so much when we could've finished the book chapters ago. There's only three things I guess that I actually liked about the book:
1. Mir Saab, Hassan, and his father's affinity for nature
2. The ending, or more so, the decision of Hassan's choice. Not the other thing that happened and made my throat tight.
(Oh, and I also liked Sami, but she barely makes an appearance, so, half, I guess?)
3. This one scene that was so relatably funny:
"The distant family came in, one by one in a line, each wearing a chiffon scarf hanging loosely over her hair and smiling and giggling like schoolgirls without a teacher. Once seated, the head of the line said, ‘Dupattas off.’They removed their scarves and all of them smiled until one of them screamed, ‘There’s a boy in the room!’Hassan nearly choked on a biscuit –his third. Elbows bumped into other elbows as chiffon was flung back over hair. Giggles squeezed through multi-coloured veils. Heads were lowered and raised again to sneak a look at him. ‘Why are they…?’Maryam began. ‘Whenever there’s a boy…’Amina said. Hassan started to cough. ‘I’ll wait in the library.’He picked up a leaflet and waved at them before he slipped through the door, dodging the shower of giggles behind him.
They removed their scarves and all of them smiled until one of them screamed, ‘There’s a boy in the room!’ Hassan nearly choked on a biscuit – his third. Elbows bumped into other elbows as chiffon was flung back over hair. Giggles squeezed through multi-coloured veils. Heads were lowered and raised again to sneak a look at him. ‘Why are they…?’ Maryam began. ‘Whenever there’s a boy…’ Amina said. Hassan started to cough. ‘I’ll wait in the library.’ He picked up a leaflet and waved at them before he slipped through the door, dodging the shower of giggles behind him."
July 14, 2021
‘I am a friend of the bees. Like you.’
‘So, you have been waiting for me?’
‘The forest has been waiting for you.’
The forests outside his village in Pakistan have always lured Hassan. His quest to find the last beekeeper and the mythical black honey before the floods come, is born from the urgency to prevent his mother from losing her sight. As her glaucoma progresses, Hassan is willing to break promises and local laws.
A keen student, he wins the scholarship and furthers his studies in Karachi where he meets the governor’s niece, Maryam, from London and falls in love. Again, Hassan faces difficult choices. Does he choose Maryam and England or the beekeeper and Pakistan? You’ll have to read to find out!
This is Siya Turabi’s debut novel – one she began at 40 years old! It’s never to late to follow a dream! I fell in love with her lyrical writing, her vivid descriptions and her tale of family and friendship as well as her love of nature and the expression of its magic. Hassan’s story is set in 1974 in Harikaya village, Pakistan amidst growing political tensions.
Publishes August 19, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Siya Turabi, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
‘So, you have been waiting for me?’
‘The forest has been waiting for you.’
The forests outside his village in Pakistan have always lured Hassan. His quest to find the last beekeeper and the mythical black honey before the floods come, is born from the urgency to prevent his mother from losing her sight. As her glaucoma progresses, Hassan is willing to break promises and local laws.
A keen student, he wins the scholarship and furthers his studies in Karachi where he meets the governor’s niece, Maryam, from London and falls in love. Again, Hassan faces difficult choices. Does he choose Maryam and England or the beekeeper and Pakistan? You’ll have to read to find out!
This is Siya Turabi’s debut novel – one she began at 40 years old! It’s never to late to follow a dream! I fell in love with her lyrical writing, her vivid descriptions and her tale of family and friendship as well as her love of nature and the expression of its magic. Hassan’s story is set in 1974 in Harikaya village, Pakistan amidst growing political tensions.
Publishes August 19, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Siya Turabi, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 4, 2021
This started a little slow for me in the first chapters, but once they went to the forbidden forest, my attention perked right up. There's a great quote;
"The forest is the greatest teacher. If you can survive here, only then will you understand the world."
Hassan is a dutiful son who wants to save his mother's eyesight. The forbidden forest holds bees who make a black honey reputed to have healing powers. His father takes him there and things don't all go well, but the small amount of honey they come back with proves it will help his mother.
It's an unusual story with a folktale vibe to it. Hassan has a hard choice to make, to pursue his career or to help his mother. It's a captivating tale and well worth a read.
"The forest is the greatest teacher. If you can survive here, only then will you understand the world."
Hassan is a dutiful son who wants to save his mother's eyesight. The forbidden forest holds bees who make a black honey reputed to have healing powers. His father takes him there and things don't all go well, but the small amount of honey they come back with proves it will help his mother.
It's an unusual story with a folktale vibe to it. Hassan has a hard choice to make, to pursue his career or to help his mother. It's a captivating tale and well worth a read.
July 31, 2021
Whilst I did enjoy parts of this book and it had a nice writing style to it I just found the storyline was a little lacking and I found myself waiting for something more to happen but it never did.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2022
I did not enjoy this book. Would not recommend.
August 17, 2021
While this was a slow paced book, I enjoyed the writing style immensely.
There are a variety of characters to connect with and enjoy. The story is set in Pakistan and is told from a teenage point of view (Hassan) who wins a scholarship but only wishes to help his mother and determine where he stands with the bees.
This felt like a coming of age story through and through. The choices one must make to define themselves while staking out who they are to the public. Hassan faces a difficulty we all must face in life and in turn then allow the consequences to play out. I enjoyed seeing him on this journey.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for allowing to read the e-arc.
There are a variety of characters to connect with and enjoy. The story is set in Pakistan and is told from a teenage point of view (Hassan) who wins a scholarship but only wishes to help his mother and determine where he stands with the bees.
This felt like a coming of age story through and through. The choices one must make to define themselves while staking out who they are to the public. Hassan faces a difficulty we all must face in life and in turn then allow the consequences to play out. I enjoyed seeing him on this journey.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for allowing to read the e-arc.
August 18, 2022
So goood! Of course I love bees so I enjoy reading and learning about them. This is a mystical story full of light and friendship between different cultures. It is a story of lies and deception also and family bonds. The setting is Pakistan in the ‘70’s when there was fear among those in charge and those who worked the factories- poetry brings them to community.
August 16, 2021
This is such a beautifully crafted book. The descriptions are poetic, the author tell a story, but the writing paints a picture in your mind. The beauty of the bees, nature, relationships and people are laid out through this heartbreaking tale. Love and expectations are played off against each other and honour and duty are explained in actions. Hard choices have to be made, but I think the ending was fitting fit this book. It could have ended as a love story, but the tale and lives of the bees meant too much. A really poetic book.
March 8, 2022
This is a first novel and it shows. The pace is extremely slow, the plot is not well developed or believable, and the characters lack depth. Beyond that, the story is hard to follow at times with gaps between the author's thoughts and the words that ended up on the page. It jumps around so much that at times I felt I had missed something. In going back to re-read sections, it was clear that was not the case. The author simply did not do a good job of connecting the dots. I liked the premise of this book. Sadly, it was not an enjoyable read.
June 21, 2022
Just awful.
February 26, 2023
Meh. I found the characters to be flat on development, and the story dragged on a little too long. I skipped chunks and was still able to follow along.
September 21, 2021
This book is great on history part; it took me to a time, of which I had knowledge, but very little belonging, this story provided me to that missing intimacy on that subject. The Last Beekeeper is a story of a teenage boy; Hasan, who is trying to do everything he can, just to provide black honey to his mother; who is losing her eyesight gradually. And in doing so, he met people, lost people, learnt a lot, fell in love, let go of it and what not; but in the end just being able to do what he wanted, reaching where he always thought he belonged and getting a title he never thought of, make this story a happy ending. I don’t know why, but I expect intense pain, to witness most brutal side of humans and then see it go down by just a gesture of humanity, words which make me cry, characters which make me feel, stories that let me connect; these all together-defines a great book for me, and as much as I loved the writing of this one, I can’t yet confidently say that I am all ‘go for it’ for this book.
In between poems or just poetic lines were great, they let me consume the character’s situation, their dilemma. The story talks abundantly about nature and bees; it was awesome to read bee’s nature, how they work, how they move, how they make a hive, how a queen is made among them and how only they can allow you to bond with them. Though, Hasan’s father part was so less, but even in that few instances it was clear that relationship between Hasan and his father was so cultivated.
General English, brilliant writing, indulging but not intriguing, predictable and history; this book, if read would make you feel good, but specifically picking this up with high expectations might leave you disappointed.
In between poems or just poetic lines were great, they let me consume the character’s situation, their dilemma. The story talks abundantly about nature and bees; it was awesome to read bee’s nature, how they work, how they move, how they make a hive, how a queen is made among them and how only they can allow you to bond with them. Though, Hasan’s father part was so less, but even in that few instances it was clear that relationship between Hasan and his father was so cultivated.
General English, brilliant writing, indulging but not intriguing, predictable and history; this book, if read would make you feel good, but specifically picking this up with high expectations might leave you disappointed.
August 3, 2023
I loved this book, and l find it hard to believe it has not been more widely read. Hassan is a beautiful child whose Father is happiest in the Forrest which inspires his poetry, he is also concerned re politics of Pakistan. His wife is loosing her eye sight and her Husband and son throughout the book go in search of the mythical black honey that had healing properties for her eyes. Hassan wins a Scholasjip to study with the State Governor and this sets him on a devised quest for doing something worthwhile with his life and wanting to help his Mother’s eyes. Their is a magical quality to this book with the under story of the bees and their mysterious pull on people, thier peace and oneness, set against the political unrest of Pakistan and corruption. Beautifully written, this book should be more widely read, do many lessons of peace and harmony in this book, a book of love and integrity.
December 19, 2021
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was ready to love this book about Pakistan in the early 1970's but the truth is I had a really hard time getting through this one. This comes across a little too mystical and spiritual for me. It just wasn't the book for me although I'm sure many people will enjoy the story.
I was ready to love this book about Pakistan in the early 1970's but the truth is I had a really hard time getting through this one. This comes across a little too mystical and spiritual for me. It just wasn't the book for me although I'm sure many people will enjoy the story.
May 15, 2023
A great debut novel by the author. It started off a bit slow but hit its stride and carried the momentum to the end.
The writing style was beautiful and poetic. The story itself was really well done. A boys choice in life, love, loss, and hope. I loved the relationship between Hassan and the bees and the relationship to nature overall. Great story. Would recommend.
The writing style was beautiful and poetic. The story itself was really well done. A boys choice in life, love, loss, and hope. I loved the relationship between Hassan and the bees and the relationship to nature overall. Great story. Would recommend.
December 21, 2023
Like a thousand splendid suns this book made me turn the book automatically. I loved how it drew me in. The book is written in such a magical way. This man has a talent for storytelling.
February 12, 2023
Great read wonderful descriptive writing with great depth into traditions
July 26, 2021
Hassan must take up where his father failed - he must go into the forest for the black honey for his mother's eyes. But there are new laws forbidding going into the forest. And then he meets a young woman from England who invites him to join her in a new life. Hassan must learn to use his head or his heart to guide him.
September 21, 2021
Forrests are forbidden to people in Pakistan. But Hassan needs black honey to save his mother's eyes when nothing else can. Hasan and his father take the risk but things go wrong. During all this Hassan gets an opportunity to study in London. He needs to make choice between his mother and better education & life.
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The most positive thing about book is easy writing style and poems. It also maintains the good pace from the beginning, but I wish there was more story. Story felt flat and it was hard to connect with the charecters and their emotions. I never felt a thing for them. It lacked the required depth.
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The most positive thing about book is easy writing style and poems. It also maintains the good pace from the beginning, but I wish there was more story. Story felt flat and it was hard to connect with the charecters and their emotions. I never felt a thing for them. It lacked the required depth.
August 22, 2021
I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent novel from Netgalley, Siya Turabi, and HarperCollins UK - One More Chapter. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and the review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Siya Turabi writes a clear, clean look into a different age, a different world. Even tree huggers will find their curiosity grow about the nature of the life of bees, and those not familiar with that world will be awakened to the need to protect these tiny pollinators.
Pakistan, spring of 1984, and we are seeing the world through the eyes and mind of 14-year-old villager Hassan. His father has disappeared following a fall from a great height, and his mother is quickly going blind from glaucoma. Hassan is certain that the honey of black bees, very rare, will help his mother. And he is certain that there is a hive of black bees in the forbidden forest adjoining his village. He and his father had located the hive, but his father was injured while trying to harvest the honey. He must find it again, despite the scholarship to a school in Karachi. But the cards are stacked against him - Mir Saab, the man in charge of Harikaya, his village in Harikaya state, Sindh Province, Pakistan has forbidden the villagers to enter the forest in a move to protect the wildlife living there. Hassad must get back to the village, find the current beekeeper in the forest, find that nest, and harvest the honey for his mother without getting caught. And he must decide the path to his future - is it in London with the family of his new friend Maryam, or in the forest? It is a hard decision for a boy so young, he must weigh his options carefully.
pub date August 19, 2021
HarperCollins UK - One More Chapter
Reviewed on August 22, 2021, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Pakistan, spring of 1984, and we are seeing the world through the eyes and mind of 14-year-old villager Hassan. His father has disappeared following a fall from a great height, and his mother is quickly going blind from glaucoma. Hassan is certain that the honey of black bees, very rare, will help his mother. And he is certain that there is a hive of black bees in the forbidden forest adjoining his village. He and his father had located the hive, but his father was injured while trying to harvest the honey. He must find it again, despite the scholarship to a school in Karachi. But the cards are stacked against him - Mir Saab, the man in charge of Harikaya, his village in Harikaya state, Sindh Province, Pakistan has forbidden the villagers to enter the forest in a move to protect the wildlife living there. Hassad must get back to the village, find the current beekeeper in the forest, find that nest, and harvest the honey for his mother without getting caught. And he must decide the path to his future - is it in London with the family of his new friend Maryam, or in the forest? It is a hard decision for a boy so young, he must weigh his options carefully.
pub date August 19, 2021
HarperCollins UK - One More Chapter
Reviewed on August 22, 2021, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
January 15, 2022
3.5 stars: So many people loved this book and while I enjoyed the lyrical story, especially when talking about the bees, it was just an okay read for me. Hassan is a young man who is intelligent, caring, and brave. He wants to make everyone happy as well as support his family. He looks up to his father and wants to follow in his footsteps as a poet and harvester of honey. His mother's eyesight is deteriorating, and he is positive that only the magic healing power of the black honey will stop her from going blind. He needs to find the bees and the beekeeper deep in the forest. The problem is that the governor has made it illegal to enter the forest. Hassan wins a scholarship to attend school in Karachi where he meets the governor’s niece, Maryam, from London and falls in love. More choices for him - follow Maryam to England or find the beekeeper and remain in Pakistan? With conflict brewing in Pakistan, his father missing and his mother's safety at risk what will he choose. It is a story of coming of age and of finding his way in life.
When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought there would be more about what Pakistan was going through, but this was more about Hassan and his relationship with the bees. The author talks about the bees calling him. The soft buzzing of bees, the hexagonal and spiral shapes found throughout nature and being drawn into their world. It is a magical relationship. It was a beautiful descriptive novel that brings the reader into nature. There are many characters to meet, but Hassan is the only one fully developed. I did like learning about the customs in his small village and some of what the political climate and issues were in 1974 Pakistan, but more than anything else, this was a coming of age story. I did a read listen with this book and found myself reading more of the book because it was very slow moving. The narrator, Devesh Kishore, did a wonderful job with the voices, expression and emotion of the story.
When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought there would be more about what Pakistan was going through, but this was more about Hassan and his relationship with the bees. The author talks about the bees calling him. The soft buzzing of bees, the hexagonal and spiral shapes found throughout nature and being drawn into their world. It is a magical relationship. It was a beautiful descriptive novel that brings the reader into nature. There are many characters to meet, but Hassan is the only one fully developed. I did like learning about the customs in his small village and some of what the political climate and issues were in 1974 Pakistan, but more than anything else, this was a coming of age story. I did a read listen with this book and found myself reading more of the book because it was very slow moving. The narrator, Devesh Kishore, did a wonderful job with the voices, expression and emotion of the story.
July 7, 2021
I received a free e-ARC through Netgalley.
This story is set in Pakistan and is told from the POV of a teen boy Hassan who is desperate to find the honey of the black honeybee to save his mother's eyesight as glaucoma sets in. The story has a lot of magical elements and sort of a fairy tale feeling at times as poetry and the bees envelop Hassan as he searches for his missing father and the cure for his mother. I did enjoy the way the story and the magic flowed together into one cohesive volume despite not normally being a magic lover. There is something magical about nature that weaves us together.
This story is set in Pakistan and is told from the POV of a teen boy Hassan who is desperate to find the honey of the black honeybee to save his mother's eyesight as glaucoma sets in. The story has a lot of magical elements and sort of a fairy tale feeling at times as poetry and the bees envelop Hassan as he searches for his missing father and the cure for his mother. I did enjoy the way the story and the magic flowed together into one cohesive volume despite not normally being a magic lover. There is something magical about nature that weaves us together.
July 3, 2021
This book started slow but it quickly had me enraptured. I loved the variety of characters with Hassan making a wonderful main character. The author created a beautiful story that covers love, family and the importance of nature. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the bees. The setting in Pakistan was unique and enlightened me on some of the countries history. This book reminds me of books by Khalid Hosseini, poignant and heartwarming.
Hassan is a strong character even though he is just a teen and he is so eager to learn everything he can while constantly thinking of his Amma and Baba. The lure of the elusive Black Bees is always there and I love how the author entwined Hassan and the bees. The entire book teaches how we can live together peacefully and how important nature is too us.
Simply a beautiful story that had me reading it until 3:30 in the morning. Thank you to One More Chapter for inviting me to read this poignant story.
Hassan is a strong character even though he is just a teen and he is so eager to learn everything he can while constantly thinking of his Amma and Baba. The lure of the elusive Black Bees is always there and I love how the author entwined Hassan and the bees. The entire book teaches how we can live together peacefully and how important nature is too us.
Simply a beautiful story that had me reading it until 3:30 in the morning. Thank you to One More Chapter for inviting me to read this poignant story.
March 13, 2022
Lyrical, mystical and historical with underlay of environmental notation best describes my experience with The Last Bee Keeper.
A journey, a choice and an education are on offer.
Hassan, a teenage lad growing up in rural Pakistan in the 1970’s has an affinity with nature, animals and in particular bees.
The black bee is very rare and unique to Pakistan.
He needs to retrieve some honey from their hive to help his mother’s ailing eye sight. The mission to find them and the old man who is known as the Bee keeper becomes urgent before the flooding rains.
Winning a scholarship to a school in Karachi, meeting a girl friend and having to make a tough decision all present challenges.
Guided by legend and the poets he forges ahead.
The importance and beauty of bees is aligned to a strong message how over population and loss of habitat will contribute to a downfall.
What an enjoyable read this was for me.
I love learning new things and reading about this era in a country I know little about was fascinating.
Pakistans own time line having an influence on how it’s people were adjusting politically and socially.
I spotted this at the store and was drawn to it and it didn’t disappoint.
A journey, a choice and an education are on offer.
Hassan, a teenage lad growing up in rural Pakistan in the 1970’s has an affinity with nature, animals and in particular bees.
The black bee is very rare and unique to Pakistan.
He needs to retrieve some honey from their hive to help his mother’s ailing eye sight. The mission to find them and the old man who is known as the Bee keeper becomes urgent before the flooding rains.
Winning a scholarship to a school in Karachi, meeting a girl friend and having to make a tough decision all present challenges.
Guided by legend and the poets he forges ahead.
The importance and beauty of bees is aligned to a strong message how over population and loss of habitat will contribute to a downfall.
What an enjoyable read this was for me.
I love learning new things and reading about this era in a country I know little about was fascinating.
Pakistans own time line having an influence on how it’s people were adjusting politically and socially.
I spotted this at the store and was drawn to it and it didn’t disappoint.
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