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The Secret if out---now you know If you enjoy the writing of Alice Walker or Jackson McCrae, then you're bound to like "Secret Life of Bees." Now I'm not the weepy type and I'm not into the goddess thing, but I read this book in a day and I was very impressed. It's true that some of the characters are not so well-developed and that the ending is more than a little abrupt, but disappointed readers of the book probably can't tolerate the mix of social commentary and magical realism that the author herself seems to struggle with at times. The strong parts of this book are the former: the safe and mysterious world into which Lily is admitted, where she can heal slowly from the terrible blows that life has dealt her, and the cult of the Black Madonna, which the earth-mother August saves from ridicule by making clear that the strength lies within each of us, not in the idol itself. The South Carolina 1964 stuff gives us a sense of place, nothing more. The book isn't about race, but Kidd is surely right to make clear that to white folks back then the idea of a white girl living in a black household would be indecent. This is a fine story, a real page-turner, and the best test of the book is that you want, at the end, to know more. What happens next? How does life unfold for August, now that June and May are, in their different ways, gone from the story-line? And will Lily turn into the writer she wants to be, or will she settle for beauty-school? Or is there a third possibility that life has now shown her? Anyway, great work for a first novel. Just needs to be careful not to try to get too many messages into the text. I would also like to suggest another great book that you'll enjoy, titled "The Children's Corner" by McCrae. It's equally moving and well written and bound to keep you interested with its shocking scenes, hilarious moments, and insight into the human heart.