4 out of 4 stars
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The Bee Keeper's Daughter by Shian Serei is the initial journey of a Russian peasant named Maria, as a turn of tragic events forces her out of her home into hiding. To avoid capture by soldiers, she must travel North on the Volga River to find safety with relatives in a distant city. Maria is forced to grow up fast from a simple farm girl as a stowaway on a ship, meeting some incredible people along the way, as she struggles with past events in order to shape her future.
In this journey Maria meets a woman named Svetna who is a slave on this ship, cooking and cleaning in order to pay her deceased father's debts. Life as the only female on a ship is never easy, and Maria learns what it takes to survive. This story of full of passion, violence, and details the history of Russia from centuries ago.
I loved this book and connected to Maria quickly. There is a lot of sexual imagery portrayed early in this book, and I do not recommend it for young readers. The novel was originally written in Russian and still used Russian phrases throughout the book with a glossary of terms at the book's conclusion. This made for some confusing reading. It was well written, with few grammatical and spelling errors. This book is the first of five, so a lot of time was spent setting up the storyline.
A fascinating part of this book is the intricate look into a large commercial ship of the 19th or 20th century. The main character spends time on two different ships of different sizes, and I enjoyed learning how a commercial ship differed from a travel ship for tourists. I learned about the duties of the ship crew, including the captain, quartermaster, chaplain, cook, and captain's assistant. The novel gives a firsthand account of what happens when the ship reaches port, and how the ship is a type of community. For instance, when a member of the crew is murdered, a trial is held immediately with the captain acting as judge.
I give The Beekeeper's Daughter 4 out of 4 stars, for its' excellent pacing, fascinating storyline, and historical references. There is a considerable amount of sexual references, graphic violence, and profanity throughout the novel, so proceed with caution. I recommend this book for mature readers who are interested in a passionate tale of a girl in Russia learning how to grow up in the worst way possible.
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The Bee Keeper's Daughter
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