Author(s): Craig Silvey

Aust Fiction

The highly anticipated new novel by the bestselling author of Jasper Jones. 'Find out who you are, and live that life.' Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below. At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette. The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. Slowly, we learn what led Sam and Vic to the bridge that night. Bonded by their suffering, each privately commits to the impossible task of saving the other. Honeybee is a heartbreaking, life-affirming novel that throws us headlong into a world of petty thefts, extortion plots, botched bank robberies, daring dog rescues and one spectacular drag show. At the heart of Honeybee is Sam: a solitary, resilient young person battling to navigate the world as their true self; ensnared by loyalty to a troubled mother, scarred by the volatility of a domineering stepfather, and confounded by the kindness of new alliances. Honeybee is a tender, profoundly moving novel, brimming with vivid characters and luminous words. It's about two lives forever changed by a chance encounter - one offering hope, the other redemption. It's about when to persevere, and when to be merciful, as Sam learns when to let go, and when to hold on.

MATILDA BOOKSHOP REVIEW

This is a much anticipated, tender and well crafted story of 14 yr old Sam Watson - a young person battling to find a sense of self within, let alone navigating what that means within our society. We meet Sam straddling a bridge fence, desperate and intent on ending his life. Sam notices Vic, an old man in the same spot on the bridge with the same intent but for different reasons. This is a definitive moment, a moment of connection across a void for both Sam and Vic but also for us as readers...this is only page one. Honeybee is a warm, honest, confronting and moving story that exposes forbidden problems that are worthy of broader discussion. Sam /Honeybee, Vic, Peter and Aggie will touch your hearts and stay with you long after the last page. I loved this book on so many levels. Kim