This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 In a market flooded with dystopian novels I can guarantee you've never read one like this before. 
 The Bees is a metaphorical dystopia. The characters aren't women, men or children. They're actual bees. And I have to admit this made me a bit skeptical at first. What could a story about bees have to say about humanity and relationships? But then I saw it compared to The Handmaid's Tale (one of my favourite novels) I thought I should give it a chance. 
 And I'm glad I did because The Bees was a fascinating and dark story. The protagonist is Flora 717. She's a sanitation worker in the hive. The bottom rung of the ladder. But unlike all of her kin Flora 717 is unwilling to simply accept her lot in life. She wants more and she begins moving her way through the hive - first the nursery, then everything from attending the males to becoming a forager. Through Flora's travels the reader is exposed to the full complexity of the hive and the way different groups are treated within it. There is a very rigid pecking order in the hive and those who rank above are never to be questioned. 
 At the top of the pecking order is The Queen and royal males. This is where the comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale really come into play. The Queen is all powerful and also the only one allowed to breed. Anyone else who does so, even if they produce a perfect male (valued above all other kinds of bee) is put to death. Anyone who is deformed or unable to perform their designated tasks is also put to death. The Queen's guards rule with an iron fist and there is no room for individual thought or identity - something that makes Flora 717's life very difficult. The only exception to these authoritarian rules are the males. They live like spoiled royalty - they're given the best food, are attended on by young female bees and have the run of the hive. But they seem to contribute less than all of the female worker bees. Particularly the foragers. It's easy to see the parallels to other dystopian novel in these interactions. 
 Though The Bees was an incredibly interesting and thought provoking read, unlike some other novels with animal protagonists, like Watership Down or Yok, I was never truly able to connect with the characters. There were moments I felt bad for Flora 717 but it didn't go much further than that. The story didn't have that same emotional bite that some others do. I could never really get past that these were bees I was reading about. 
 The Bees is a great book if you're the kind of person who likes to analyze and discuss what you're reading. So if you prefer books with strong messages and unique style than I highly recommend you give The Bees a try. However, if you prefer books that are more stirring and emotive in tone you may find The Bees lacking. No matter what side you fall on however there is one thing I can guarantee - you will never look at a bee the same way again.