The Ardent Swarm

A beekeeper is shocked to find that his girls [the bees] were attacked. Mercilessly slain, leaving a scene of utter carnage. He does not know where this black hornet invasion came from or where it is coming from, but he is determined to protect his girls. Whether that means learning more about the enemy or looking for ways to better protect his girls [and himself – since it is a dangerous road] or doing both, he will do whatever it takes.

Sidi [the beekeeper] lives in a small village called Nawa. While he is trying to make sense of what is happening in his beautiful and sacred world of bees, unbeknown to him, the rest of the village is listening to the sweet-talking of politicians. The people of Nawa begin to experience hope – hope they never knew they needed. After all, had they even ever considered that anything mattered or existed in a way that mattered, beyond their little Nawa?

I love this fictional novel by Yamen Manai and how it plays with the image of the unfamiliar [though family to us the reader, in some ways], too-good-to-be-true sell. Politicians are good with promises, and as a dictator is removed, it turns out that the one voted for is a religious fundamentalist. Does democracy really mean a thing, bring tangible hope or is it merely a game of who has the money-bag [and therefore the numbers]?

What role could an old, quiet beekeeper play in altering the course of Nawa?

This was one quick and enjoyable read.