Eileen Garvin

Bees, boys, protests and joy wrapped in a great story!

Eileen Garvin shows her skill at storytelling as she immerses the reader in a small town, rural atmosphere. She uses a light hand with character back stories making them interesting, well developed and engaging along with metaphorical yet educational elements of bee keeping. The story focuses on Alice Holtzman, a woman who takes Jake, a wheelchair bound teen on as a boarder and teaches him bee keeping. In short time, as he learns the trade, his musical ear tells him buzzing in the key of G equates with a happy queen, hence the book's title. Soon after, a parolee in need of a job is hired and the two quickly become friends while Alice rallies both community and environmental groups to battle a pesticide corporation. While its not Pulitzer material, its well written, engaging, paced to perfection and uplifting which for someone like myself is ideal. For all who enjoy a great story, its well worth adding to your list!… (más)

This is ultimately an account of Eileen’s coming to terms with the effects of growing up with her severely autistic sister. Most of the book is about the difficulties autism imposed on the whole family. Eileen, being the youngest, had her whole identity infused with the struggles her sister went through. To me the book seemed poorly edited, with a lot of repetition. It seemed like several of the chapters were written as stand alone essays. There is a feeling of being thrown back to the start over and over with sister Margaret being put in situations she can’t handle. I would have like to read about Eileen’s gradual coming an understanding earlier. She writes about this beautifully.… (más)