The History of Bees by Maja Lunde

In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees - and to their children and one another - against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.

That tiny hour was all we had, and in that tiny hour, perhaps I could make a difference. Sow a seed that would give him the opportunity that I myself had never had.

England, 1851. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive-one that will give both him and his children honour and fame.

United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation.

China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao's young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident - and is kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition - she sets out on a gruelling journey to find out what happened to him.

Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought-provoking story that is just as much about the powerful relationships between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity. Inexpressibly moving and utterly haunting, it’s a book about the very real threat of ecological disaster and our attempts to remain connected in a changing, ever-more chaotic world.

The debut novel of Norwegian author and screenwriter Maja Lunde, The History of Bees became a bestseller across Europe after it was published in 2015 and was the first debut to win the prestigious Bokhandlerprisen (Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize).