Sunday, October 16, 2011

Little Bee

I am currently reading the book Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Originally this was not the book I was reading, but one choice reading class I picked it up quickly to read the first page. I was just curious on what it was about because I know Ms. Barnacle had read it last year. The next thing I knew Chloe was tapping me on the shoulder telling me choice read was over and to put my book away. I was amazed at how quickly this book drew me in.

This book starts off with the main character Little Bee (which is not her real name) wishing she were a british coin. She says that everyone is happy to see a coin and sad to see it go. These coins travel all over, and where ever they go they are welcome. Also Little Bee focuses a lot on the way she speaks. She says she has to speak "The Queen's English" and that it saves her life.

Little Bee has been kept in a detention center for two years, because she is a refugee from Nigeria and has no immigration papers. She is released with a few other girls, and Little bee calls them a taxi. They have a hard time with the taxi driver, and Little Bee call a man named Andrew who believes that it is not really her.

The next part of the book is by Andrew's wife Sarah and their son Charlie, who only answers to Batman. Andrew hangs himself and Little Bee shows up at their house. Sarah cannot bring herself to explain the her son his fathers death. Sarah mentions a trip her and Andrew took to Nigeria and that her finger is missing. Then Sarah continues to talk about the funeral and how Little Bee is with her.

Out of nowhere, Charlie figures out that they are burying his father when everyone is at the graveyard. Charlie jumps into the hole screaming to get his father out of the coffin. Little Bee jumps in after him and hands him up to his mother. This was very tramatic for Sarah.

This book has really intrigued me a lot, and even though I haven't gotten far, I am enjoying it.