The Poet and the Bees

★ “Novesky successfully refocuses the lens from Plath’s tragic death to the poet as artist, centering her hopeful ambition and keen relationship with nature. Attentive, deeply respectful, lovely.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “If the metaphorical freight looms large here, there is enough genuine feeling to keep it from sitting too heavily, and in the afterword the author returns to her opening thought by urging readers to look past the poet’s ‘legendary death’ to the rich, sweet words she left behind.” —Booklist, starred review

“The work leaves behind a sense of [Plath’s] solitude, competing demands on her time, and the way both hive and poet navigate seasonal change.” —Publishers Weekly

“The tension between Plath’s melancholic moods and lyrical poetry and the hopeful, careful process of beekeeping is captured beautifully.” —The Horn Book