The Honey Farm

February 19, 2018
An aura of mystery, faintly tinged with menace, permeates Canadian author Lye’s sensuous debut novel set in a remote, drought-imperiled part of Ontario. Farm owner Cynthia has attracted some desperately needed extra hands by advertising free artists’ residencies in exchange for farm work. A couple of the young arrivals quickly determine that the exhausting daily round of gardening, beekeeping, and other chores leaves scant time for creative pursuits (or anything else) and split. But Ibrahim, a painter from Toronto, and Halifax native Silvia, nominally an aspiring poet but mostly a directionless recent college grad chafing at her rigidly Christian parents’ expectations, embrace the opportunity and, eventually, each other. Casting a shadow over everything, however, is queen bee Cynthia, who may have a hidden agenda hinted at by references to her vanished former partner, Hilary—apparently a dead ringer for Silvia. Though the plot falters somewhat toward the finish, Lye offers an achingly lyrical excursion into a lost Eden. Agent: Stephanie Sinclair, Transatlantic Literary Agency (Canada).

March 15, 2018
Two young artists grapple with love, purpose, and identity in a paradise turned sinister.In Lye's debut novel, a once-prosperous, now-troubled farm--known as The Honey Farm--is beset by problems of biblical proportions: frog-filled lakes, lice infestations, and diseased livestock. In an effort to save her land of milk and honey, the farm's enigmatic owner, Cynthia, and her assistant, Hartford, offer the property as an artist's retreat in exchange for manual labor. The summer brings together a group of artists including Silvia, a recent college graduate fleeing her religious family, and Ibrahim, an artist for whom "nothing exists...until he paints it." As the two grow closer, they slowly learn about Cynthia's past--and begin to see glimpses of a looming danger. For every intricate description of a delicate honeycomb, there's a worrisome image like hundreds of dead bees. The good exists among the bad; the light balances the dark. Short chapters, which shift between Silvia's and Ibrahim's points of view, help build suspense. As the book races to its close, the secrets beneath the surface begin to buzz as loudly as a bees nest. For a psychological thriller, the novel sometimes shows its hand too much, making the characters seem naïve or willfully ignorant. Despite this, there's a lot that's done right: the use of biblical verses and stories; the meticulous rendering of the farm; the unsettling tone woven throughout. Most important is Lye's lush, poetic prose, which soars off the page: "the earth soaks up water like someone thirsty for love," and "the world breaks and heals itself again, eternally." Each lyrical line feels like a gift left at the reader's altar.A honey-mouthed debut ruminating on creation, possession, and faith.

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May 1, 2018

A mixed crew of young writers, artists, and dreamers impulsively answer a classified ad to live at an "artists' colony" in remote northeastern Ontario that promises free room and board in exchange for labor. Cynthia, the honey farm's enigmatic leader, needs many hands to keep her business alive during a devastating drought. The farm-fresh produce, bountiful larder, and idyllic views sustain the newcomers initially, but before long warning signs arise. The heat is unrelenting. Water in the taps runs red like blood. Thousands of frogs rise from a nearby lake. Soon Ibrahim, a talented painter, and Silvia, his innocent muse, are the only ones remaining with Cynthia and acolyte Hartford. Ibrahim and Silvia seem impossibly naïve, slow to react as the situation degenerates. As the bees start to swarm, one senses that all is not sweet despite the honey that drips from every comb. Brief chapters cut from character to character, building tension. VERDICT Brooding and suspenseful, this first novel works best as a literary horror story. Although the characters seem distant and their motivations largely unexamined, the bee motif is strong throughout, and the biblical references, while obvious, are ominous. [Previewed in Barbara Hoffert's "Spring/Summer Bests," LJ 3/1/18.]--Christine Perkins, Whatcom Cty. Lib. Syst., Bellingham, WA

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
Cynthia's honey farm in rural Ontario has been dealing with months of drought, and she and her assistant, Hartford, need help with the upcoming summer harvest season. They advertise the farm as an artists' retreat, where painters, writers, and others can live for free in exchange for their labor, and soon a dozen artists from across Canada arrive. Silvia, who applied as a writer, though she has no writing experience, recently graduated from college and wants to escape her religious parents. Ibrahim spends his nights painting massive works on pieces of found cardboard. The two are immediately drawn to each other at the isolated farm. As Silvia and Ibrahim thrive, though, the other artists begin to question Cynthia's demands as well as her disregard for the odd things that begin to happen on the farm, such as when the water turns blood-colored for a day. With a strong command of tone and a haunting sense of atmosphere, Lye's first novel will transfix readers. At times lyrical, biblical, and otherworldly, The Honey Farm is a suspenseful and well-crafted story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)