Bee Season

Eliza Naumann, a nine-year-old with no special talents, believes she will never fit in with her intelligent family: her brother Aaron, who is her father's spiritual emissary; her mother Miriam, a clever but reclusive lawyer. Her father Saul is an autodidact who is deeply interested in studying Jewish mysticism. However, Saul interprets Eliza's rapid success in winning both her school and district spelling bees as a sign that she is destined for greatness. In this new world, Saul welcomes her into his sacred study and shows her the kind of care that was previously only given to Aaron, who, after being uprooted, sets off on a solitary journey to find spiritual enlightenment. Eliza is forced to restore order after a family outburst caused by Miriam's hidden existence.

Eliza's trip takes on three dimensions because to Myla Goldberg's meticulous attention to detail. Eliza's minor sufferings and great pleasures are masterfully rendered and profoundly felt as she ascends from the darkness of the classroom to the dazzling lights and exaggerated expectations of the National Bee.

In addition to being a coming-of-age tale, Goldberg's first book deftly explores the disintegrating dynamics of a single family. The conclusion of this story is as unexpected and out of the ordinary as her writing, which employs metaphors with maturity and sharpness. Bee Season heralds the birth of a very remarkable new writer. It is the work of a lyrical and skilled storyteller.