All the Bees in the Hollows

Peta's Review 

"Neither the honey nor the bee for me." (Sapphṓ | fr. 146 Voigt)

This is a fragment preserved from the proverbs of the ancient Greek poet, Sappho (circa 620 BCE). Bees have been mentioned in mythology and folklore for centuries. Many religions believe bees are the spirit that resides in us; a manifestation of the divine intellect, possessing knowledge of Nature’s secrets and the secrets of creation.  At the centre of each hive is a queen, a sacred feminine centre from which fertility emanates. The queen bee is fecundity: she represents the Earth, a powerful symbol of fertility and production.

For centuries, beekeeping has been a domain in which women have been able to participate, to gain some autonomy and become financially independent. My fascination with bees began in earnest when I saw at the Napoleon Exhibition at the NGV in 2012, the Empress Josephine’s stunning coronation gown adorned with hundreds of tiny gold bees. Napoleon chose the bee as the emblem to represent his status as Emperor because they symbolised industrious habits, hard work, diligence and orderliness. Some cultures, ancient Lithuania in particular, worshipped a bee goddess. According to mythology, this goddess was called Austeja; and it is her fascination with this mythological goddess which set Lauren Keegan on a journey of discovery, resulting in her debut novel, All the Bees in the Hollows.

Set in 16th century Lithuania, All the Bees in the Hollows follows two women, Maryte, a bereaved widow, and her eldest daughter, Austeja. After the sudden death of her husband, Maryte she must prove to the Duchy authorities that she can continue as keeper of the family allotment of hives. Austeja, however, has little interest in the family business and dreams of escaping the claustrophobia of the close-knit beekeeping community. Her life is derailed one day when she stumbles on the eviscerated body of the Duchy’s Hollow Keeper (a sort of tax man of 16th century Lithuania). While much of the novel’s plot is basically a ‘whodunnit,’ Keegan also beautifully explores the nature of bees, traditional values under threat from the spread of Christianity, and the strength and importance of the mother’s work in maintaining these precious creatures.

All the Bees in the Hollows offers a new voice in Australian literature. If you like being transported back to another place and another time, this debut novel is a perfect choice. If you like a good crime mystery, Keegan delivers on this front as well. Her research is impressive; I for one have made some notes to follow up on various references. Bees are vital for our survival, and they demand our respect. Highly recommended. 

Publisher's Review 

An atmospheric, original, folkloric mystery set in a remote Lithuanian beekeeping community in the 16th century, from debut author Lauren Keegan. For fans of Hannah Kent's Burial Rites and Kate Forsyth's Bitter Greens.