Review of 'The Honeys'

From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant.

Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions — and expectations — of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying — and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death.

But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.

Review

Mars heads back to his stifling and archaic summer camp in The Honeys to solve the mystery behind his sisters’ descent into madness, unraveling the camp’s dark secrets behind it.

Breaking Conformity

The story starts with Caroline, Mars’ twin sister, saying that she loves him right before she attempts to kill him. Fighting for his life, he clings to her, even as she launches them over the railing, crashing into a chandelier, leading to her death.

They said cancer in her brain caused her to act in such a way. But Mars has other ideas. Mars believes that the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy led to her death. Determined to figure it out, he makes his way back to the camp that once tried to burn him alive for being himself.

Mars is genderfluid, breaking away from the predetermined and socially imposed gender roles. He does his nails and wears sandals and crop tops. They are unapologetically themselves.

And I loved that.

Through Mars, the story is breaking apart those gender roles that put women in one position and men in other. Roles that pigeonhole people to unhappiness. There is a lot of thoughtfulness in the story as it begins with Mars remaking himself to be the macho male in the story to solve his sister’s murder. But, even she had a role to fill that was slowly killing her. The Honeys, the group of girls who tend to the bees, also have a role to fill that threatens to break them and kill them.

It is exciting to see Mars develop as a character and see La Sala break up from conformity and focus on building their personal identity.

Trippy

Much like with the cover, The Honeys is quite trippy. La Sala captures the eerie atmosphere and unsettling sense that something is wrong with the Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy. The woods have a powerful dark secret lurking within them, controlled by the Honeys.

Admittedly, there were times when the story’s pacing moved too quickly, allowing the readers to get lost. In addition, the transitions from scene to scene were not always clear as the story approached its ending. Sometimes it is unclear who we are supposed to be following or what is happening in a particular scene, forcing the reader to re-read pages.

The speed at which the reader must read the story is slower than the plot’s lighting pace.

Final Thoughts

The Honeys is certainly a trippy novel. Bending the social norms, it criticizes and highlights the unfairness of conformity while developing an unsettling and thought-provoking story.

• Writing Quality : 8/10
• Character Development : 8/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 7/10
• Intellectual Depth: 10/10
• Originality: 10/10
• Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.