Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

 I can't recommend this novel that is only marginally related to the description and synopsis given by the publisher. I almost stopped reading when the big shocker appeared at the 45% mark and I realized exactly what this whole book was going to be about.

Basically -- a lecture on every contemporary and controversial subject as the authors flex their virtue, tolerance, and understanding. You name it, this book has it: race, color, politics, the justice system, gender and sexuality, transgender, women's rights, spousal abuse, etc. If you like being told what to think and how to think, this is one for you.  It's not that I agree or disagree with the authors, mind, it's that every single concept of diversity is all mashed up in this singular story. I wish that I could just read a great plot with characters I could imagine all on my own without the author describing things in such detail as often much of that has nothing to do with the actual point of the novel. Perhaps I am an outlier, but I am tired of books trying to push a social agenda, and I should have known better than to pick up this one as JP has often been a miss for me because she does it all the time. Sometimes those twists that get tossed in her books are just too much for me to tolerate.

Despite how much I disliked the main narrative, the reason I gave the book two stars is because of the information about the bees. Now, that I found interesting. I like books with legal and courtroom drama, and I like a story with a medical slant, but some of that was quite obviously creative license. Anyway, I'm done and I think I can pass on any future books without FOMO.

I would love to discuss this book with others, especially the fact that there is some discussion about whether or not someone should reveal the fact that they are transgender. For real? Anyway, I see mixed reviews for this book and glad that people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. Others have written their thoughts much better than I can, but I don't recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - contemporary fiction