Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.
Looking for a novel that kills in the name of feminism? “Honey” is Imani Thompson’s debut adult novel that is set to be released on May 5. “Honey” is witty, full of death and will have readers rushing to answer the question: can the main character justify her actions?
Overall Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Summary
Yrsa is a Ph.D. who is bored with her students, her work and men. Yrsa kills a man, and she likes how she feels. One man’s death leads Yrsa to kill for feminism – to rid the world of men who have done wrong by her. Yrsa’s Ph.D. work allows her to explore the relationship between feminism, racial experiences and the justification of murder. Yrsa cannot get away with murder forever, but how long can she rationalize her urges?
Characters
Morally Gray Characters? Yes
LGBTQIA+ Representation? Yes
Academia Atmosphere? Yes
Strong female main character? Absolutely
Plot Success
“Honey” is fast paced. While reading “Honey,” the reader can expect every single event to escalate as quickly as possible. The plot is not twisty – there isn’t much doubt about what is going to happen – but this adds nuance. Every aspect of this novel questions racial microaggressions and the reality of being a black woman in a society that was not built for black women.
The novel is full of pop culture references, that do date the novel in this current time, but that also paint Yrsa as a relatable character.
Despite being a fictional work, “Honey” is filled with sociology, theories and history. A common theme is the assumption of “black anger.” Thompson does a fantastic job combining realities within a novel that is essentially about a protagonist trying to justify murder. The college setting will certainly entice college students who have either experienced racism, sexism or both in their daily lives.
Writing Style
Thompson’s witty writing is a highlight of this novel. Quick and sarcastic, Yrsa is written to be at times despicably unlikable and at other times an absolute pleasure to decipher. At times, the plot has a jarring back and forth style between periods in Yrsa’s life. Once the reader becomes accustomed to this style, the writing becomes actual flashbacks in Yrsa’s mind. Thompson warps Yrsa’s realities, blending together memories, and moments of her life. It might be trippy, but murder has to be.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a literary fiction novel that asks big questions while being told from the snarky POV of a woman who is not afraid to kill, then this one is for you. While the premise of killing bad men may be a little unserious, Thompson’s novel delivers in execution a story about feminism and racism. Satirical works excel when the piece looks ridiculous at first but has a deeper meaning underneath. Using murder, Thompson is able explore ideas that many authors have tried and failed to capture an audience’s attention with.
“Honey” is being published by Penguin Random House and has been named “A Most Anticipated Book of the Year: Esquire, Elle, Glamour, Debutiful, Book Riot, SheReads, Stylist” according to their website. Readers should look forward to picking up Thompson’s debut novel this May.
*Rating based on the importance of the topics discussed, the novelty of the plot, overall representation and addictiveness of the pacing. Meanwhile, the pop culture references were found to be overwhelming.
