Stephanie Jane reviewed The Ardent Swarm by Lara Vergnaud
Wonderfully engaging
5 stars
I took a chance on buying The Ardent Swarm knowing nothing about the book or about Yamen Manai other than his Tunisian nationality (WorldReads!) and am delighted to have done so because this book is an absolute gem. I loved Manai's prose style and the thoughtful dual narrative which juxtaposes a hornet attack on a bee hive with a country's political leadership being taken over by a strictly religious party. The synopsis describes The Ardent Swarm as a 'modern-day parable' and there is certainly an element of the timeless folktale about Sidi's village existence, however this is also very much a story of today with its themes of divided societies and, of course, the drastic decline in bee populations globally. I don't know if Manai has ever been a beekeeper himself, but I felt that his beautiful portrayal of Sidi's emotional connection to the bees he keeps allowed me to …
I took a chance on buying The Ardent Swarm knowing nothing about the book or about Yamen Manai other than his Tunisian nationality (WorldReads!) and am delighted to have done so because this book is an absolute gem. I loved Manai's prose style and the thoughtful dual narrative which juxtaposes a hornet attack on a bee hive with a country's political leadership being taken over by a strictly religious party. The synopsis describes The Ardent Swarm as a 'modern-day parable' and there is certainly an element of the timeless folktale about Sidi's village existence, however this is also very much a story of today with its themes of divided societies and, of course, the drastic decline in bee populations globally. I don't know if Manai has ever been a beekeeper himself, but I felt that his beautiful portrayal of Sidi's emotional connection to the bees he keeps allowed me to deeply understand this solitary man. I think I learned a lot about bees' lives too, without ever feeling schooled!
Away from the bees, the political usurpation narrative is also spot on. Although the party in this story is one of Islamic fundamentalism, I could see reflections of the Brexit vote and Trumpism in the way the poverty-stricken villagers responded to promises made to them. Satisfying their immediate needs for material essentials is understandably more effective than theoretical speeches and no one seems to notice that the simple memorable messaging doesn't tell even half of what these people will later find they voted for.
The Ardent Swarm is a wonderfully engaging story and it is also an astute observation on human motivations, both for individuals and societies. I was so impressed with this novel and am keenly hoping more of Manai's books are also available in English though I enjoyed this one so much I would consider dusting off my French to read others if that were the only option.
