Reflection on responsibility and care, on vulnerability and trust, on the creation of new bonds.
On the cusp of her thirties, Helen Jukes feels trapped in the urban merry-go-round of office knitting and temporary addresses. As she tries to settle into her new job in Oxford, she realises that in order to live a meaningful life filled with love and work, she must change herself. Then her friends give her a bee hive (according to old myths, a bee hive brings good luck) and Helen starts her first year of beekeeping. But what does it take to "breed" these wild creatures? How can new knowledge about bees contribute to self-discovery? And will her journey into the bowels of the hive bring her release?
While Helen is finding her role in the amazing ecosystem of the hive, the act of breeding itself brings a new perspective on life, deepens her friendships (old and new) and enlivens her world. Her narrative is a fascinating journey in the footsteps of bees and their hive, as well as the history of our observation of bees. It is a haunting reflection on responsibility and care, on vulnerability and trust, on creating new bonds and entering fields not yet explored.
