Little Bee is a book about the “ goodies and the baddies”. In life it isn’t always clear as to which category one falls into. For instance, Little Bee, after having escaped from Nigerian soldiers who raped her sister and killed her entire family, ends up spending two years in a British detention center and is forever on the run from the authorities in two countries. And yet, we can’t see anything that she actually did wrong that was under her control.
Then there is Sara and her husband, Alex who happens to run into Little Bee and these soldiers while vacationing with her husband. Sara’s no prize. The vacation is to re-connect with the husband she has been cheating on. The one she knew wasn’t right for her almost immediately after they were married. She’s as shallow as the magazine she is an editor for, yet she’s the one who had the courage to cut her own finger off to save Little Bee’s life. Does that make her a hero? Oh, and now she actually misses her husband Alex now that he’s dead! Give me a break!
What about Lawrence, her lover? He has a wife and kids but thinks nothing of continually making up stories so that he could spend time with Sara. In fact he shows up to “save the day” during her husband’s funeral even though she tells him not to. He’s not interested in helping Little Bee and tries to send her away, based on his need to protect Sara.
Alex, Sara’s husband hasn’t really done anything wrong except be himself. He also wasn’t quick to cut off his own finger to save Little Bee’s life so Sara had to do it. Does that make him someone who doesn’t come through in times of crisis? And since his wife is having an affair does that make him a failure?
Other than Little Bee there is one other character that appears pure. That is Sara’s son Charlie who only wants to be referred to as Batman. That is the identity he wants. Batman is the good guy fighting what he calls “the baddies”. It seems there are few Batmans in this world. Certainly in this book!
Friday Morning Bookclub 
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