Mad Honey audiobook cover - A Novel

Mad Honey

A Novel

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

★ 4.2 / 5(27 ratings)
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Categories:
Sex & RelationshipsSociety & Culture

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Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
How are the narratives of the two main characters, Olivia and Lily, structured chronologically in the story?
  • A. Both Olivia and Lily's stories are told in chronological order starting from the day of the murder.
  • B. Olivia's story moves forward in time from the day of the murder, while Lily's story is told backward from the day of her death.
  • C. Both stories are told entirely through flashbacks during Asher's trial.
  • D. Lily's story moves forward from her childhood, while Olivia's story moves backward from the trial's conclusion.
Question 2 of 7
What significant revelation about Lily during the trial completely changes the prosecution's narrative?
  • A. Lily was secretly planning to run away with Asher's estranged father.
  • B. Lily was transgender, leading the prosecution to frame the murder as a hate crime.
  • C. Lily had a history of violent behavior and had previously assaulted Maya.
  • D. Lily was pregnant, which the prosecution claimed gave Asher a motive to kill her.
Question 3 of 7
What is defense attorney Uncle Jordan's philosophy regarding the truth of what happened between Asher and Lily?
  • A. He insists on knowing every detail of their relationship to build a completely truthful narrative for the jury.
  • B. He wants to keep himself and Olivia in the dark about the details because his only goal is to establish reasonable doubt.
  • C. He plans to frame Asher's father, Brandon, for the murder to ensure Asher is cleared regardless of the truth.
  • D. He believes the truth will naturally come out if they allow Asher to testify openly about his feelings.
Question 4 of 7
What crucial piece of medical evidence ultimately provides the reasonable doubt needed to acquit Asher?
  • A. A toxicology report showing Lily had consumed a lethal amount of medication.
  • B. Evidence that the blunt force trauma matched a specific tool owned by Lily's father.
  • C. Testimony from a brain pathology expert that Lily had an underlying blood disorder causing fainting and excessive bleeding.
  • D. DNA evidence proving that another person was in the house at the time of Lily's death.
Question 5 of 7
How does the book use Olivia's profession as a beekeeper metaphorically?
  • A. It symbolizes the toxic, patriarchal structure of the criminal justice system.
  • B. It serves as a metaphor for matriarchal strength, protective instincts, and the balance of sweet and sting in relationships.
  • C. It represents her desire to hide from the world and avoid all human contact after her abusive marriage.
  • D. It reflects her chaotic and disorganized approach to raising her son as a single mother.
Question 6 of 7
What is the true reason behind the signs of a struggle found in Lily's bedroom on the day of her death?
  • A. Lily and Maya got into a physical altercation because Maya had a crush on Asher.
  • B. Asher violently confronted Lily after discovering she was transgender.
  • C. Lily's abusive father broke into the house and tried to force her to leave with him.
  • D. Lily destroyed her own room in a fit of despair after being rejected by Oberlin College.
Question 7 of 7
What extreme step does Olivia take to secure the money needed to bail Asher out of jail?
  • A. She sells her family farm and all her beekeeping equipment.
  • B. She embezzles money from the local agricultural cooperative.
  • C. She approaches her abusive ex-husband, Brandon, and asks him for the money.
  • D. She signs a lucrative movie deal to tell the story of the murder trial.

Mad Honey — Full Chapter Overview

Mad Honey Summary & Overview

Mad Honey (2022) tells the story of two women who have fled abusive pasts to make a new life in the small town of Adams, New Hampshire. When one is found dead, and the other finds her son accused of the murder, the tense courtroom drama that unfolds shines light on the true cost of secrets kept for love.

Who Should Listen to Mad Honey?

  • Fiction lovers craving a well-told tale about timely issues
  • Courtroom drama fans looking for a story with suspenseful, emotional twists 
  • Anyone curious about a narrative of complex characters facing challenging times

About the Author: Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Jodi Picoult is an award-winning and best-selling author of 28 novels. Between the Lines, a book cowritten with her daughter, was recently adapted and debuted as an Off-Broadway musical. 

Jennifer Finney Boylan is a best-selling author, the inaugural Anna Quindlen Writer-in-Residence at Barnard College, and a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. She is the former co-chair of GLAAD and a nationally known human rights advocate.

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