Having read and enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings, I was fascinated by this ournal/travelogue/spiritual exploration/mother-daughter coming-of-age book by the author and her daughter.
It encompasses insightful accounts of their travels to Greece, Turkey and France as they each face a significant transition period of their lives: the mother from woman to “old woman”, the daughter from college graduate to womanhood and her choice of career.
The inscription on Apollo’s Temple: “Know thyself” inspires their quests as “another I is beginning”. Relating their experiences to well known myths such as Demeter and Persephone, as well as to fairy tales such as Snow White brings home to the reader the truth of these tales.
Ann embarks on the first trip suffering from depression, having been rejected as a postgrad student in Ancient Greek studies, while Sue experiences severe hypertension as she approaches menopause. She was also grappling with the decision to write her first novel based on her fascination with bees.
The places visited are intriguing and lead the pair to an appreciation of Mary as a symbol of the Divine Feminine – it was in Ephesus that Mary was declared the “Mother of God”.
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Ann relates to the fact that the ancient meaning of virginity was “a woman belonging to herself, being autonomous” as she seeks her “necessary fire” – discovering what it really is she wants to do and developing the courage to follow her heart.
I am keen to revisit The Secret Life of Bees as I am sure that I will grasp more deeply the themes of the book having gained such insight into the author. Travelling with Pomegranates is available on Kindle for just $1,17.
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