In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees - and to their children and one another - against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.

England, 1851. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive-one that will give both him and his children honour and fame.United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation. China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared.

When Tao's young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident-and is kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition-she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.

Following three separate but interconnected timelines, Lunde shows us the past, the present, and a terrifying future in a riveting story as complex as a honeycomb.

'Maja Lunde's novel is an urgent reminder of how much our survival depends on those remarkable insects. It is also a gripping account of how-despite the cruelest losses-humanity may abide and individual families can heal'   Jean Hegland, author of Into the Forest 

'Fans of Cloud Atlas and Never Let Me Go will love The History of Bees'  Good Housekeeping

'Dystopian and electric, this book is set to blow minds everywhere'  Stylist

'Haunting and poignant ... an important and wonderful book'  Dave Goulson, bestselling author of Bee Quest