Of Bees and Mist is a fantasy book that follows the child Meridia as she becomes a young woman. Meridia is a smart, inquisitive child who grows up with distant parents, mostly trapped indoors by her protective nurse. Later in life, she is left to wander the town by herself. Meridia marries very young, after falling deeply and quickly in love with the enchanting Daniel, a boy who treats her as special and worthy of love when no one else does. Meridia soon has to fight for her own freedom and values in the new household — one where a manipulative stepmother hides horrible secrets and her husband never listens to her.

This book takes place a long time ago when women were treated like property and forced to serve their husbands. The setting of this book is one where curses and fantastical spirits roam free, and anything is likely to happen. 

Although there are many awesome things about this book, my favourite thing is watching Meridia grow up from a smart, inquisitive outsider to a smart, strong-willed woman. Meridia is not afraid to risk her home and comfort to be free, and she does so often and with dignity. There are many different aspects to this book, such as a complex family history, romances, plot, fantasy, and of course the flamboyant characters. I would think that a combination of these elements could result in a plot that is murky and confusing, with caricatured characters and unrealistic fantasy, but Setiawan deftly manages to swirl them all together, creating a truly remarkable work of fiction that touches your heart.

Although this book takes place in a different time with different rules, the people and relationships in this book grow and mature in ways that are universal.