The Secret Life Of Bees

So i read this book and i looked it up online and i read that hil was going to be playing the mother of lily in the flashbacks of her before she died..
i was so happy to read that she was going to be in a movie with some pretty welll known actors (dakota fanning, alicia keys, queen latifa) So i think its going to be great publicity for her...
have any of you guys read the book?
What do you think of hilarie for that role?