The Bee Sting

A Novel

De: Paul Murray

Narrado por: Heather O’Sullivan, Barry Fitzgerald, Beau Holland, Ciaran O'Brien, Lisa Caruccio Came

Shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize

From the author of Skippy Dies comes Paul Murray's The Bee Sting, an irresistibly funny, wise, and thought-provoking tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart.

The Barnes family is in trouble. Dickie’s once-lucrative car business is going under—but Dickie is spending his days in the woods, building an apocalypse-proof bunker with a renegade handyman. His wife, Imelda, is selling off her jewelry on eBay and half-heartedly dodging the attention of fast-talking cattle farmer Big Mike, while their teenage daughter, Cass, formerly top of her class, seems determined to binge drink her way through her final exams. As for twelve-year-old PJ, he’s on the brink of running away.

If you wanted to change this story, how far back would you have to go? To the infamous bee sting that ruined Imelda’s wedding day? To the car crash one year before Cass was born? All the way back to Dickie at ten years old, standing in the summer garden with his father, learning how to be a real man?

The Bee Sting, Paul Murray’s exuberantly entertaining new novel, is a tour de force: a portrait of postcrash Ireland, a tragicomic family saga, and a dazzling story about the struggle to be good at the end of the world.

©2023 Paul Murray (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Bone Clocks meets Jonathan Franzen

I’ve been a fan of Paul Murray’s for years and I can’t help but cheer the late arrival of this symphonic, full-cast audiobook, which was released several weeks after the hardback hit stores in the US. Murray chooses to use minimal punctuation for one of the characters and, frankly, this decision clogged up my reading experience. I decided to put down the novel. Then, when the audiobook at last dropped, the story came alive for me again. I fell in love with the characters and the twisting tragicomic plot. Deep, engaging backstory! Heartbreaking and exhilarating action! I’m so glad I didn’t give up on The Bee Sting. It delivered.

Wow!

Best book of 2024! Paul Murray is a tremendous writer. The cast is incredible. You must get this book.

Awful story, full of sad characters

Although it's very well performed, and well written in a way, I have never read a book with so many truly scuzzy characters. And those who were not evil, but just human, or young, are trapped in a time and place that will never let them go. I wish I had not bought it.

Worth the read

Good read but very annoying at times, and I didn’t like the ending. It was too abrupt and left to the reader’s imagination to decide.

Lot of investment-no payoff

I loved the character development and insight, but the lack of an ending left me feeling ripped off.

No ending

I am so upset! I invested 25 hours of my life listening to a story with no proper ending. Why?

Marvelous & Harrowing

But really marvelous. A masterclass in plot, suspense, and character development. I’m going to listen to/read it again to try to better understand how the pieces fit.

long book with uncertain ending.

I was enjoying the book but when the story ended and the ending was uncertain I felt cheated. the characters were ok I thought some of the stuff going on was a bit too much but it was still entertaining. so why make it so long and not plan a decent ending. I had intended to read another book by this author but the ending changed my mind. it was as if the author intended to not finish the story. no more of this for me!!!!!!!

Prolonged misery

Not sure why I kept listening, hoping for something good to happen. Depressing story with a frustrating ending.

trying to be grasped

I haven't finished it. hard to get Into, well read and great imagery, but a bit of a bore.