Book Review: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
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About The Book
The Barnes family is in trouble. Dickie's once-lucrative car business is going under - but rather than face the music, he's spending his days in the woods, building an apocalypse-proof bunker with a renegade handyman.
His wife Imelda is selling off her jewellery on eBay while their teenage daughter Cass, formerly top of her class, seems determined to binge-drink her way to her final exams. And twelve-year-old PJ is putting the final touches to his grand plan to run away from home.
Where did it all go wrong? A patch of ice on the tarmac, a casual favour to a charming stranger, a bee caught beneath a bridal veil? Can a single moment of bad luck change the direction of a life? And if the story has already been written - is there still time to find a happy ending?
Why We Love It
Shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize, The Bee Sting begins as a seemingly lighthearted family drama but soon plunges into darker, more unsettling themes as the dysfunctional Barnes family faces a series of crises.
In the interests of honesty, this is a hefty read, with each chapter shifting between the perspectives and inner voice of each family member. It's a narrative structure that allows Paul Murray to change the tone and style of each chapter dramatically, mirroring the growing tension and widening rifts within the family.
Balancing humour with emotional depth, the novel offers a sharp and devastating exploration of family, connection, and personal struggle. While the characters may not always be likeable, you do really feel like you understand what motivates them as the book progresses.
A powerful, thought-provoking exploration of love, resilience and the hidden inner lives of those closest to us.
