The Bee Sting: Book Review
Author: Paul Murray
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How do we navigate interpersonal relationships and our increasingly complicated lives while the world falls apart around us? How do we cope with unbearably hot summers and destructive floods? Better yet, how can we be good in the middle of it all? That is the daunting question Paul Murray expertly tackles in his 600 page novel, The Bee Sting, and one that is near impossible to answer.
The novel takes place in the perspectives of the four members of the Barnes family following the decline in sales of their car dealership. Dickie, avoidant of the problem, has put his focus on creating a doomsday shelter to house his family in case of a flood. Imelda is selling all her expensive jewellery and desperately holding out hope for someone to save them. Twelve year old PJ is caught between the constant arguing of his parents and is on the verge of running away. Cass is out partying and drinking, waiting for the day she can leave it all behind for an exciting life at college. We follow each of the characters as their storylines intertwine, dissecting their lives in search of what led to all this—where did it all begin?
One of the most notable feats of this book is the distinct voices each of the characters provides in their perspectives as Murray manipulates structure and punctuation to bring forth their individual voices, as well as their deepest desires. The novel takes its time in its majority but builds upon a masterfully crafted tension like a crescendo that is never released, and after finishing it, you are left breathless.
Murray empathises with each character in a way that makes it impossible to blame them, as their misgivings are so human it feels personal, and yet their flaws are made so evident you also cannot help but fault them for their mistakes as you follow their lives. This balance of love and hate is confusing but all too understandable.
The environmental message relayed in this book is a constant presence playing in the background, but never overt or too obvious. Murray utilises the backdrop of a torrential flood or an extreme heat to emphasise the turmoil and chaos that each character feels, and the intense emotions that drive each of their decisions. In over 600 pages, The Bee Sting conveys a level of empathy and care for its characters like no other. In its intertwined storylines and converging perspectives, Murray accomplishes telling a family saga that leaves you speechless and aching. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in family dramas that highlight the tension found in the mundane, as well as to those who enjoy a level of complexity to their characters that does not deem them to be likeable. This is a great book to pick up when you have the time and attention to give, especially during the summer!
By Anonymous
Elements Magazine 