A review by acoffeeandagoodbook
The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 This slow-paced novel is beautifully written. The story unfurls slowly, drawing the Morales family to a disaster you know is coming. The end feels almost inevitable, and instead, what matters here is the journey to get there.

The translation is excellent, and I can only imagine how beautiful this book must be in the original Spanish.

I love a family saga, and this one is a triumph. Sad, yet hopeful. I also love a bit of magical realism, which this book also handles beautifully. It's never made clear why the mysterious Simonopio has such a mystical bond with bees, or how he is able to know some things before they happen. Instead, it is left up to the reader's imagination to fill in the blanks of this fascinating character. 
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