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The Bee Sting

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The Bee Sting

By: Paul Murray
Narrated by: Heather O’Sullivan, Barry Fitzgerald, Beau Holland, Ciaran O'Brien, Lisa Caruccio Came
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023
WINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS’ PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024

The Barnes family are in trouble. Until recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully. Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming . . .

'A tragicomic triumph. You won't read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year' Guardian

'Generous, immersive, sharp-witted and devastating; the sort of novel that becomes a friend for life' Financial Times

‘Paul Murray [is] the undisputed reigning champion of epic Irish tragicomedy’ Spectator

‘An instant classic’ Washington Post

‘[An] astute, remorselessly funny novel’ Daily Mirror

‘A wagyu steak of a novel . . . A classic in the mode of The Corrections’ The Times

©2023 Paul Murray (P)2023 Penguin Audio Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny Comedy

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All stars
Most relevant  
Let’s start with the ending. Completely lazy having to listen through a 26 hour book to be completely robbed of an ending is unforgivable, (reminded me of Birnam wood).
I did enjoy the structure of the book which allowed every character to be heard.

I don’t know what to say

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Great book !! Fabulous narration I highly recommend to anybody loves a great story
Thanks you

Loved it

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I feel like I have been given the chance to inspect the families’ lives from all angles, seeing all sides of the characters and sharing their most intimate moments. A very clever book; touching, funny, sad and relevant.

Neatly interwoven plot

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Gripping from start to finish. Excellent pace, character development, pulls you in emotionally and my heart nearly leapt out in the closing paragraphs

Outstanding performances

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This should win the booker prize hands down. I've goosebumps because of the ending. And what a fabulous narration! One of the beat listens this year without a doubt.

What a book!

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This award winner is illuminated by the excellent readers. This is a superb book and a great listen.

Excellent book excellent narration

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Although the suppression of emotion and feelings in rural Ireland to fit in with the social hierarchy of such small towns is not unusual even today, I just found the lack of honesty among the characters as to their own emotions a drain . How they all just seemed to end up in relationships or sexual counters they did not understand,or more truthfully fully understood but could not even be honest with themselves as to what the situation actually was excruciating. The book is skillfully written and crafted although given the ambiguity of the ending unnecessarily long. Ultimately the lack of honesty of the characters as to their own emotions meant I did not care about any of them in the end. Which is a shame after such a long listen

emotionless characters abound

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I wish I'd heeded others reviews about the ending..This was a good story, much like Skippy Dies, I expected a similar ending where lots was left unsaid, I'm ok with that. Howey, this was just a sense of someone who'd run out of story, like they just don't know how to end things, how to stop writing what was an incredibly long story, like all they could do was just, stop, not in a way that felt suspenseful or interesting, but it readjust felt like he'd stopped writing really abruptly and the story was left incomplete. Very unsatisfactory after 26 hours of listening!!

Good story terrible emdoo

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One of the most beautifully narrated books. Excellently crafted story, and the storytelling is genius.

Affecting and memorable

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The ending let this down so much. It was great story until then. Great family safe but massively let down

Ending

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