DNF the story started charming but it jumped around and actually for several chapters didn’t cover the main character Simonopio. Too hard to follow. Bummer.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and the devastating influenza of 1918, The Murmur of Bees captures both the fate of a country in flux and the destiny of one family that has put their love, faith, and future in the unbelievable.

Well, I tried to like this book and I feel that I gave it a fair chance by reading about 50%. But I just couldn't force myself to go any further. There was nothing in the story to grab on to, there were weird sideway "tangents" that led no where, as if adding extra words to a story would make it more interesting.


1☆

A delightful book with a side of magical realism. This book will be good for fans of slow-building fiction. Great prose.

From the moment I started this book, I was transported into the vibrant setting in Mexico and into the community of Linares. I found myself immersed in the interesting characters and compelling story which Sofia Segovia has so wonderfully woven together. As I’ve mentioned in one of my previous posts, I believe it was my review of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, last year I found a real love for historical fiction and The Murmur of Bees has definitely furthered my love for it.

“The original settlement, which, under sustained neglect, bit by bit, dust mote by dust mote, would return to it’s mistress, the earth. For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return: as certain for living cells as it was for any heap of bricks, whether Roman, Mayan or Linarense’ –

I can’t stress how beautiful Segovias prose is, just read that excerpt above, honestly captivating. There are so many quiet moments like that where Segovia exposes something so innately human and it made me so emotional whilst reading. This is fiction at it’s best, and it just reinforced why I love stories like this one, a story about ordinary people, their experiences and finding communion despite differences.

The story begins through the perspective of a wizened elderly woman, Nana Reja who is watching the world go by from her rocking chair. For as long as anyone can remember, she hasn’t spoken a word or moved from her position. Until one day when Nana Reja is nowhere to be found…when the townspeople find her, she has found a baby, drawn by it’s cries. The Morales family take the baby Simonopio in as one of their own and he changes their lives forever.

I really liked that alongside the depiction of everyday life, with both the wonderful and mundane moments it entails, there’s also a supernatural undercurrent throughout the book. As well as having a special connection with the bees, who protect and guide him, Simonopio also has strong intuition about the future. Through his senses, Simonopio helps protect his family as well as winning the hearts of the townspeople, with the exception of the bitter worker, Anselmo Espiricueta, who believes the baby to be cursed.

While the story has a focus on Simonopio, we get to read through a variety of perspectives, from Nana Reja to Francisco and Beatriz Morales. I liked that we also get to see through the antagonistic perspective of Anselmo, I know some readers find this narrative style confusing or overwhelming, for the most part I really enjoy it, and Segovia does this so well. Each character has such a distinctive voice, right down to the most minor character, you feel a connection and that’s not something every writer can achieve.

I’m not familiar with Mexican literature and while this is my first foray , I will definitely be making a point to read more books by Mexican authors and anthologies which feature Mexican writers for sure. I learnt so much about the outbreak of Influenza and the brewing Mexican revolution, as Segovia weaves together fact and fiction in such a skilful way.

Above all, the story is rooted in the Morales family and how they survive through changes in their town, society as a whole and battle against all sorts of obstacles. It’s a story of survival, of love and loyalty.

Overall, I can’t speak more highly of The Murmur of Bees it’s such a brilliant and emotive story, which is so beautifully written. This story is going to stick with me for a long time, and it’s definitely one of my favourite reads this year, thus far. I believe even if you prefer contemporary fiction, this is such a pleasant story rooted in family and human connection – which anyone can enjoy.

I really don't want to be rude, but I could not get through this book. At first, I told myself I needed to finish at least 50% to judge, but I had to stop after 25% because it was just that dull.

I couldn’t finish this book. Struggled to get to 25%. Very little of the story thus far was about the orphan. Mostly the book covered death and sickness. I was not engaged with any of the characters. No idea where the story was going. Nothing to look forward to in the story.

This book is nothing short of spectacular, This is the reason that I read books. I liked that the book covered the subjects and characters exceptionally well and had a lot of mystery and fairy tale like qualities throughout. I will be interested in reading more from the author in the future and will be recommending this book to others.. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

Fall foliage is beginning to transform into bare branches and blanketed snow, and the colder the weather gets, the more reason readers have for staying indoors with a cozy new read. Whether you're in the mood for a steamy romance, heart-pounding thriller, or riveting historical fiction, there's a book for everyone on this list. Check out our list of the best books winter 2018 has to offer, complete with publishers' descriptions.

This book is amazing!! I loved it from beginning to end. I can't wait until it is published so I can recommend it for my book club.

“Nana. What else do you have there?”

Then the bundle burst into wails and frenetic movements.

“He’s hungry, boy,” said Nana Reja as she carried on with her constant swaying.

“May I see?”

As he unrolled the shawl, Francisco and his men at last saw what Nana had in her arms: a baby.

Their horror made them step back. Some of them crossed themselves.

An abandoned, disfigured baby boy mysteriously protected by a living blanket of bees is rescued by Nana Reja in a small Mexican town, October 1910. The woman as old and weathered as a tree, with a long, exhausting life a servitude behind her, has chosen to live out the rest of her days in one spot in a rocking chair outside the storage sheds on the Hacienda Amistead. Her past shed as wet nurse and caregiver for so many children that it’s hard to remember her own baby, so long departed from this world, it’s a miracle that Reja heard the abandoned child’s cries from under a bridge, so far away. It is ominous, unnatural! With fierce determination burning fire in her old heart, she refuses to budge in her plan and thus changes the course of the Morales family when she brings the ‘monstrous’ Siminopio infant home, demanding he is baptized despite the ugly, hateful whispering of the village that the boy is a bad omen. To some, like Francisco’s bitter employee Anselmo Espiricueta, he is “the devil”, will be the downfall of them all. Others are ashamed of their first reaction as they come to care for the strange child.

Francisco and Beatriz adopt Siminopio, whose bees beat within him as strongly as his own heart, guiding and protecting both he and the Morales family as he grows under their care. Soon there is war in their Northern Mexico, men of wealth are a prime target and with pretty young daughters, Francisco knows his girls must be sent away. With the war’s army wanting land, and taking his crops, he has time for his family now like never before and wonders if buying land is an answer.He begins to believe Siminopio and his bees are important to his family, for surely there is a reason he came. He will see that he remains unharmed. Over time the people who are a part of or near the Morales house come to get used to the boy, his deformity less terrifying, his affinity for nature making him a sweet boy one could even feel affection for. Unable to communicate due to his deformity, people underestimate his keen intelligence, his ability to see in others what most people overlook. It is not without sorrow that he lives his life in step with his bees, wishing with all his might he could sing or speak, express himself in ways most take for granted, but it is not to be.

It isn’t a story solely about Siminopio though, every character has their story told, like Beatriz and her youthful longing for a good, solid man for a husband and finds the best partner in Francisco, so much luckier than other women of the times. But revolutions and epidemics have a long reach, she will endure as she always has, just like the times after the tragic loss of her own father, in years to come. She clings to the past, she is a loyal wife and mother but the fear of giving up her family lands, starting over in an unknown land, shucking off all the old traditions for a new way is not something she wants to entertain. Then comes the fever, and it comes for Siminopio.

Influenza and the Mexican Revolution rip through every character in this novel and no one is unscathed. When fortune takes a bad turn and illness befalls the people, there isn’t time to properly grieve. Survival swamps sorrow, when death is hungry and pity becomes a luxury, because you are all under the same threat. Soon there are more dying or dead than alive but through the stink of death, a miracle gives the people hope, even if the doctor doesn’t believe in such things. The Morales family line is safe, and they owe it to Siminiopio’s fever and Francsico’s swift thinking, abandoning Linares and it’s people just in time. This decision is their salvation, but also inflames an enemy.

It is a story of one family’s evolution and knowing when to let go , even if it means abandoning the old ways, it is about seeing past your own nose, understanding that fear can cloud your judgement and that beauty and salvation are sometimes found in the strangest of places, and people. It is a window into how animosity is often easier to nurture than accepting the nature of your own failings, as we see with the envious Anselmo. Tired of waiting for good fortune to smile upon him, disgusted with Francisco’s benevolence, with ‘hand outs’ and making due, working land that will never be his that seems to be taken over by orange groves, helping only the Morales wealth grow while his own life is consumed by loss, he devises a scheme of his own, nurturing too the hatred he feels for the ‘devil’ Siminopio. It is a story of love, war, illness, nature, revenge and bees. There is magical realism with Siminopio and his beloved bees, but this is more historical fiction. There are many voices telling the tale, a lot of story to sort through but worth the effort. There is beautiful writing and wisdom within, I particularly delighted at the chapter about houses, how they “die when they are no longer fed the energy of their owners.” How houses leave echoes in us, as we leave echoes in them. The invisibility of old age, the ghosts of the past that visit us as memories, even the horrors of time, it’s all written so beautifully.

Publication Date: April 16, 2019

AmazonCrossing

Lake Union Publishing

Wow, What a truly special novel. I read the whole book in one sitting. It is an exceptional, well thought out story with a pleasing flow, very entertaining. The author has a wonderful talent for establishing the relationships of all the characters. I look forward to reading more books from this author. I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to AmazonCrossing and Netgalley for the Advance Review Copy.

Wow. What an absolute gem of a novel. The cover and synopsis grabbed my attention immediately and I knew once I had finished the first few chapters that I was reading something truly special.

The novel follows the saga of the Morales family in Northern Mexico and those linked to their story. The book starts with a mystery, an abandoned baby boy with some unusual friends. It follows his relationship with the Morales family and others in the small community in which they live. The novel is written from various different points of view, some first person and some third person so readers get to really understand the different perspectives and motivations of the characters.

The writing is beautiful and evocative with clever and witty turns of phrase. The characters are dynamic and relatable, and I genuinely cared about what happened to them. There is an element of the supernatural running throughout the book, but it never felt cheesy or contrived. The novel also follows historical events such as the Spanish Flu and political upheavals in Mexico during the early 20th century.

At its heart the novel is about family and in particular the relationship between brothers, even if not blood related. There is a genuine feeling of malevolence and tension in the portrayal of the antagonist which continues through to the heart stopping climax. The novel also touches on themes of prejudice, the need for adaptation and change and the real-life history of the area is also incorporated into the narrative.

This is a wonderful and vibrant novel, an absolute gem. I laughed, I cried and there were times I felt like I was there. The cover is also gorgeous and eye-catching. I’d heartily recommend picking this one up upon its release.

I loved the writing style of this book and the little magic that shines through.
We're following the story of Simonopio, a deformed child, that was found in a blanket of bees and is taken in by a family and later the whole village.
We follow the village through war, poverty and the revolution until that dark sense of foreboding leads us into a tragic event.
I'd recommend this book if you like slower-paced literary fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon crossing for providing me with an eARC.

What an entrancing book. I'd probably start by saying this isn't for everyone - the literary style is different from a regular novel, and invites the reader to travel the story along with the narrator. However, if you enjoy this or even feel like giving something different a go, I cannot recommend it enough. It's like one of those old folk tales that your grandparents swear are true, that they tell you over coffee in the evening, and you know some bits to be frankly impossible, but you kinda believe it anyway, or rather, want to believe, because having something fantastic in the world makes it a better place.
This does that, perfectly. I was enthralled and utterly rooting for Simonopio from the very beginning, and would race through chapters to find out what happens to him, and the fates of the family he lives with.
I'd highly recommend this piece of literary fiction, as it made me feel like there was still a little magic in the world, and I was left crying, but smiling through my tears.

I would like to thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review..
This was a fabulous read that is going on my top 10 list for the year. I’m so glad I started it on a holiday as I could not put it down. A domestic thriller that traces the contentious history of a woman and her mother in law that just happens to end in murder. The story is set in Australia and does an excellent job of portraying the complex dynamics and hidden secrets of family.

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Everything about it was spectacular, from the writing to the characters. It was truly a delight to follow Simonopio throughout his life and meet his family and get to know them through the ages. Essentially, we're following an entire town's life while simultaneously getting to know the culture of those years.

The story that was being told? Simply astounding. It was heartwarming and sweet, but it also destroyed every single part of my heart. One event was hinted at heavily throughout a few chapters but when it finally happened, even though I knew it was happening, I still cried like a little baby. The concept of this book was also incredible. I mean, an unusual boy living his life with a hive of bees as his friends and helpers couldn't be anything less.

The family dynamics was also something I really loved. Having all these different characters live as a family, while trying to live a successful and happy life and making some difficult decisions just felt so real which was one of the biggest factors that made this story work.

I'm so glad I decided to read this book because it has honestly become one of my favorite books.