Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

52 reviews

abernathy_33's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Car accident

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, and Vomit

regina_184's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

This book was very unique both in terms of the plot and the method of switching narrator. 

The book follows a family and each member of the family gets their own section of the book, so we hear all their perspectives on the same topics and situations. Although there are some common themes it is difficult to really pin down what the plot is, as every character is experiencing life so differently. That being said, the main topics the characters explore are  sexuality, marriage, climate change, financial problems, aduse, alcohol, loneliness, adultery, and friendship. 

I truly loved the ending as it shows how 1 side character ends up being the focal point of the book, however the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more!

Overall really enjoyed the last 200 pages because all the details revealed at the start finally started making sense. However the first 400 pages can be a little slow since the main conflict of the book doesn't get revealed untill the last 200 pages. Additionally the speed of the plot starts of slow and rapidly increases overtime, so the book became more enjoyable when the speed increased.

Overall I would recommend this book, since it was interesting for me to read about marriage and parenthood from the adults perspective. I am in my mid twenties so I found this perspective unique since I have not lived through this and rarely read about it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

jrmotley's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

danpeachey's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Car accident

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Dementia, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

nreyno's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Never read a book more deserving of 5 stars.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

ariannabis26's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Car accident

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

earnest_hemming's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Complex and ambiguous read, covering a wide range of topics, relationships, and povs. I heard many good things about the book but felt as though it was very long for the developments it covers. Interesting description of characters and family tragedies with a very complicated ending.

A little unsure as to why the two non-Irish characters ended up being the main villains in the story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book felt like a real slog. I started reading this in January for a book club in February. Despite continually trying to chip away at the audiobook, I didn't finish it until August.

There's nothing wrong with it per say. It's long but mostly it was that it's one of those contemporary Irish books that I seem to have read a lot over the last few years, where it's a lot of repressed trauma and angst, then they chuck in some

homophobia

, someone

being raped

and/or

underage sex/drugs/alcohol

and call it a masterpiece. This had all of the above and it didn't add anything. But equally, without it would there even be a book? It's that kind of subgenre I suppose. That about sums up my experience with it I suppose. There were parts where I was curious to find out what happened next but I really, really didn't enjoy and the ending was abrupt but both the lead up and the ending were obvious. I didn't like any of the characters but they did feel well fleshed out.

I don't know. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood to be reading this. Though I'm not sure I'd ever be. You'd think over eight months there'd be a point you'd finally get into it but I didn't find that with this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Abandonment

Potential child death

,

death of a sibling

mary_lake's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

a beautifully written tragic and emotionally complex tale. i would highly recommend! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, and Toxic friendship

carmina_r's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Pedophilia and Car accident