Reviews

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Only show reviews with written explanations

darcileeann's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

miscwithmar's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

natlbugz's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

Paul Murray’s The Bee Sting is one of those books that gets under your skin in the best possible way. It dives deep into the minds of its characters, exposing the raw, messy reality of a family crumbling under the weight of their secrets, their traumas, and their own failures to communicate. The layered complexity of each character feels so real, it’s almost uncomfortable. But that discomfort is what makes it so captivating.

This isn’t your typical family drama—The Bee Sting is darker, more chaotic, and pulls no punches. Dickie’s unraveling is painful to watch, Imelda’s past is far more tragic than it initially seems, and the kids? They’re dealing with their own inner storms, all while the family is falling apart. The writing digs into each character’s psyche in a way that feels uncomfortably honest, like you’re seeing the parts of them they’d rather hide.

Murray weaves their individual stories into something larger, creating a slow-burn tension that you can’t shake. And just when you think you know where it’s going, the ending delivers a punch that’ll leave you reeling. Without giving anything away, let’s just say it’s one of those revelations that changes everything you thought you knew. You’ll sit there, staring at the last page, wondering how you missed it coming.

The themes of failure, regret, and how we hurt the ones we love the most run deep here. It’s a book about the messiness of life, the weight of unspoken truths, and how the past has a way of bleeding into the present, whether we want it to or not.

Bottom line: The Bee Sting is not an easy read, but it’s the kind of story that sticks with you. Dark, dysfunctional, and devastating in all the best ways. If you’re up for an emotional rollercoaster, this one’s worth the ride.

saeedtriestoread's review against another edition

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reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

jonkmcconk's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.5

A pretty revelatory read that had me wishing I could write half as vividly about my own characters. With every new segment Murray peels back layer after layer until each member of the family has their very core exposed, all their doubts, neuroses and vulnerabilities on show. Every time he changes perspective, yours does too, your judgements and preconceptions upended. There's a winning turn of phrase on basically every page, and it reads so smoothly that you almost forget it's nearly 700 pages long. It's a little overlong, but it's a delight. My only other gripe is that Murray's sociological musings (especially his very broad caricature a 2020s university) are much blunter than his deft character writing.