Buzz About ‘The Murmur of Bees’ by Sofía Segovia
The Murmur of Bees is a historical fiction set in Northern Mexico in the early 1900’s during the Mexican Revolution and the Spanish Flu. The novel was originally written in Spanish, later translated into English, and every sentence was absolutely poetic and magical. I think there’s also something charming about novels that are translated into English!
Quick Summary
An abandoned baby, disfigured and covered in a blanket of bees is discovered under a bridge, he is welcomed by landowners Francisco and Beatriz Morales, who adopt him and care for him as if he were their own. From that day forward, life is forever changed in the small Mexican town of Linares. Because of his disfigurement and his constant companions of bees, some locals find little Simonopio to be a child kissed by the devil. As he grows up, Simonopio becomes a cause for wonder to the Morales family, because when the uncannily gifted child closes his eyes, he can see what no one else can—visions of all that’s yet to come, both beautiful and dangerous.
This book was sweet, playful, serious, humorous, and heartfelt all rolled into one. It was hard not to fall in love with nearly the entire cast of characters or at least sympathize with them. The story is spanned over many decades is very well done. I felt like I learned a lot about Mexican politics and the ins and outs of farming during the Revolution.
The Murmur of Bees is a beautifully composed book, however, it’s important to note that it’s nearly 500 pages long, with plenty of sections dragged on for what felt like ages and probably could have been edited out. Which is ultimately why I ended up rating it four stars instead of it’s well deserved five stars.
Maybe it’s a bit macabre to read a book about a previous pandemic while we’re currently going through one ourselves (hello COVID-19!), but maybe not. Wouldn’t be the worst choice during another 4+ weeks of shelter in place.
As of today, April 2020, The Murmur of Bees holds a steady 4.28 on Goodreads with over 16K reviews.