The Murmur of Bees
Written by Sofía Segovia
Narrated by Angelo Di Loreto and Xe Sands
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
From a beguiling voice in Mexican fiction comes an astonishing novel—her first to be translated into English—about a mysterious child with the power to change a family’s history in a country on the verge of revolution.
From the day that old Nana Reja found a baby abandoned under a bridge, the life of a small Mexican town forever changed. Disfigured and covered in a blanket of bees, little Simonopio is for some locals the stuff of superstition, a child kissed by the devil. But he is welcomed by landowners Francisco and Beatriz Morales, who adopt him and care for him as if he were their own. 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. Followed by his protective swarm of bees and living to deliver his adoptive family from threats—both human and those of nature—Simonopio’s purpose in Linares will, in time, be divined.
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.
Sofía Segovia
Sofía Segovia was born in Monterrey, Mexico. She studied communications at Universidad de Monterrey, thinking mistakenly that she would be a journalist. But fiction is her first love. A creative writing teacher, she has also been a ghostwriter and communications director for local political campaigns and has written several plays for local theater. Her novels include Noche de huracán (Night of the Hurricane), El murmullo de las abejas (The Murmur of Bees)—which was called the literary discovery of the year by Penguin Random House and named Novel of the Year by iTunes—and Huracán. Sofía likes to travel the world, but she loves coming home to her husband, three children, two dogs, and cat. She writes her best surrounded and inspired by their joyous chaos. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter or visit www.sofiasegovia.com for more information.
Related to The Murmur of Bees
Related audiobooks
Tears of Amber Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Roots of the Olive Tree Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Where the Forest Meets the Stars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5West with Giraffes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Paper Wife: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When We Believed in Mermaids: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ragged Edge of Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Beekeeper's Promise Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Have You Seen Luis Velez? Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What the Wind Knows Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When We Were Vikings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5That Bonesetter Woman: the new feelgood novel from the author of The Smallest Man Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mountains Sing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Moloka'i Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lily and the Octopus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl Who Fell from the Sky Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Tender Land Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Map of Salt and Stars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Elegance of the Hedgehog Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Island of Sea Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Light Through the Leaves: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Yellow Crocus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You, Me, and the Colors of Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Snow Gypsy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Historical Fiction For You
The Lost Apothecary: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Alice Network: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tom Lake: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5And Then There Were None Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tattooist of Auschwitz: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hang the Moon: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Weyward: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Outlander Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Rose Code: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Lost Names Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Song of Achilles: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dragon Teeth: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Quiet on the Western Front Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Schindler's List Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Clan of the Cave Bear Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Neon Gods Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5News of the World: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Yellow Wife: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Reformatory: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lost Bookshop Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5That Bonesetter Woman: the new feelgood novel from the author of The Smallest Man Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The River We Remember: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rules of Magic: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Golem and the Jinni: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Red Tent - 20th Anniversary Edition: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Murmur of Bees
746 ratings74 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sweet, sad, joyful, true! I loved it and recommend it 100%.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautiful. Everything about this story touched my soul. Also, 1000 points to the narrators- one of the best I’ve ever heard. They transported me to Linares.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5this is just a fantastic story. The narrators are perfect.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5TW for murder and assault. Beautiful, harrowing, wonderfully narrated. Fans of Isabelle Allende or Robin Hobb will love this. Highly recommend.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was slow to get going, but was a beautiful story with a lovely philosophy behind it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow, I love this beautiful novel! The narrators are fabulous, and the writing and storyline are captivating. I wish there were a sequel, more Simonopio please! I can’t wait to read the next book by this author!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved this historical fiction - so relevant to some of the current issues this modern day world is facing. Characters that steal your heart and make you long for days gone by.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really loved this book and the voices make it extra special
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this story, so deep and heartfelt. Love/tears joy
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Narrators of Audiobook Xe Sands and Angelo Di Loreto gave perfect authenticity of the book.
Book consists of small glimpses of history and relationships.
The ending felt incomplete.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Honestly, I’m on chapter 21 and I just can’t finish it!! This is only the 2nd if 3rd book I could not complete - ever.......too slow and boring.
Not sure what all the buzz is about ?1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm so happy that I stuck with this most remarkable book! As others have said, it was slow to start, but once it found its rhythm, there was no putting it down! When I wasn't listening to it, I thought about it, all the time. Brilliant narrators. I highly recommend this book and hope there will be more from this incredible author!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is definitely one of the top three books that I’ve ever read or listened to in my life. I can’t believe how deeply it touched me and heart wrenching it was at times. The characters will stay forever in my heart. It chronicles the triumph of the human spirit despite the most difficult tragedies. I am so grateful to the author for writing this book.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5From the start I couldn't be interested because of the voice of the person who is reading the book. Hard to understand and no intonations, may be the book itself is interesting
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully written and narrated throughout the text. Many themes are woven into the events which left me with a touched, penetrated heart that brought some healing to my own life events.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting learning about the culture in Mexico in the early 1900's. The characters feel real and the use of voices in the audio version is so fun. It feels like you are listening to a play. There is a very special quality about the story that I loved. I cried hard at the end; in happiness and sadness and because the book was finished.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very touching and engrossing story. Beautifully written and read by the two narrators.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It took me a moment to get into this book due to the long descriptive passages at the beginning, but after hearing more about the unusual boy, Simonopio, I realized I was hooked. I loved the way the author told certain parts of the story from the perspective of the different characters as it explained a lot about their motives for acting in the way they did. It is beautifully narrated too.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5ABSOLUTELY beautiful! The narration is as beautiful as the story. I will seek out both this author and these narrators again!!!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I was reading the book at first it caught me and then made me lose all kind of intention of finishing it; i found this audiobook and gave it a second chance before quitting on it… just finished it.
A very “meh” kind of a book. Had expectations. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fabulous storytelling! The interplay of different characters’ perspectives was powerful!! The morals in the story just revealed themselves without sermonizing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! Wow! WOW! What a beautiful engaging, riveting and emotional story! The actors and narration were incredible too. It was difficult to stop listening and I was sad when it was over! I highly recommend this!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The writing is exceptional. The story is unique. It is about a boy and his magical connection with his bees and the family he protects. The author writes it like a fairy tale. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. For the first 30% I was excited because I thought she was building up to something. She was but it took to 80% to FINALLY get there. My biggest complaint of most writers is they don't know when to stop writing. Do they get paid per page.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5An interesting and unusual journey. The narration was brilliant, not sure if I'd have stuck with it if I'd have been reading it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a stand-out book. Exquisitely narrated, a wonderful tale that transports you to rural Mexico and immerses you in history, family and culture. Unusual, beguiling, the author captures your imagination and paints a vivid picture of life in another world, another time. Beautiful.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fantastic book. The story was superb as was the narration. I loved it
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! I’m speechless! An amazing story! I absolutely loved it!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hands down one of the best books I’ve ever ‘read’. I feel like I’ve been on a huge journey and just like in real life, there are always questions that cannot be answered and truths that seem unreal. This book has incredibly life like characters and it taught me about the Mexican Revolution, a topic I previously knew nothing about, making it seem as real as the pandemic today. I also learned about how Mexican people keep such strong and beautiful relationships. Fabulous writer and incredible narration.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully narrated, such a beautiful story, so rich and vivid
Thanks - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great family story as well as a coming of age!