The Murmur Of Bees, by Sofia Segovia, Translated by Simon Bruni
Brilliance Audio - 2019
Literary Fiction
Audiobook
Narrated by Xe Sands and Angelo Di Loreto
Literary Fiction
Audiobook
Narrated by Xe Sands and Angelo Di Loreto
14 Hours, 20 Minutes
My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book has become an instant favorite of mine!
Intricate and heartwarming, with whispers of magic and destiny, this tale spans several generations, but is set primarily in early 1900's Mexico when a flu pandemic and a revolutionary war both work to change the course of the country.
The story follows the Morales family, but focuses mainly on Simonopio - the mysterious young boy they adopt after he is found abandoned under a bridge as a newborn, covered with the bees that will prove to be life-long companions. Simonopio is not a typical boy. Born with a cleft palate, his survival was in itself a miracle at the time. While some people of the town are superstitious and frightened of him, claiming his disfigurement was the result of being "kissed by the Devil", his adopted family adore him as one of their own. Simonopio has the ability to sense the future, and he and his bees use the gift to help his beloved family navigate the uncertainty of the time and fulfill his destiny.
I simply cannot describe the beauty of this story with its subtle nuances and intricate design. It is at once about love and hate - but mostly love, selflessness and jealousy, the families we are born into and those we choose. It is the history of a nation that struggled to survive despite itself. It is an ode to resilience and compassion.
Written in Spanish, this is the author's first work translated into English. It was translated by Simon Bruni who has the amazing talent of ensuring that the words find their way to the reader with all the subtleties, power, and mood intact. I have have read two other novels that Bruni translated - The Light Of The Fireflies, by Paul Pen and more recently Desert Flowers, also written by Paul Pen (read my review of that book HERE) - both were excellent reads as well.
Narration for this book was also superb. Performed, in part, by someone who has become one of my favorite narrators - Xe Sands, who has the most amazing ability to evoke a full and powerful range of emotion from the listener, a perfect choice for this story rife with delicate and subtle shifts of mood and emotion. The story had a second narrator who was new to me, but was stellar in his performance as well. Angelo Di Loreto has a smooth, deep voice and his performance was able to stand with his fellow narrator in this story. This pair was the perfect combination to deliver this stunning story.
Tender and subtly nuanced, the beauty of this story took my breath away. I highly recommend it.
Intricate and heartwarming, with whispers of magic and destiny, this tale spans several generations, but is set primarily in early 1900's Mexico when a flu pandemic and a revolutionary war both work to change the course of the country.
The story follows the Morales family, but focuses mainly on Simonopio - the mysterious young boy they adopt after he is found abandoned under a bridge as a newborn, covered with the bees that will prove to be life-long companions. Simonopio is not a typical boy. Born with a cleft palate, his survival was in itself a miracle at the time. While some people of the town are superstitious and frightened of him, claiming his disfigurement was the result of being "kissed by the Devil", his adopted family adore him as one of their own. Simonopio has the ability to sense the future, and he and his bees use the gift to help his beloved family navigate the uncertainty of the time and fulfill his destiny.
I simply cannot describe the beauty of this story with its subtle nuances and intricate design. It is at once about love and hate - but mostly love, selflessness and jealousy, the families we are born into and those we choose. It is the history of a nation that struggled to survive despite itself. It is an ode to resilience and compassion.
Written in Spanish, this is the author's first work translated into English. It was translated by Simon Bruni who has the amazing talent of ensuring that the words find their way to the reader with all the subtleties, power, and mood intact. I have have read two other novels that Bruni translated - The Light Of The Fireflies, by Paul Pen and more recently Desert Flowers, also written by Paul Pen (read my review of that book HERE) - both were excellent reads as well.
Narration for this book was also superb. Performed, in part, by someone who has become one of my favorite narrators - Xe Sands, who has the most amazing ability to evoke a full and powerful range of emotion from the listener, a perfect choice for this story rife with delicate and subtle shifts of mood and emotion. The story had a second narrator who was new to me, but was stellar in his performance as well. Angelo Di Loreto has a smooth, deep voice and his performance was able to stand with his fellow narrator in this story. This pair was the perfect combination to deliver this stunning story.
Tender and subtly nuanced, the beauty of this story took my breath away. I highly recommend it.
Happy Reading,
Christine
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