The Murmur of Bees Audiobook By Sofia Segovia, Simon Bruni - translator cover art

The Murmur of Bees

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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.

Sovas Award - Audiobook Narration - Fiction, Best Voiceover - 2019

©2015 by Sofía Segovia. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. English translation © 2019 by Simon Bruni.
Historical Fiction Family Life Mexico Small Town & Rural Literary Fiction Fiction Latin America Thought-Provoking Heartfelt Destiny Genre Fiction Feel-Good Funny

Critic reviews

An Audible Best of 2019 | Top 10 and Best Fiction

"And Sofía Segovia is proof that magical realism is still evolving and breaking barriers." --Tricia, Audible editor

"Acclaimed Mexican author Segovia’s first work translated into English is a gorgeous novel of family, friendship, land, and murderous envy, a tale reminiscent of Isabel Allende’s early tales…With the help of a gifted translator, Segovia skillfully envelops readers, fully engaging their senses and imagination in this wonderful novel." --Booklist

Editorial Review

Bees, magic, and the Mexican Revolution

I wasn’t necessarily looking for a springtime listen, but I absolutely found one with The Murmur of Bees. In a small town in Mexico, an abandoned baby with a cleft palate is found covered in a blanket of bees. Despite the belief that he may be cursed, Simonopio is saved. Over time, uncanny communication skills develop and he proves to be so much more than just an orphaned boy who is followed by a cloud of bees. Lyrical, magical, and narrated perfectly by Xe Sands and Angelo Di Loreto, I’ve been recommending this debut to everyone. —Heather S., Audible Editor

Beautiful Prose • Captivating Storyline • Mesmerizing Narration • Multigenerational Saga • Magical Realism Elements

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Such a beautiful story! The author took me on a full range of emotions...fear, joy, sadness, and wonder! As if that wasn’t enough, this is hands down the best narration I have ever listened too! I can’t wait to listen again!

Excellent!

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I was really “taken in” by this book. The narration was excellent and really made this a story told rather than a book listened to. I became very invested in the characters.

Compelling listening

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Great story and excellent performance. The telling kept me "waiting for more.". Just fascinating!

loved the story

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Truly an epic story. And two of the best performances I have ever heard. Magnificent.

Wow

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This is a very visual book ! There is no way of listening to the beautiful voices of the readers with out them filling your brain with pictures galore. The sounds also come through , but the pictures remain long after closing this book.
It is an unusual book that at first seems benign, but under it's calm first chapters a plot is boiling that takes your heart away.
Stay with this to the end & it will soften your heart to life & perhaps help you remember something in your own lifeyou had thought locked away.

VIVID PICTURES PAINTED JUST FOR YOU

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