As climate catastrophe looms, the Barnes family unravels. Dickie retreats to building a doomsday bunker, Imelda clings to social status, and their children—Cass and PJ—grapple with guilt, love, and survival in an unraveling Ireland. Spanning perspectives and timelines, The Bee Sting is a sweeping, darkly comic novel about family secrets, economic collapse, and existential dread. Paul Murray’s masterful storytelling blends tragedy and absurdity, exploring how people face (or flee from) inevitable change. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, it’s a richly layered, emotionally resonant story that captures both the intimacy of personal loss and the scope of global anxiety.
About Paul Murray
Paul Murray is an Irish novelist celebrated for his dark humor, emotional depth, and vivid portraits of modern life. Born in Dublin, he studied English literature at Trinity College and screenwriting at the University of East Anglia. His breakthrough came with Skippy Dies (2010), a tragicomic exploration of adolescence and grief, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize. His 2023 novel The Bee Sting was shortlisted for the Booker and praised for its ambitious scope and intimate family drama. Murray’s work often mixes satire with poignancy, examining themes like masculinity, generational decline, and the absurdities of contemporary society.
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