I'm still learning to abandon books I don’t enjoy, and The Bee Sting is my first DNF (Did Not Finish) of 2025. While I can appreciate Paul Murray’s work in this novel, I just couldn’t connect with the story. The intimate look inside a failing family unfolds through the perspectives of different family members. Cass and PJ’s sections were at least engaging at the start, but I struggled with Imelda Barnes’ part.
Her section is written in long, unpunctuated sentences—likely a reflection of her train of thought—but it was just too much for me. I tried to push through, even considered skipping her chapters, but since they seemed to lay significant groundwork for the novel, I ultimately decided to put the book down.