A review by brusboks
The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia

mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

It shows a good use of language, at times verging in being overly dramatic during certain plot progressions.

Plot and character-wise: 
Problematic staging of who we get to see as victims. The true victim of the larger system is instead totally demonized as a sort of "only option to become evil if not accepting the hierarchy" type. A romantisation of the past and farm holding instead. 

Also, problematic of creating the only character with a disability as only operating on upholding the system that exists to subjogate him and only acting in relation to securing his godfamily. He is forever a servant to the "victims" and does not get to express his own wishes and desires. He could have been a great vehicle for exploring the posthuman world and how human and nature work together and how a good relationship can benefit the world, a missed ecocriticism opportunity. Instead the magical realism serves only as romanticising a historical time and place. Where nature is working at upholding the system that kills it, exploitative capitalism. 

Do not recommend.