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Of Bees and Mist: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.01) - 3,053 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Setiawan’s richly atmospheric debut chronicles the passions, betrayals, and complex domestic politics of three generations of women whose emotional lives manifest as supernatural phenomena.
In a nameless town in a timeless era, where spirits and spells are an everyday reality, sixteen-year-old Meridia has grown up lonely and neglected in a house literally haunted by the demons of her parents’ soured love. When she falls for the charming and boyish Daniel, she sees her first real chance for love and happiness. She moves in with his family, unaware that they are harboring dark secrets of their own. There is a grave hidden in the garden. There are two sisters groomed from birth to despise each other. And there is Eva, the formidable matriarch whose grievances swarm the air in an army of bees.
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"This book left me shaking my head and wondering what in the world I was getting into reading this book. Since it was for a book club, I forged on and soon began to realize the meaning behind the "bees." I was intrigued by Meridia, the daughter in this story. She somehow was able to live in the insanity that took place in her house and make a life for yourself. It was a good story in that it makes us take a look at ourselves and how our actions affect others around us."
— Leslie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“[Setiawan’s] stately, elegant writing freely mixes fantasy with reality in a way that doesn’t alienate those of us who haven’t yet run across a mystical tale that we truly enjoy.”
— Arkansas Democrat Gazette -
“Part love story, part family saga, and part fantasy, this story is rooted in the author’s childhood in Jakarta surrounded by storytellers and folklore.”
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch -
“Marguerite Gavin’s riveting performance brings light and clarity to Setiawan’s provocative fantasy. Particularly creative and affecting are her renderings of the bees and Meridia’s empathetic voice. Her characterizations are on target, and her tone is tone is as intense as the unfolding drama, and her characterizations are on target.”
— Publishers Weekly (audio review) -
“[A] heartfelt magical-realist story of two rival families living in a mystical world that transcends both time and place…While filled with fortune-tellers, ghosts and unexplained phenomena, the relationships between the various characters are true to life so that fans of fantasy and fiction lovers alike are sure to enjoy this magical tale.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Gavin’s performance amplifies the mysterious and ironic undertones of the story.”
— AudioFile -
“Writing with a fairy-tale sensibility, Setiawan cloaks every aspect of the novel in magic, spells, and ghosts both actual and imaginary. For readers who like their novels steeped in the fantastic, this is a marvel.”
— Booklist -
“Experienced stage and screen actress Marguerite Gavin narrates and captures each character perfectly. She enhances the author’s brilliant character development and draws listeners in. She connects the readers with the characters in a deeper way than most might find in the simply reading the book.”
— SoundCommentary.com
Awards
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Selected for the August 2009 Indie Next List
Of Bees and Mist Listener Reviews
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" Disappointing...found it difficult to get through. "
— Lynn, 2/3/2014 -
" Amazing look into the lives of these characters! "
— Teresa, 1/27/2014 -
" i have a lot of mixed feelings about this "
— Jillian, 1/24/2014 -
" A great first novel about relationships - magical realism at its best. Can't believe this is a male author?! "
— Sally, 1/11/2014 -
" I loved the magical realism. "
— Kristin, 10/31/2013 -
" One of the best books I've ever read! A real master piece. "
— Pascale, 7/27/2012 -
" This was one of those books that I truly could not put down. Five stars is not enough! "
— Lizm175, 2/28/2012 -
" Really easy read. Finished this one in just a couple days. This is the authors first novel. Look forward to reading more from him. "
— Brandi, 11/30/2011 -
" didn't finish this book. oops. "
— Sherry, 9/3/2011 -
" Could not get into this book. I quit reading it. "
— Camilla, 5/27/2011 -
" The beginning of this book was great and very intriguing but then it took the mystery away and made it seem or like an allegory. No thanks I like a little fantasy. "
— Elle, 4/28/2011 -
" I found this book a bit slow at the beginning but it picked up. Reminded me of Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits. "
— Melissa, 4/26/2011 -
" Amazing look into the lives of these characters! "
— Teresa, 4/26/2011 -
" Entertaining but I just really wanted to punch Eva in the face multiple times. Daniel as well. I must not be big on the forgiveness thing. "
— Vesnik, 4/13/2011 -
" Terkadang, hantu muncul karena ketakutan kita sendiri... "
— lita, 4/11/2011 -
" Beautifully written. I was entranced. "
— Tessa49, 4/4/2011 -
" WIthout doubt, one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Fantastic use of language to paint such in depth, alive pictures while telling a wonderful tale that we have all lived at least part of! "
— Ann, 3/26/2011 -
" Whimsical and tragic, this story of a woman's escape from her unhappy home to another one is beautifully, sadly written. THe magic can easily be seen as metaphorical and the characters are flawed, real and horrifying at times. A wonderful read. "
— Lily, 3/21/2011 -
" A light, fantastical story; the kind you finish in two days. I don't have many complains about it except maybe the ending. I really hope the ending wasn't insinuating what I thought it was insinuating otherwise I'd be really annoyed "
— London, 3/20/2011
About Erick Setiawan
Erick Setiawan was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, to Chinese parents and moved to the United States in 1991. He is a graduate of Stanford University and currently lives in San Francisco.
About Marguerite Gavin
Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. She has been an actor, director, and audiobook narrator for her entire professional career. With over four hundred titles to her credit, her narration spans nearly every genre, from nonfiction to mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and children’s fiction. AudioFile magazine says, “Marguerite Gavin…has a sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion.”