Margery has had a sort of disappointing life. One day she decides that she has had enough. And she is going to go to New Caledonia to find her beloved beetle. She chooses an assistant to travel with her. Her assistant Enid is the complete opposite of her. She is infuriatingly annoying to Margery. But over time the pair forms an unlikely friendship. This whole book contained so many different emotions. It was both believable and unbelievable at times. It was both lovely and heartbreaking at some times.

What an absolutely joy this book was! Marjery and Joyce provided a beautiful illustration of how friendship can bloom in unlikely places and through adversity. I will absolutely recommend this title to my senior readers who I believe may feel a great kinship with these two brave women.

This was a very nice story of an unlikely friendship that requires a healthy suspension of disbelief. There are certainly many moments that are good for a chuckle, and I of course loved the nerdy science-y beetle talk. I think there were maybe a few too many characters muddying the waters, but overall- this was a very pleasant read.

The whole time I was reading this book, I kept seeing Miranda Hart, who played the nurse "Chummy" on PBS' Call the Midwife as the main character, PBS Masterpiece fans will probably like this one. Just give it a little extra time at the beginning to build.

I have recently been introduced to WW2 fiction, and I've realized this is my new favorite genre. Miss Benson's Beetle takes this genre and weaves an adventure/fantasy tale within the historical time period. I fell in love with this book. The writing is excellent, almost lyrical, and the adventure kept me turning the pages until the very end.

I received an advance copy; all thoughts are my own.

This was super disappointing; I'm surprised I finished it.


Review copy provided by publisher.


My approach is short reviews.

3.5 crazy tender stars, rounded up
My expectations were extremely high, as I've relished three other Rachel Joyce books and gave them rarely merited 5 stars.

Emotion, friendship, good writing, Adventure! I enjoyed Joyce’s subtle humor. "A beetle might be small, and on the chunky side, but its will to travel was spectacular." "Her mother had been a solid presence in her life, like a piece of furniture that stands in the way of everything else."

Joyce's descriptions are spot on. "The heat in Brisbane. It was like being sat on. Insects chittered like electricity." "Last night her mind had felt slow to keep up, but now it was filled with scattered thoughts, like a hundred birds in a tree."

I liked how Margery and Enid learned to work together, as unlikely as their friendship seemed. For me, the story bogged down just a bit in the middle. The ending surprised me – and that’s all I’ll say. It was a fun adventure, even if it occasionally it seemed a bit over-the-top.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has it all: humor, self-discovery, courage and friendship. This story about two women traveling together to the South Seas on a scientific expedition. I hated for the book to end. This would be great for a book club discussion!

I received an advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Rachel Joyce has a real knack for highlighting the people who have been forgotten by those around them, the people we might look right past every day. Margaret Benson has spent a lifetime of being looked past and now she's determined to be seen through her work in entomology. An around-the-world tale combined with female friendship hijinks, plus some signature Rachel Joyce quiet, introspective moments, make this another solid addition to the author's work.

This book struck me as a coming of age book for a grown up. A woman who was unsatisfied with her life, makes a decision to have an adventure. She gains an assistant, and the two set off on their adventure. Both characters are keeping secrets from each other. The characters grown and mature as the book progresses. The adventure outside of their personal growth was also fun and fascinating. There were some plot twists that kept things even more exciting.

When two very different women embark on an adventure for very different reasons a most unlikely friendship is forged. Rachel Joyce has once again taken a look at lives journeys . Heartwarming and humorous this is a charming book that even the most cynical of readers will love.

What a surprise! Sometimes in life you want to make a change or take an adventure that is seems u important. So does the main chew get. Looking g for a beetle that her dad talked about. Hiring a person to travel with her was an experience but a blessing. Loved the story!

Miss Benson's Beetle is a delightful story of friendship and new beginnings. Post WWII, Margery Benson found herself alone, weary and in a job that did nothing for her. Her fondest memory was of looking at a book of rare animals with her father when she was very young. Shortly thereafter her father killed himself. Life continued on for Margery, the animals forgotten until the day she walked out on her job and created a plan. Margery was going to discover the golden beetle of Caledonia and name it after her beloved father. That involved a lot of planning, including advertising for an assistant.. How she ended up with the irrepressible Enid Pretty and travelled across the world is an excellent, heartwarming adventure. Although the story started a little slow, the pace picked up quickly. Rachel Joyce write well and in great detail which makes for an enjoyable read. This would be a great book for book clubs - lots of room for discussion. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys British fiction as well. Thanks to Net Galley for a chance to read a copy of this book.

I've read a number of books by this author and have enjoyed her quirky characters and stories, but haven't totally loved any of them until this one. Miss Benson's Beetle is a gem of a book.

This novel follows the story of Margery Benson. At the beginning of 1950, she is working as a schoolteacher and is quite lost and unhappy. After a little breakdown, she decides to follow her childhood dream to find and document the golden beetle of New Caledonia. She sets sail for New Caledonia with an assistant. Of course, as is typical for Margery's life, things have not worked out as expected and her assistant is the opposite of her: young, pretty, and ready for adventure and fun. Although they have a tough start to their trip, the two women begin to develop an appreciation for one another as they experience various hardships and fun as they pursue the elusive golden beetle.

I enjoyed the quirks of both of the characters and their expedition to find the golden beetle. It was not a perfect book, but I loved it enough to round up to 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Random House for an opportunity to read an e-galley.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: A lonely woman's quest to find the elusive "golden beetle."

BRIEF REVIEW: Margery Benson 46, is an awkward, plain, middle-aged woman who has never married. She taught home economics to rude, disrespectful, teenaged girls but, after an incident where she was mocked and laughed at Margery's decided she has had enough. Since childhood, she has had an obsession with beetles so she decides it is time that she takes a chance and pursue her passion and quest of the elusive "golden beetle."

She decides she will need an assistant for her journey to the South Pacific so she places an ad and does some interviews. She ends up with her last choice, the younger, flashy, talkative, Enid Pretty - her polar opposite in every way. They make a crazy pair but embark on an outlandish adventure and face many obstacles along the way including a stalker-like antagonist who suffered from PTSD.

With a combination of both light-heart, laughable moments to more serious situations, this is a story that also has some difficult themes like childhood trauma, abusive relationships and PTSD. A very unusual story to say the least. I loved how eccentric and charming the women were and how a real caring friendship developed between them. I did think the antagonist character with PTSD seemed unnecessary to the overall story but, despite that I enjoyed this quirky and touching story.

RATING: 4/5 stars

MEMORABLE QUOTES:

"They made a ridiculous pair, as they chased the porter, like a brown ostrich coupled with a pink-hatted canary."

"You might have traveled to the other side of the world, but in the end it made no difference: whatever devastating unhappiness was inside of you would come too."

https://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2021/04/miss-bensons-beetle-rachel-joyce-and.html

I have always loved Rachel Joyce books because she weaves beautiful stories about people we want to believe are real, navigating life’s ups and downs. Miss Benson’s Beetle breaks with this formula.
It’s an adventure that follows a woman, Margery, on a quest, geographical, personal, spiritual, for a golden beetle. The characters that join her have their own baggage to carry and discard. At times this works better than others. I was frustrated with Margery through much of the book as she worked her way towards a resolution, wished her assistant Enid had been a little less stereotypical, and was anxious about the man stalking them both during their journey. Rachel Joyce’s trademark writing is throughout, excellent as always. I recommend this book for those that enjoy female leads, nature journeys, character transformation. If you’re a fan of Rachel Joyce (like me!) know going in this is a very different book and adjust your ideas of what you’re about to read, it will help a lot. It’s an excellent book but not a read alike to some of her previous books.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy and the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Rachel Joyce writes highly readable yet deep fiction, and this was no exception. I found myself surprised at several points and very impressed by the high caliber of writing. Perfect for those looking for a deeper than normal poolside read.

Wonderful story development, rich characters, and a plot that hooks you and never lets you go. I love it when I can immerse myself within a book and just forget about real life for awhile and “become” a part of the story. This book totally delivered!

Ms. Joyce, I am a fan!

I loved this book! It was adorable, loveable, funny and heartwarming.

I didn’t want it to end and I looked forward to being able to picking up and get lost in the story.

My favourite books are ones where I miss the characters when I have finished reading it and the story stays with me for days. I miss Ms, Benson and Enid and I have told everyone who will listen to read this great book. You will not be disappointed.

Miss Benson's Beetle is generally a fun read but there are some difficult moments. Overall, would recommend.