Margery Benson is introduced in this story as a ten year old girl, sitting in her father's study and enjoying his company as he shares the book Incredible Creatures. She is quite taken with the sketches of animals and in particular a Golden Beetle from New Caledonia.

Suddenly this pleasant moment is shattered when her father receives a visitor telling him all four of his sons have been killed in the war. His grief and shock is so great that he immeditely goes outside and kills himself. This life shattering event forces Margery and her mother to leave their home and live with relatives.

We quickly jump to 1950 in London, Margery is an unmarried disheveled school teacher getting zero respect or joy in her job. After a particularly horrible day at school she sinks into depression and suddenly remembers a bright spot in her life; her former obsession with the golden beetle in New Caledonia.

Margery decides to upend her sorry, boring life and take an adventure to look for the golden beetle. Some of that inspiration may come from wanting to connect to her much missed father, in my opinion. She knows nothing about New Caledonia and advertises for an assistant who speaks French so she will have an interpreter. After interviewing several people she ends up with an unlikely companion, Miss Enid Pretty. This beuatiful blonde tells her, after they are well underway toward New Caledonia, that she does not in fact speak French. She only knows "Bon Shoor" and off they go. Margery and Enid set off unprepared for an adventure of their lifetime.

These women couldn't be more different in looks and personality but a true friendship develops as they move through the jungle, end up in crazy predicaments and their lives intertwine. I very much liked the end but the middle of the book dragged a bit, just for a while.

Much thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. Opinions are mine and I was not compensated for this review.
This book will be published November 24, 2020.

Margery Benson's life is upended twice in one day in 1914. She is only 10 years old when her beloved father shows her a book, Incredible Creatures. The creature that captures her heart may or may not exist: the golden beetle of New Caledonia. Plain at first glance, it is actually gleaming gold. Her first introduction to the idea that she herself can discover something new opens her world to dreams of expeditions to unimaginable places.

Minutes later, her father answers the doorbell, learns that his sons have all been killed in the war, and commits suicide.

We next see Margery during the hard years in post-WWII England, teaching domestic science in a girls' school. Emotionally damaged by a disastrous affair, she has abandoned her studies of beetles. A large, plain woman, worn-out shoes bear her through a drab life where even blue skies seem rationed as she tries to teach homely skills to mean girls. When Margery forces one of those girls to cede another student's vicious carton of herself as a lumpy old woman, she leaves the classroom and hopes to take a brief refuge in a staff room that smells of "gravy and old cardigans." The tea is tepid, the flat she will go home to is cold, and something impels her to steal a new, thick pair of lacrosse boots from a class deputy. Fleeing (or staggering because of her painful hip) onto a bus, holding the stolen boots, she is suddenly reawakened to her long-buried desire to find that gold beetle in New Caledonia.

Most of the book is a true tragicomic tale of Margery and the thoroughly-inappropriate assistant she is forced to accept, as they endure a rough sea voyage and begin to hack through the foliage to the mountaintop where the beetle may be found. Enid Pretty, the assistant, is a superstitious blonde bombshell in flimsy sandals whose flightiness belies a strong sense of loyalty, and strong desire for a baby of her own. Another applicant, Mr. Mundic, is a former POW whose ghastly experiences in a Burmese camp have left him emaciated, edgy, and delusional, although extremely methodical.

Margery plunges into this scientific odyssey because she believes it would please - have pleased - her father. Enid's determination to go halfway around the world is as hidden as the second, delicate set of a beetle's wings. Mr. Mundic, believing that the expedition should have been his to lead and protect, stows away and follows the women, for reasons he has contrived from his tragic past.

Lost luggage, a leaky shack in the middle of nowhere, snobbish and morbidly curious wives from the British Consulate on the island, cyclones, and Enid's absurd slippers coexist with the details, beautiful and strange, of New Caledonia. Days of tedious hacking and climbing alternate with glimpses of birds exploding out of trees, and a comet streaking through the dark, starry sky. Each character's true nature unfolds in this natural world, growing and adapting and finding shared purpose despite differences. Each scene and challenge is vivid and necessary. This is an engrossing, enthralling book, to be savored and appreciated as a delicate specimen of something wholly unexpected.

4 stars.
(I am withholding one star because I was very disappointed and disheartened by the author's approach to an issue that is meaningful to me. Others readers may not agree.)
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review.

I have mixed feelings about Miss Benson's Beetle. It starts off so strong -- immediately captivating. For the most part, Margery's quest is charming and entertaining and even suspenseful. However, Enid got on my nerves a bit; she grew tiresome and was "too much." The "stalker" storyline (don't want to give any spoilers) felt misplaced and unnecessary. Some parts - e.g. the ship ride - needed a bit of editing. I did enjoy the writing and the ending and I adored Margery's character growth.

Two unlikely people get together to survive together to find the elusive golden beetle. This story shows how an unlikely friendship can survive and end up helping each other in ways they never could have foreseen.

This is a wonderful book about friendship, fulfilling one’s dreams, and starting over. Enid Benson at 46 decides to fulfill her dream of finding the Golden Beetle in New Caledonia so off she goes with Enid Pretty as her companion, the two could not be more different. A bond is formed along with any number of complications in what becomes a story about discovery.

I was so excited to read Rachel Joyce again as I enjoyed her previous writing, "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye". You can't help but empathize and love Rachel's characters. Margery and Enid do not disappoint. This is an introspective and advnetourous journey for Margery in search of a rare beetle and the unlikely bond of friendship that develops along the way. Heartwarming.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an e-ARC of this enthralling and unique story set in England 1950.

In this books by Rachel Joyce, Margery Benson and Enid Pretty, set off on an adventure to New Caledonia in pursuit of Margery's dream of finding the Golden Beetle. Realizing she can not travel alone, Margery hires Enid to be her assistant. On this life-changing journey, the two friends work through their differences and come to understand and appreciate their differences.

Merits: As in previous novels, Rachel Joyce doesn't disappoint her readers. The unique characters and the rich and descriptive plot will hook you, but you'll keep reading because Margery and Enid will worm their way into your heart.

Shortcomings: The pacing of the book faltered a little in the middle, but nothing too much, that would have stopped me from finishing the book. A bigger issue was the POW character whose character felt unnecessary and seemed to distract rather than contribute to the conflict and tension.

Verdict: I would definitely purchase this book to add to the"Teacher/Staff" section of the school library.

Rachel Joyce consistently writes books with strong, female characters who make you want to root for them; this is almost a guarantee I will enjoy the book, and this was no exception. Margery and Enid, while (in the case of the former) not necessarily likable off the bat, become characters you cheer for and understand as the story unfolds. Set in post-War England, Margery engages in a single-minded quest to find the extremely rare Golden Beetle.

As a person who can become a bit single-minded myself, often when putting off processing other feelings, I found this to be quite relatable; the friendship that grows between Margery and Enid feels real and interesting. The cover is beautiful, and the inside of the book is no different; the descriptions of the scenery and of the relationships are both lovely. Something about Joyce's writing style reminds me of watching A Little Princess at my Grandmother's house as a child; in other words, it makes me settle in comfortably, sure I am about to be told a transporting tale.

This latest book by Rachel Joyce is quirky, fun, exciting and satisfying. The main characters of Margery and Enid, form an unlikely friendship that pushes both of them to do things they never would have considered alone including travelling to the other side of the world and following wildest dreams. All this in a time where women had few opportunities and little support.

I really enjoyed this quirky book about two unlikely women who set off on a world adventure to find a never before found beetle. Through misadventure, suspense and adventure, I found myself rooting for the characters and loving this writing style. I am always a fan of short chapters, multiple character perspectives and tinge of mystery. Also, definitely was drawn to the book for the cover!. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of this fabulous book.

It’s always so hard to review a Rachel Joyce novel because there are so many layers to her characters and her specific voice as a writer. It takes some time and introspection to really examine a journey that a character takes through the surface of a seemingly simple little story.

I fell in love with Ms. Joyce through “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” as so many others did and this book felt like a return to those roots in the form of Margery Benson, a frumpy school teacher turned unlikely entomologist. I instantly sympathized with Margery in how she is perceived by her peers (and students) and how it takes a bizarre event to jar her into the realization that she had put aside her life’s passions to just maintain the status quo in her life.

As in several of her other stories, I do enjoy that the heroine of the piece is an older person who goes on a journey of self-discovery. I love the story that tells the world about how it is never too late to just pick yourself up one day and change everything. In this case, it involved leaving a job at age 47, and traveling around the world to find the one thing you have always yearned for and learning so much about yourself and things you never even thought to want along the way. It’s just never too late in life to turn things around.

Margery’s companion, Enid Pretty, proved to be a remarkable contrast to the dowdy and practical protagonist. Her neuroticism and ability to be both demonstrative and introspective grew and evolved throughout the book and pushed Margery into different ways of thinking that she never would have experienced on her own. Although, at times, she could be quite annoying and I didn’t particularly love her sub-plot, I did enjoy her presence and all of the things she did to push the story along.

The thing that kept me from truly giving this a five-star experience which, if you have read my reviews before is exceedingly rare. Was the sub-plot of one of the “rejected” assistant and his persistence in following the expedition despite being dismissed. I would have rather seen the pages that were devoted to him and his story, be used to prop up some of the other British women on the island, or deepen the strength of two women in the 50’s setting out alone to accomplish a goal. I get why, in the end, he was there to produce the final scenes but I think we could have gotten there a different route. ** Biting my tongue to keep this spoiler-free**

Overall, You probably need to read this book when it comes out in November. It will inspire you and, hopefully, make you smile a little in a world that needs a little smile.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Rachel Joyce for the advanced copy of this beautiful novel. I have received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group – The Dial Press and NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Wow! What a satisfying book! The subtitle says it all: "An uplifting and redemptive story of a glorious female friendship against the odds." This is an ultimately heartwarming novel of two misfits who learn from each other about life, hope, and joy. It's the kind of book that started with quirky characters who soon became women I cared about, as I cheered for their success. Alongside the plot of Miss Benson's trip to New Caledonia to find an undiscovered beetle for the Natural History Museum with her assistant Enid Pretty, the author includes themes of family and what it means to be a woman in the 1950's. The characters offer many insightful observations about life, hope, and relationships as their adventurous search for the beetle progresses. This bittersweet story will stay with you long after you read the last page.

I always love reading Rachel Joyce---her characters are strange and familiar, her writing is lovely and full of adventure.
Reading MISS BENSON'S BEETLE during the pandemic, I got the escape I expected from this charming book and more. Some of the things that were merely background as written….visas, passports, missed travel connections….seemed so exotic and made we wistful.
I couldn’t put the book down.
At heart, the story is about the friendship of perhaps the two most impossible and annoying women on earth as they go in search of their greatest and most unlikely dreams. You would need a legal pad of pros and cons to vote on which of the two was most irritating….and both might win.
Marjorie so judgmental and stuck in her ways; Enid so flashy and flirty. Oh, wait, that was just an impression I had at the start of the book…..that isn’t how they are at all.
As aggravating as Marjorie and Enid were, they made me cheer for them, cry for them, laugh with them.
In the best tradition of buddy stories, when one failed the other stepped in. As a team, they could rule the world.
Marjorie HATED Enid’s nonstop talking----but when they were in serious trouble, Marjorie talked nonstop to get through it, as Enid begged her to stop.
Enid’s past and present were more than a little shady---yet she became the best advocate Marjorie ever had.
Without being preachy, and often being hilarious, the book probes friendships, hurts, dreams, aspirations, the unexpected twists of life that make us who we are. It is book club gold!
The book often made me re-read a passage, especially to enjoy Joyce’s spectacular ear for conversation.
There were some serious side-stories, some heartbreaking yet ultimately less interesting to me. I was all about the story of Marjorie and Enid! Others who need their own books; hello Mrs. Pope!
We should all embrace our own Marjories and our own Enids, and set off on our own life adventures!
This ARC was provided by Random House via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
#MissBensonsBeetle #NetGalley

A great story about women taking control of their lives and learning to live the lives they always desired. This is a story of two women who had let circumstances hold them back most of their lives finding their way to adventure and fulfillment. Miss Benson and her assistant make an unusual and quirky pair and I loved watching their stories unfold in this book.

*I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. Many thanks to the publisher for providing the book.*

This was an oddball little book about a woman's search for the golden beetle of New Caledonia. A quirky book with an unlikely pair at the center of it. I enjoyed it quite a bit! I don't always love historical fiction but it was quite lively and I liked all of the details of the setting and bug hunting. I didn't quite see the point of the POW character, however. The book suffered for it.

MISS BENSON'S BEETLE
BY RACHEL JOYCE

In writing "MISS BENSON'S BEETLE," Rachel Joyce has gifted us with a gripping adventure and paired up two of the most unlikely dynamic duo (at first) to travel from the UK to halfway around the world together to New Caldonia in search of the golden beetle. Margery Benson has always dreamed of discovering the Golden Beetle and presenting it to the Natural History Museum. She teaches school where she is under-appreciated by her students and doesn't feel any gratification and she doesn't find it rewarding anymore. She decides that she is going to advertise for a research assistant and fund an expedition to New Caldonia to search up high in the mountain that is shaped like a wisdom tooth in a provincial colony out in the middle of nowhere.

Of all the candidates that she interviews Enid Pretty in her bleached blond hair dressed in her pink suit with pom pom heels seems like the last choice Margery would pick for her assistant. It turns out that Enid Pretty is her only assistant who has been interviewed that can travel that far and be gone that long. Enid turns out to be a very handy person to have picked. Enid is resourceful but what secrets does she hold and what is she running from?

I really loved this book and read it feeling warmth and love for these two women. I loved the lush descriptions of their journey and all of the promise that sometimes it is what we offer inside has the most depth and pays off in the long run than what we look like on the surface. Enid and Margery become indispensable to each other the longer they spend their time together. This was interesting and entertaining with universal lessons learned by both women that is timeless. This is my first time reading Rachel Joyce but has me curious to read her other work. I would highly recommend this historical novel to everybody. Rachel Joyce has masterfully captured my heart and she understands humanity. I will never forget this novel or these lovable two women and I am off to find another novel by Rachel Joyce to savor and read slowly to make it last.

Publication Date: November 24, 2020

Thank you to Net Galley, Rachel Joyce and Random House Publishing Group for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#MissBenson'sBeetle #RachelJoyce #RandomHousePublishingGroup #NetGalley

This review contains spoilers.

Miss Benson’s Beetle is about a repressed, middle-aged woman finally getting some gumption. I was cheering for Margery as she fled her disappointing life to start her adventure. I love where the adventure led her, too, but it took an awfully long time to get there.

I don’t mind a slow story if it has great characters. I loved Edith from the start. She was so optimistic and well-meaning. I was 57% into the book before Margery said a nice word to her, making it awfully difficult to connect with Margery’s character. I wasn’t emotionally invested until 70%. I am glad I stuck it out, because the last third of the book was satisfying.

However, I didn’t like that Mr. Mundic, a POW with PTSD, was just a throw-away villain. The end was just too tidy and convenient. It was also unnecessarily gruesome, which didn’t fit with the rest of the book.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy of this book.

The good thing about this book is that I got through it. The bad thing about this book is that I didn't enjoy it. Since I never give up on reading a book, especially one I request, read it I did. There is nothing I can say in this review that would endear someone else to read it. Those who did enjoy it could sell it, as for me reading it was enough. Too many sad moments, too much violence, not what I expected. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this bittersweet, almost melancholy tale about female friendship in England, 1950, we follow the adventures of two women, Margery Benson and Enid Pretty, who at first glance, are the unlikeliest people to have a coffee date together, let alone trek off on an adventure. Margery is a heavyset 47-year-old spinster who has very little in life. She's socially awkward, the perfect target for the female students she teaches. Her adventure begins, if you can believe it, when she's humiliated yet again by her students. She decides that she's not going to take the abuse anymore and it's really now or never for her to pursue her dreams. They start, and end, with catching the rumored gold beetle that exists in the remote island of New Caledonia. But first: hiring an assistant. Margery's original choice fell through so if she wants to catch this beetle, well, she's going to have to learn with 26-year-old Enid, a vivacious, annoying woman but the worst of it, she's <i>unprepared</i>, which for prim and proper Margery, is a no-go. Somehow Enid manages to talk her way out of many things and Margery comes to grudgingly respect her, keeping her on for the journey. Off to catch the beetle they go, unaware that they are being followed by a former prisoner of war, angry at Margery because she rejected him for the assistant position.

I really liked spending time with Margery and Enid; how they started overcoming their differences to work together. They had their own goals and while these goals were on opposite sides of the spectrum, neither woman belittled the other. It was refreshing. On the plus side, there was no love interest for them to squabble over, no romance. It was impossible not to root for them to make it. I thought adding the POW character was distracting because it didn't feel necessary for tension or conflict. There was enough of that. As a result, I thought the book felt clunky. Throughout the novel, the writer tackles gender roles, gender inequality and I don't know if I felt that her attempt succeeded. I rolled my eyes at the last few pages of the book instead. I thought the attempt was too heavy-handed rather than coming across authentically.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press/Random House for the advanced reading copy, scheduled for release 11/24.

This was slow-moving and simultaneously too scattered for me to really follow. I felt no connection to any of the characters, and found the ending to be chaotic and slapdash.