Margery Benson has lived a sad and frustrated life dating from the year she was ten, during WWI. After a life lived with no real dreams, no pleasures and a job for which she is totally unsuited, Margery latches on to the memorable thing her father pointed out to her in one of his books: the golden beetle 🪲 of New Caledonia, an insect that has never been found and may be a myth. This novel is the mad, sometimes manic, expedition in search of that little beetle. And, along with other of Joyce’s books, it is also a story of self discovery. It is one of finding self-worth and meaning, and a story about women finding themselves in the 1950s. For Miss Benson teams with Enid Pretty as her assistant got this journey and both will find much more than expected.

There are ups and downs, laughter and definitely tears, and there is growth.

It struck her again: a life was such a short thing. All
those things people carried, and struggled to carry, yet one
day they would disappear, and so would the suffering inside
them, and all that would be left was this. The trees, the moon,
the dark. (loc 3532)

Joyce’s descriptions of the natural world are often gorgeous and reflect the change and development in Margery as she moves along her journey, meets new people and new challenges. Her descriptions of Margery’s inner world are equally interesting. One other character who recurs throughout the novel is Mundic, a former POW, held in Burma during WWII. While I wondered about his purpose in the story, ultimately I began to see him as one of society’s throw away people, much as Margery and Enid and many others were throw away people who struggled for purpose, a reason to go on.

I did enjoy this book very much; if not quite so much as Harold Fry or Queenie, Margery deserves her time in the sun.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me. While Miss Benson was an interesting character with an interesting past, most of the story and characters seemed very absurd. I wasn't a fan of the slapstick comedy and couldn't find myself getting invested in the novel. I know many others enjoyed the novel, and I'm happy they did! But unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me.

Such an enjoyable romp, although quite grisly in parts! Miss Benson decides to find an elusive beetle and departs on a voyage to New Calendonia in search of this beetle. Meeting Enid Pretty makes all sorts of changes in Margery's live, some for good, some for worse. Involving and poignant writing, this is definitely worth the read!

For all her life Margery Benson has been fascinated by beetles, especially the only rumored golden needle possibly found in New Caledonia, But life got in the way and she was now a fortyish spinster schoolteacher.Shaken out of her complacency at her school, she decides it's now time to to in search of the beetle.After advertising and interviewing for an assistant, she ends up with the least acceptable applicant and this is the story of their quest.Through many trials and countless tribulations, they finally set off on their quest. Maybe they will or won't find the beetle, but they learn to rely on each other. A feel good story reminiscent of Fredrik Bachman.

When as a young girl Margery Benson learned of the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia from her beloved father her life's path was set.  Although it took several life altering tragedies to set her on the actual path of the beetle she actually set out on a trip to find the beetle.  This trip was unheard of for a woman to lead and then to couple her with her assistant - flamboyant Enid Pretty, the trip seemed doomed from the start.  The antics that ensue are entertaining and harrowing but a friendship and respect grows between the two women and the goal seems attainable.  Quite the collection of rare beetles is growing as the trip draws to a close then Enid shares secrets from her past that might threaten their return.  Twists and turns seem to spring up throughout the book as numerous as the beetles being collected.  An enjoyable read about unlikely friendships, perseverance and the ending is so bitter sweet!

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce is a book about two women who could not possibly be any more different.  Below the surface, maybe not so different after all.  An unlikely, but lovely friendship story.

Things are difficult in 1950s London, and Margery Benson is just trying to keep her head down and make it through another day of teaching home economics. When students pass around a nasty caricature of her, she finally snaps. Margery leaves her job and her home to embark on a sacred quest. Ever since childhood, she has wanted to find the mythical golden beetle of New Caledonia. With the unlikely Enid Pretty as her assistant, she sets off for an adventure unlike anything she has ever experienced. 
Miss Benson's Beetle, at its heart, might be a story about finding what gives you joy. Margery has been constrained by society's rules about what a woman should do, despite never finding her place there. Enid has used her looks to make it through life, but living in the jungle with Margery allows her to discover who she wants to be and how she wants to act when her life is not dictated by men. Rachel Joyce writes these two very different women so well, and the story of their growing friendship is compelling. Unfortunately, the book is a bit long and Joyce introduces a third storyline which doesn't add anything to the story. While this is not my favorite Joyce book, I have certainly found a place in my bookish heart for Margery and Enid and their adventures.

Miss Benson's Beetle
By Rachel Joyce
Dial Press November 2020
352 pages
Read via Netgalley 

Also by Rachel Joyce:
The Music Shop
The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC in exchange for my honest review: 

 Miss Benson’s Beetle • Rachel Joyce 
⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
——————————————————————
“It was so easy to find yourself doing the things in life you weren’t passionate about, to stick with them even when you didn’t want them and they hurt.” 
——————————————————————
👍🏼 Thumbs Up:
Quirky characters, unlikely friendship story full of Amelia Bedelia type adventure! 
•
👎🏻 Thumbs Down:
I just couldn’t get into it and it felt a bit long to me! 
•
🤓 For Readers WHO:
-Enjoy adventure stories or stories about explorers. 
-Are fans of an unlikely friendship trope 
•
👉🏼 This is what’s WHAT:
A spinster in 1950’s London, Madgery Benson decides to quit doing what she’s always been expected to do and finally pursue her lifelong dream (and honor her fathers memory) by going across the world to find the golden beetle. She finds a woman seeking her own escape to be her assistant and a take of mishaps adventure ensue as this unlikely pair embarks on their voyage. 
•
⏳WHEN I read this book:
I was reminded of Tarzan and Amelia Bedelia for some reason! Explorer mishaps and all. 
•
🚨WHERE you should watch out:
-suicide 
-POW PTSD
-Murder
-Spousal abuse 
-Mentions of miscarriage/infant loss 
•
📍WHY you should NOT read this book:
If you pick this one up, I would not recommend the audio version! 
•
📚 HOW I read this book:
EARC from @netgalley alongside the audio from my library

This is my first experience with Joyce's writing - and it certainly won't be my last! I really loved this! It's quite possibly one of my very favorite books of 2020! I didn't know what to expect going in, but the whole adventure that the titular Miss Margery Benson undertakes to find the golden beetle of New Caledonia makes for a truly excellent read! At 46, Margery decides on a sudden impulse to go after her childhood dream. Reserved, a bit stodgy, while being more than a little funny and completely likable, Margery is in direct contrast with her assistant, Enid Pretty. Partly a story of chasing one's dreams, and partly of friendship, I found myself smiling and genuinely enjoying this from start to finish! I laughed out loud, muffled genuine sobs and completely fell in love with the characters. 

They all truly spring to life - even the villains are sympathetic in their own ways. It's just so well-written and generally well done! I would think that this would be a lot of fun to listen to as an audiobook as well. I completely enjoyed this (and to be honest, as someone who doesn't enjoy beetles or any type of bug at all, this far exceeded my expectations as even the beetles through Margery's eyes seem pretty and almost charming!). The historical detail feels well-researched too - from the remote landscape to the hard journey to get there. It almost gives this a timeless quality at times. I just really loved this one! It's a bit sad, too, but manages to remain an overall hopeful and uplifting story. I am definitely excited to check out her earlier novels (maybe on audio!). It's so very well done!

Miss Benson's Beetle is a wonderful book about taking chances, and following your dreams - even if you are older and set in your ways.  The main character becomes tried and bored with her day to day existence, and plans the expedition of a lifetime - to find the elusive gold beetle.  She learns on her journey that she is more courageous than she ever imagined, and that first impressions may lead you miss out on relationships that you will treasure forever.

Fast paced book and I really enjoyed it. Good story line and I think people are gonna love it. I would definitely read again and recommend

I really loved Enid and Margery.  Though they seem ill suited to each other, their connection was wonderful.  This was an intriguing and fun book.  I would love to see this adapted to the screen.

In 1950, London is reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to survive on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandons her job and plans an expedition to find the golden beetle in New Caledonia. But the assistant she hires, fun-loving and flamboyant Enid Pretty, seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. And a sinister stalker won't let the two women get away alone. Will Margery and Enid be able to achieve their goals and become friends while surviving their expedition? 
"Miss Benson's Beetle" surprised me. I wasn't sure at first, but I soon fell in love with Margery. And Enid grew on me as I read. I didn't want the book to end and felt myself opening up to possibilities as I read. It's a book about resilience, friendship and perseverance that inspired me to practice courage and find my gumption.
Some of my favorite quotes: 
A beetle may be small, and on the chunky side, but its will to travel was spectacular.
She was not fragile and neither did she want to die. She wanted to live.
No matter how awful life was, I would never want to give up. I would always want to keep living.
She didn't know how she was going to get there, or when. But the real failure as a woman was not even to try.

Heartwarming tale of two quirky women who find themselves and each other as they head off in search of the elusive gold beetle.

I just loved Miss Benson’s Beetle and the characters have left a lasting  impression on my heart! It’s no secret that I love a quirky character, and Margery Benson was just the eccentric yet compelling protagonist I grew to love.  

After enduring trauma through her early life,  Margery lives her adult years alone. Now she must travel to New Caledonia and is in search of an assistant. Enter Enid Pretty. An unlikely pair that turns to friendship, I just loved seeing these two women bond as they embark on their adventure.

*many thanks to Dial Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Rachel Joyce fro free e-ARC in return of my honest review. 

After a hard book I was looking for something light and fun to read. According to the premise provided by the publisher Miss Benson's Beetle was exactly the book I was looking for. I was right and wrong at the same time. 

On one hand, it was a na easy book to dive in and I enjoyed it immediately. I laughed out-loud so many times, I lost count. MIss Benson was such a sweet relatable character, I could not fall in love with her instantly. On the other hand, there were chapters that ripped my heart apart and I cried over them. I did not expect the book to be deep but it definitely was. 

I love everything about it - characters and writing style, the flow and the plot, it all made sense and was such a complete story. It was witty and profound, it was like ice and fire together. 

If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

Rachel Joyce's novel Miss Benson's Beetle is perfect for book clubs. It is set in the post-war 1950s and tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two women. The book is both fun and moving, and well written.

What a pleasant surprise. I had not read any of Joyce's novels before, but I will definitely look for them now. From a shocking beginning to a shocking ending, I could not put this book down. There was something surprising on every page. This is NOT a highly suspenseful novel, nor is it filled with fast-paced action, but the characters and situations are engrossing, sometimes humorous and sometimes irritating, and I really wanted to know what would happen next. 

Miss Benson is leading an ordinary and unfulfilling life when she decides to walk out of her teaching job, steal some boots, and go on an adventure to New Caledonia in search of an illusive golden beetle. Accompanying her is her total opposite, the annoying and VERY talkative Enid Pretty. Their backstories and how they come to be friends/allies and the detailed adventures in search of the beetle make up the story. Although the writing won't win awards for literature, the descriptive passages are beautiful and the care with which Joyce develops these characters is masterful. I did not expect to like this book much. At first, I was almost skimming through, but before long I was enthralled with the setting, characters and plot. I really liked it!!

From Rachel Joyce, the bestselling author of THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, comes MISS BENSON’S BEETLE, a hope-filled and joyful story about two unlikely women on the journey of a lifetime.

The year is 1950, and although World War II is over, London and many other major cities are still rationing goods and materials and rebuilding their shattered communities. Husbands, sons and brothers have died, and the women of the world are starting to come into their own, having taken up major roles in both war efforts and homes. One of these ladies is Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and devout spinster who was raised by her mother and religious aunts after her father died by suicide upon receiving the news that his sons had been killed at war. Now in her late 40s, Miss Benson is still ambling by, living in her deceased aunt’s cold, austere flat, surviving on scraps and teaching home economics to young women.

One day, a vicious note mocking a plump, dowdy version of Miss Benson dubbed the “Virgin Margery” goes around her classroom, leaving her shocked and hurt. But what bothers her the most is not the depiction of her weight, or the pun about her spinsterhood, but the fact that she can find nothing untrue in the picture. Not only has she let herself go, she has ended up at a dead-end job that she doesn’t even care about. It is then that she recalls her childhood dream of being the first person to find the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia. The Golden Beetle has been referenced in the writings of Darwin and other explorers, but no one has properly “found it” --- that is, located and preserved specimens and delivered them to the Natural History Museum to be described and given its Latin name. It is then that Miss Benson’s life truly begins.

Miss Benson starts by posting an ad in the local paper to find an assistant to accompany her on the 10,000–mile journey to New Caledonia. It is answered by three normal people and a woman named Enid Pretty who cannot spell. Ignoring the latter, she meets with the other applicants and begins her own paperwork and packing for the trip. Unfortunately for Miss Benson, they are all a bit off, especially Mr. Mundic, a paranoid and cryptic POW who seems to be set on guns and protection and not the gentle but studious hunt for a mysterious beetle. After a series of stops and starts, Miss Benson ends up offering Enid the job sight unseen. And what a sight she is.

Enid is a diminutive blonde bombshell with the lungs of an opera singer and the charm of a Victorian rake. From the moment they meet --- with Miss Benson donning her version of a safari suit and Enid wearing a tight pink dress --- the latter does not stop talking. Miss Benson is as put off by her new assistant as she is intrigued: Who is this woman, and why would she ever want to travel the world for a beetle? Miss Benson is too afraid to ask, but it is clear that both women have their own reasons for wanting to leave the country.

As the two unlikely companions begin the five-week journey to Australia, they strike up a tenuous friendship, bolstered by Enid’s careful nursing of Miss Benson when she falls deathly ill with seasickness. They face numerous hilarious obstacles, including language barriers, passport fraud and plain incompatibility, but slowly Miss Benson starts to realize that Enid might be the best friend she ever had. Unbeknownst to the oddest couple in New Caledonia is the third member of their group, Mr. Mundic, who is positive that he was meant to be Miss Benson’s assistant and is dead set on getting rid of Enid.

MISS BENSON’S BEETLE is hopeful and heartwarming, but it is an equally atmospheric and vibrant read that touches on not only the results of war, but also the joy of travel and the excitement of discovery. Joyce effortlessly weaves feelings of hopelessness, danger and misadventure with themes of resilience and endurance, resulting in a completely captivating and absorbing novel. Though the premise feels familiar in some ways, I loved that the book was about two women striking out on their own, and not about chasing men or pursuing typically women-filled roles. Miss Benson’s role as a spinster makes her unique enough, but her passion for finding the Golden Beetle fills even airheaded Enid with warmth and envy, and adds an interesting element of science and history to the story.

Margery and Enid are absolutely unforgettable, and the way that Joyce pushes each of them into growth and change is equal parts touching and laugh-out-loud funny. I cannot begin to count the number of times I found myself giggling at either the situation --- like Miss Benson taking her passport portrait with another woman in the booth --- or the dialogue, like Enid saying that it’s no wonder a flightless bird is native to only one country (how would it get anywhere else?). Although Miss Benson is our protagonist, Enid is such a perfect foil that she practically leaps off the page in every scene, and the ways in which she encourages Miss Benson to do the same are masterful. Joyce pays careful attention to detail and pacing so that their development feels natural and organic.

If you’ve been longing for a book about fully realized women helping one another grow through kindness and acceptance, this “happy” book with a lot of depth is exactly what you need. Both women (and Mr. Mundic) have been influenced and informed by past traumas, and though their friendship feels inevitable, the journey there is an absolute riot.

Perfect for readers of Joyce’s previous works and MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND, this delightful mix of sweet and witty --- with just a hint of mystery --- will sweep readers off their feet.

Rachel Joyce has written a sad, funny, adventure story about the friendship of two very different women. Margery Benson has spent the last twenty years teaching cooking at  a girl's school She has lived a sad and solitary life with her two aunt's after her father dies and her four brothers are all killed in the first world war. One day Margery can't take it any longer and decides to go in search of an elusive beetle in New Caledonia. To accompany her, Margery employs an eccentric woman named Enid Pretty. 
Margery is a large rather sheltered woman while Enid is her opposite. She is small and very outgoing. The two women begin the long journey by ship from England to New Caledonia. Through the days and months to find this elusive beetle, the women become friends. 
The book is a wonderfully fun, witty, and charming book on friendship and two women who find themselves in an adventure of a lifetime.