NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A beautifully written, extraordinary quest in which two ordinary, overlooked women embark on an unlikely scientific expedition to the South Seas.”—Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand From the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an uplifting, irresistible novel about two women on a life-changing adventure, where they … a life-changing adventure, where they must risk everything, break all the rules, and discover their best selves—together.
She’s going too far to go it alone.
It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get through life, surviving on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandoning her job and small existence to set out on an expedition to the other side of the world in search of her childhood obsession: an insect that may or may not exist—the golden beetle of New Caledonia. When she advertises for an assistant to accompany her, the woman she ends up with is the last person she had in mind. Fun-loving Enid Pretty in her tight-fitting pink suit and pom-pom sandals seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. But together these two British women find themselves drawn into a cross-ocean adventure that exceeds all expectations and delivers something neither of them expected to find: the transformative power of friendship.
Praise for Miss Benson’s Beetle
“A hilarious jaunt into the wilderness of women’s friendship and the triumph of outrageous dreams.”—Kirkus Reviews
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One of the most original books that I’ve read in awhile. The characters exhibit every human attribute as they adventure in foreign territory, both geographically and emotionally. While I very much enjoyed the characters and their personal growth, I especially enjoyed the note from the author of what she learned from exploring these characters, very insightful.
Even though Miss Bensons’s Beetle was recommended to me, I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did since I’m not usually keen on women-forging-friendships stories. But it was just too charming and funny not to enjoy (and devour) from start to finish.
Miss Benson is a spinster. She hates her teaching job. She’s abandoned all hope of an interesting life. And her students despise her. One day after a cruel prank, she’s had enough and sets out to pursue her dream of finding the gold beetle of New Caledonia. She puts out requests for an assistant and ends up with Enid Pretty…a woman who thinks pompom sandals and bikinis are the EXACT right things to bring on an expedition to the jungle.
Throughout the story Joyce weaves plenty of humor, gotta-know-the-answer mysteries (what exactly is in Enid’s red valise!?), and plenty of adventure. And yes, an Odd Couple of women forging a bond of friendship. The characters were amazingly well done with each (even minor ones) standing out. And the initial tension between Miss B and Enid is done to a T.
For the most part Joyce’s writing is perfectly crafted and the story flows along like a jungle creek, but there were a few times the story ground to a halt with lengthy internal thoughts and overly long setting descriptions. But these in no way detract from the overall wonder of this book, and the wonder of whether Miss Benson will find her beetle.
Highly recommended!
I loved this wonderfully uplifting story of a middle-aged British woman who sells her inheritance to set off across the world in search of a perhaps-mythical golden beetle. The adventures are wacky, the characters off their rockers (for good reasons), but the story is as deep as a well, offering wonderful lessons on life, love and friendship–and, now and again, a rare and powerful sense of awe.
This may not go down in the annals of classic literature, but it is a charming story. A spinster following a childhood dream. All of the characters are exagerated stereotypes: the spinster, the bright young thing, the British matriarch, the disturbed ex-POW and they all speak to us in some way.
This is probably the best book I have read in a very long time!
I loved the characters and the storyline. I enjoyed reading every minute of this book
Miss Benton’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce is my first novel by this author and I cannot wait to peruse her back list. This book has all the feels— the pressures and joys of deep friendship forged in perilous times. A story that will remain with you for quite some time.
Margery Benson ,socially awkward and lonely, reaches her limit one afternoon and decides to embark on a journey to New Caledonia. She is determined to find the golden beetle that her father told her about as a child, and send it to the Natural History museum in his honor. Margery and her assistant–unmet until the moment of departure–are seemly a totally unsuited pair. The adventure begins at that point and as it unfolds my own emotions are twisted and swayed right through to the very satisfying conclusion. I loved this book on audio— don’t miss it!
An ok story, but runs too slow at times.
Margery Benson and her assistant fall into several tricky situations as they search for the golden beetle of New Caledonia. No matter the consequence, they never give up on themselves or each other.
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…with your bestie or book group. Great option for historical fiction fans looking for something post WWII.
• Good balance of humor and emotional depth
• Resourceful women on an adventure
• Historical fiction with nature elements
What a wonderful story of an unexpected, unconditional female friendship, and self-discovery. I had no idea what to expect from this book, but what I got was a longing for a friendship such as these two women had. It also had me looking at myself and what I truly want out of life. I felt a lot of feelings and did a lot of soul searching while reading Miss Benson’s Beetle, and for me, that equates to a 5 star read.
Margery and Enid are both such well-developed characters, both with their own amusing eccentricities. I’m always a fan of The Odd Couple type friendships, and that’s exactly what this is. The impact they made on each other’s lives were invaluable, but I especially enjoyed watching Margery become a totally different person by the end of the story.
I felt this story is a perfect blend of character and plot driven with good medium pacing. Rachel Joyce not only had me falling for Margery and Enid, but also for the setting of New Caledonia. She wrote so vividly of the area that I felt as if I had visited the area myself.
I think this is a great choice for anyone who enjoys adventure/explorer stories, unlikely/odd couple friendships, and well-developed characters.
CW: Suicide, miscarriage, POW torture, racial slurs, domestic violence, body shaming
Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for the review copy
A very entertaining and adventurous read. I found this to be a very unique story with very original characters. I kept wondering how on earth the author came up with such a wild, imaginative, and heartfelt story! Loved the friendship, the travel, and Miss Benson in particular.
This book is more than just an adventurous story. It’s three witty, personally poignant and suspenseful stories told within a story.
Alternating from the perspectives of Miss Benson, Miss Pretty and Mr. Mundic, each character’s past unfolds piece by piece. The adeptly woven storyline creates an engrossing, humorous and thrilling read as you discover their truth.
Quirky and fast paced, this novel will keep you on the edge of your seat, and pull at your heart as you journey alongside these very intriguing characters.
I especially enjoyed how the author ended the book, the interview and personal story beyond the end of the character’s story. Such a lovely read!
I am not sure what I expected when I started reading this book. But while it was not what I thought it be, it was an entertaining read. I found myself chuckling at Margery’s shenanigans and her experiences as she interviews for an assistant to travel with her on the expedition to New Caledonia.
This is an exploration into growth and change. Both Margery and her assistant, Enid, are challenged by experiences in their past and yet find themselves changed as they make this journey of discovery.
Quirky characters, an exotic location, a developing relationship, and discovery makes for an interesting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
What a wonderful, joyous romp of an incredible book! I devoured this book. It took me a little bit to catch the rhythm, and to throw logic and belief out the window, and then I just enjoyed the unfolding. It has an incredibly vibrant cast of characters who frequently lob unforeseen complications into the story. They make you fuss at them and even make you think you don’t like them, and then you have to turn around and cheer wildly for some of them and curse at others! It is above all a story about the pursuit of life, and the things that give life meaning. Two strong and unconventional female characters, Margery and Enid, are the center of the larger than life adventures, and they will definitely make their way into your heart as well. And do not put the book down without reading the short appendix about the two real life women characters who somewhat inspired Joyce to write the book!
I am SO grateful to Netgalley, The Dial Press, and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Miss Benson’s Beetle started with a shock of ten-year-old Margery Benson seeing her father get notice that all four of his sons were killed in WW I. Reverend Benson steps outside and shoots himself. Margery and her mother move in with two aunts and Margery finds her mother dead in a chair. After reading the beginning, I immediately thought this book would be about Margery overcoming obstacles and building new relationships. I read Joyce’s The Music Shop and loved the characters and how obstacles were overcome and a community held together, For me, Miss Benson’s Beetle did not hold true. The author jumps ahead to 1950 with Margery, a forty-something spinster teacher, walking out of school after stealing someone’s boots. My thoughts were she is going to make some good relationships and find meaning to live.
Margery decides to in search of a golden beetle in the middle of the Pacific in New Caledonia. She interviews people to be her assistant. She rejects Murdoch who was a soldier who was very weird. We find out later that he has PTSD from being a prisoner of war and shows up in New Caledonia. I really think his character should have been left out and the story just be about her relationship with quirky Enid Pretty who fakes speaking French and is hired at the last minute when the person she hired does not go.
There were times that I really liked their relationship and other times there were chapters where I rolled my eyes thinking that this could not happen. So for me the book was a mixture of satisfaction and times of frustration. My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
3 stars
This book I cry a lot with the story of Margery Benson.
This is a story that will show you the strength of friendship no matter the time, the age, or the circumstances when you find someone who really is kind and is there when life is not giving you what you hope. Enid was that person, a character that brought so much joy into this story and it was very similar to Margery’s ways
Margery Benson was on a mission to find the golden beetle that supposedly was found so far away in New Caledonia, I really didn’t know new Caledonia was real until I found it on the map so far away near to Australia. the story of Margery Benson started when she was tired of her regular job and life circumstances push her to abandon this job and embark on a quest to find this enigmatic creature but before the adventure starts, Margery will need to find someone to help her with this trip.
That’s when we meet Enid Pretty and a few other characters who wanted to embark on this adventure, not knowing what the job was all about Enid accepted without hesitating but during this trip, Margery and Enid will live so many crazy situations that at the end will help them to build a real friendship that will last forever.
This was a good read, I enjoy the funny moments Enid kept bringing to us and also the sad one, thee are a few moments that I really felt for Margery, she was a kind lady but very miss understood and somehow I felt like Enid and the other characters brought that warm feeling of love and friendship when Margery needed the most.
I really didn’t know what to expect of this book and story but I really like the message and the warm feeling these wonderful ladies brought during the craziest moments of the story, Enid and Margery two older women trying to make their dreams come true, in the best way they can, searching for a deeper meaning in life and their friendship bringing them closer together making the gray view clearer for both of them.
Many great characters and situations made Miss Benson’s Bettle a wonderful read, it was slow but very worth it.
I loved this book, which is the first one I have read by this author, and am glad to see I own another.
This is an excellent story about two completely different women, Margery and Enid who have come together for different reasons.
Polar opposites in Looks, personalities and agendas, but as you read the story you will see the wonderful bond they create.
This is probably, one of the most unique stories I have ever read. It’s funny, it’s sad and sometimes unbelievable, but always a page turner.
These two characters leave England for New Caledonia, in search of a not yet found Golden beetle.
A must read in my opinion, but make sure you read past acknowledgments as there is wonderful insights about the story at the very end.
I confess I wasn’t sure I could become invested in a journey to find a rare insect, not being particularly drawn to beetles myself. But Rachel Joyce’s genuine, off-beat characters won me over from the very start of their unlikely pairing, long before they learned to love each other. Of course, this isn’t really a story about a beetle at all. It’s about finding yourself, forgiving yourself, and pushing ahead even when the fog descends and the path gets rough and you can no longer see where you’re going. This story takes us quite literally to the far ends of the earth and reminds us that a friend is the most valuable thing we can bring—or discover—on any journey. I’m grateful to Netgalley for an early look at this wonderful read.
5 stars for this incredible surprise of a novel! I pretty much went into this book blind. I’ve never read this author but there was so much buzz around Goodreads that I had to grab it. I am so glad I did! If you like an adventure and well-developed characters, this is the book for you.
Margery Benson was only 10 years old when something very traumatic happened to her. It would impact the rest of her life and how she felt about herself.
The story really starts in 1914 when her father is showing her a book called “Incredible Creatures”. There were so many curiosities in this book, Margery could not get enough of it. But the creature that she is most captivated with is the golden beetle of New Caledonia. The reader doesn’t really know if all of these creatures really exist, but in Margery’s mind she had already decided that someday she would see this golden beetle.
We jump ahead decades. Margery is in her early 40s now, plodding along in a life that she doesn’t like and never wanted. She is teaching home economics to a bunch of ungrateful students. Everyone has their breaking point and one day everything is just too much for Magery; the after-war bleakness of England, the gloomy rainy days, the continued rationing and the hurtful, ungrateful kids. She walks out of that life and soon into a new one.
She has decided now is the time to go on the quest for the golden beetle if she’s ever going to do it. She interviews for an assistant as she will need help with the work and needs someone who speaks French. Who she ultimately ends up with is far from what she had in mind!
Enid Pretty is almost the complete opposite of Margery, in her appearance and how she presents herself. Margery is a planner and list maker, Enid jumps into situations and deals with them as they come along. By the end of the novel I was rooting for both of them.
We’re taken on a long voyage across the sea and across the world to New Caledonia. The adventures and situations that Margery and Enid encounter are at times hilarious and other times you may feel tears. I will leave you with a quote from the book that I loved “Enid had been right. She had been right all along. Margery’s adventure was not about making her mark on the world: it was about letting the world make it’s mark on her.”
I can highly recommend this novel to anyone who appreciates wonderful, descriptive writing, an incredible plot with some twists you will not see coming and characters you will miss when you turn the last pages.The descriptions of Australia and New Caledonia were so vivid I felt transported. Can you feel my excitement? I loved this book!!!
This wonderful novel is set to publish on November 24, 2020 and I can’t wait to share it with EVERYONE!
This was a buddy read with my friends Marilyn and DeAnn, so much fun to read together!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
When I started reading this, I began it disappointed because I thought I was in for 350 pages of a lady looking for a bug. Could not have been more wrong!
This book is about self discovery, opening yourself up to possibilities, having courage even when your terrified, trust, friendship, dealing with disappointment and so so much more.
Gets a tissue warning!!!
Beautifully written. Full of intrigue, humor, heart touching, the 2 main characters clash in all their glorious differences, making a pair of unlikely devoted friends in the end. All the wonderfully flawed characters are some of the best written I’ve seen in a while.
Have to give this one of my rare 5 stars!