An awkward, middle-aged Miss Margery Benson goes on a adventure to find a mysterious beetle in the mountains of New Caledonia. Knowing she'll need an assistant to support her through the journey, she reluctantly hires the young, flamboyant Enid Pretty to travel with her. The whole journey is quite unbelievable, yet totally engrossing and delightfully quirky. Ultimately the story is one of friendship and acceptance. Thoroughly enjoyed this title.

There are quirky characters in this story that at times seemed far fetched. BUT - these are characters who touched my heart and had me rooting them all the way. Margery Benson suffered a traumatic experience as a ten year old and then in her twenties, a big disappointment. She leads a lonely, secluded life without friends and an unsatisfying career as a home economics teacher. A gold beetle in a place far from London that doesn’t exist until it’s found, according to her father, is what Margery Benson has been thinking about for years and wants to find. However, she must travel to New Caledonia, thousands of miles away to find it. She seeks an assistant and the unlikely candidate ends up being one she had not chosen. Enid Pretty has dreams of her own and a desire to escape the sad circumstances of her own life. This oddball pair embark on a journey to New Caledonia each chasing their dream, but end up with so much more. A third character, Mundic, a disturbed POW is inserted in the story. While he adds some drama and danger, I thought the story would have worked fine without him.

There is so much they don’t know about each other, and as their secrets are slowly revealed and in spite of them, there is real acceptance and caring reflected in a true friendship that grows between these seemingly so very different women. There are moments bordering on the absurd, but these are tempered by moments realistically portraying grief, sadness, loneliness, the joy of self discovery and friendship. I laughed out loud at times and choked up at others. I can’t say that I loved it as much as [book:The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry|13227454] or [book:The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy|20890479]. However, in spite of my reservations about the likelihood of the story, it was a good escape as well as as a touching story.


I received a copy of this from Dial Press through NetGalley.

Three Stars

I chose this book because I once read a wonderful book called "Perfect" by Rachel Joyce, and now she's one of my favorite authors. She's also a British author and I very much enjoy that locale in my books.

This book takes place in post WWII Britain. Miss Benson is a large woman in her late forties with no sense of dress and is a bit of a loner. As the book begins she is teaching a class where a note is being passed around with a horrid caricature of her. This sends her over the edge to the point where she abruptly ends the class, swings by the teacher's lounge and steals another teacher's sturdy boots, then leaves the premises ignoring the protestations and threats of the teacher whose boots were stolen.

A brief recounting of her upbringing recalls the horrible event where her father found out that all four of his sons were killed in combat. He promptly went off into another room and shot himself. Prior to this news, he had been showing Margery an illustrated book about insect specimens, and she locked in on the mythical golden beetle of New Caledonia. Now Margery and her widowed mother were forced to stay with relatives in London where her mother spent the days wistfully staring out the window.

Margery began regularly visiting a local museum's entomology section where an older married man encouraged her studies, and also a mutual flirtation. Eventually this reached a crisis point where he confessed his marital state and Margery's romantic dreams were shattered. Thus began Margery's acceptance of her lot in life as being a clunky, misunderstood, solitary and loveless existence.

However, the school incident was a tipping point and Margery decided to fulfil her dream of hunting for the golden beetle of New Caledonia. She placed ads in the paper for an assistant, and wound up with the most improbable candidate. One Enid Pretty, thin with bleached blonde hair, elaborate makeup, a pink business suit paired with sandals with pom poms, and a red valise she was very secretive about.

The two embark on a major trip via train, boat, and sometimes mules on their expedition. The two women are contrasts in so many ways. The sheer magnitude of physicality on their journey up a mountain to find their specimen is an awesome undertaking. While Margery's dream is to find this golden beetle, Enid's dream is to become a mother after suffering many miscarriages.

I did enjoy this book in a quiet way, as I appreciated the marrying of these two very different souls who grew to really care for each other. I didn't have that "couldn't put it down" experience, though. "Perfect" is still my most favorite book Rachel Joyce has written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rachel Joyce for my copy of Miss Benson’s Beetle, for an honest review. All i have to say is what an awesome read. I had no idea what this story was about and was charmed from the beginning. Margery Benson is at her white end with life. WWII is over and yet life is still so uncertain. She isn’t where she wants to be in life, barely making ends meet and needs a change. Margery decides to go half way around the world, to try to find a Beetle her and her father spoke about. While preparing for the trip she hires an assistant and this duo set out to find the golden beetle of New Caledonia. This working relationship, from the moment it starts is raw and honest. These ladies are complete opposites. Both women didn’t know how much they needed help and how they both couldn’t ask for it. I loved this story from start to finish. The author did such a wonderful job telling their story. I laughed and I cried over their antics. This was a five star read for me. I have recommended it to anyone who will listen. I can’t believe how hooked I was to see if the golden beetle really exists. This book is now available and I hope you get a copy. This is my first book by Rachel Joyce and it will not be my last. Please see my reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I have also recommended it on my bookstagram page.

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.

I loved everything about this book, except for Mr. Mundic, the "demobbed soldier" who applied to accompany the titular Ms. Benson on her trip to New Caledonia. The character is unnecessary as his ultimately contribution to the plot could have come from other characters who were investigating Miss Benson and her companion. I'm afraid that is all I can say without spoiling several key elements of the plot.

I will say this: This is the first time Rachel Joyce has worked with this editor and I can't help but wonder what Susan Kamil, Joyce's longtime editor would have done when faced with Mr. Mundic, the character that turned this otherwise 4.5-star read into a 2-star review.

Like so many other readers, I thoroughly enjoyed Joyce’s 2012 novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. In some ways Miss Benson’s Beetle tugs at the same heart strings as we watch another damaged individual make a journey of self discovery. The setting for this exploration is certainly more exotic, as Miss Benson makes her way from England to the far distant island of New Caledonia in search of an elusive gold beetle. Studying insects had given her comfort in a lonely joyless life. She was stymied by the conventions and expectations of 1950 society and finally broke free to set out on her quest.
Accompanying and assisting her is a young woman, different from Miss Benson in every conceivable way. Answering Margery Benson’s ad for an assistant, Enid is the total opposite in talents and temperament from what Miss Benson wanted and what she thought she needed. Despite Margery’s initial rejection, In a series of exciting escapades, the two women find themselves in a partnership that only deepens as the book continues.
There are other broken individuals woven through the story, a prisoner of war suffering beriberi and PTSD and the grande dame of British society in the backwater of New Caledonia. It is difficult not to feel sympathy for these characters even as they attempt to thwart Miss Benson’s dreams.
Joyce’s vivid writing makes the far off jungle with its exotic plants, insects and snakes, and dangerous cyclones come to life. Even an armchair traveler may feel like packing a small valise and traveling to the other side of the world.
I can’t end this review without acknowledging my ambivalence about the ending of the story. No spoilers but I did have mixed feelings until we get to the final chapter where Joyce does redeem my earlier disappointment
This was a bittersweet read as we get deeper and deeper into the souls of Margery and Enid and they reveal themselves to us and each other. All in all a lovely voyage of discovery. And you may find, like Miss Benson, that the important things in life aren’t on a list

The first thing I want to say about Miss Benson's Beetle is that reading it was an absolute delight. It has its moments of sadness or challenge or fear, but more than anything else, it's a triumphant tale of what can be accomplished by an ordinary woman. The cast of characters is wildly diverse; the action easily leads to "one more chapter" late night reading. I don't want to say much about the plot for fear of spoilers, but this book really is a must-read.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Miss Benson is traveling to New Caledonia to satisfy her lifelong quest to find the Golden Beetle. She, of course, needs a travel assistant to accompany her on this mission. Her interviews are generally fruitless and she winds up with the most unlikely candidate, Enid Pretty. She and Enid could not be more different.

As time passes, the two women discover each other's strengths and flaws. They learn from each other and develop strategies to succeed in the elements of this extreme environment.

The beauty of this book lies in the character development. Both women recognize how their pasts influence, but do not limit, them. They find strength in each other and move forward in this adventure.

After having read Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Music Shop, I was delighted to receive an Advance Reader Copy of Miss Benson’s Beetle—the tale of two dramatically different British women’s adventure to the other side of the world.

Trapped in a job teaching domestic science to students who mock her as overweight and frumpy, Margery Benson does the unexpected for the first time in her life. She flees her classroom, school, and job, stealing a pair of new boots on her way out..

Since childhood, Margery had been fascinated by beetles and was particularly obsessed with the golden beetle her father had shown her in a book. A large part of the fascination was that the beetle did not exist—officially, that is. It had been sighted in the far north of the island of New Caledonia, but to be officially recognized, someone had to collect it, take it to the Natural History Museum, and have it studied and given a Latin name. Suddenly without a job, Margery determines to invest her savings in a trip to the South Pacific in search of the tiny golden beetle..

First, she needs an assistant to accompany her. Four people reply to her advertisement, and through a series of events, she is forced to hire Enid Pretty, the least qualified applicant of them all and Margery’s polar opposite.

The mismatched pair soon boards a ship from England to Australia from which they will travel by sea plane to the island of New Caledonia. From the moment they leave land behind, their personality differences and misadventures threaten the very possibility of Margery’s entomological quest.

From conflicts and misunderstandings, from weaknesses and strengths, from individual dreams, Rachel Joyce crafts and delivers a new novel—sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but ultimately uplifting.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Rachel Joyce of an ARC of this charming story.

In loving "The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" so very much, I was so happy to receive this as an ARC and was anxious to dive in. And due to publishing dates being changed multiple times, I ended up reading this AFTER it was published [not how I usually do my NetGalley books] and was able to get the audiobook [narrated by the amazing Juliet Stevenson] for this and that made the experience even more amazing. Because my friends, this book is nothing short of amazing.
There is just one problem; there is no reviewing this book. You must experience it from page one with no prompts or information. That is the best and only way to read this. It should be the ONLY way to read it. I knew next to nothing about this [requesting it simply because it was Rachel Joyce] and I find that that is when I enjoy and live and love a book the most. And it absolutely applies here - not knowing is what makes this just come alive and draws you in and takes you on a trip you will never forget. And give you massive book-hangover. Which is the highest compliment a reader can give an author I believe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Joyce, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House/The Dial Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really good read. Miss Benson had such a dismal life in 1950, and Miss Pretty was on the run. They were a mismatched pair that ended up, after much adventure and experiences to be perfect for each other. I loved the book.

Joyce has an exquisite sense of timing and character development; Margery Benson and Enid Pretty will stay with me for long, long time. I do not want to take away the absolute joy of experiencing Miss Benson’s Beetle by giving details, but anyone who loves Harold Fry, anyone who loves Fredrik Backman, anyone who loves a great story about friendship and adventure should read this book.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an Advance Release Copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

This book was such a treat! I had no expectations and the cover art for this version is so bright and enticing. I laughed out loud and cried grieving tears throughout the book - it was a roller coaster and it hit all the right spots. The friendship between Margery and Enid goes through its ups and downs but warms the heart nonetheless. Both these women desperately needed the other. You can see Margery’s habits and even demeanor change throughout the story from someone who is eternally lonely to someone worthy of love and friendship. There is a side story of someone sinister that is following the women on their journey that all leads up to the ending, but I felt he almost took me away from the story than anything else.

It is a fictional story set in 1950 England after the war. It follows the story of Margery Benson who is described as an aging (mid 40s) spinster at a job she loathes teaching bratty kids domestic science. She lives unhappily alone. After a bad day at work, she realises she has had enough and will go to chase her dreams traveling to New Caledonia across the world to discover the mythical gold beetle that had never been captured before. She flees London with the help of Enid Pretty, an assistant she reluctantly hires who is the polar opposite of Margery in every way: flighty, flirty, and tiny. Together they embark on a long journey there and in search of this beetle.

Thank you to Dial Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce is a very highly recommended novel featuring two very different women going on the adventure of a lifetime.

As a ten-year-old in 1914, Margery Benson was shown a book of fantastical creatures by her father and she was immediately taken with the golden beetle of New Caledonia, an island in the South Pacific. Thirty-six years later, in 1950, Margery is a teacher of domestic science and has reached a breaking point. Forfeiting her job, she grabs a new pair of boots belonging to a colleague and runs out of the building. Margery has decided she must go on the expedition that she has dreamed about for years. She is going to travel from Britain to New Caledonia to find the golden beetle. She sells almost everything she owns and places an ad in the newspaper for an assistant who speaks French to accompany her, but ends up with the one woman she wasn't even going to interview: Enid Pretty. The two women, who are complete opposites, board the RMS Orion headed to Australia and then on to New Caledonia. Unknown to them, however, they are being followed by a delusional man who thinks he must head Miss Benson's expedition.

The golden beetle may not even exist, but the two women take on an extraordinary adventure, face one crisis and trial after another, and, ultimately, become friends. This is a wonderful, captivating, quirky novel, with all the warm fuzzies, that has incidents of sadness, danger, uncertainty, endurance, and comedy, but fundamentally it showcases the important life-changing power of friendship. The characters absolutely shine in this novel and are fully realized with an acumen and depth that makes them feel real. Ultimately, they are portrayed as complex women, with both strengths and weaknesses, as they experience trials and growth in their characters. It is the characters that make this novel, although the expedition is interesting and you will keep reading for both the plot and the characters.

The writing is admirable and splendidly captures both the characters and the narrative. I enjoyed the physical journey the characters undertake as much as the personal growth they exhibit. The plot does have a few incidents that stretch believability but, as with most adventure novels, you can easily set them aside and just enjoy the action in the narrative. This is simply a beautifully written, uplifting story. Even with the dark moments and the trials the two go through, Miss Benson's Beetle is an accomplished novel to read for escapism, especially during a trying time. It must be said that the final scene in the novel was absolutely perfect.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House.
the review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce.

Margery Benson has had enough. She's middle aged, lonely and unsatisfied. Her students poke fun at her, and she's tired of working a job that has zero spark or interest. So one day she snaps, walks out of her job, and puts an ad out for a travel assistant. She's going to New Caledonia to find the mysterious gold beetle that her dad once showed her. It's never been discovered before, and she's going to be the one to do it.

But her travel assistant ends up being the last person on earth she would ever choose to be paired with. Enid Pretty is young, scatter brained and beautiful. She lied on most of her application and has plans of her own, making Margery's plans a lot more complicated. But through their shared experiences, a bond forms that may change the course of both their lives.

What an absolutely charming read. The characters were so endearing and the author did a fantastic job road mapping this epic adventure. It definitely sparked inspiration in me, to get my hands more dirty, and to keep my heart open for unlikely friendships.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exhange for an honest review.
I thought "Miss Benson's Beetle" by Rachel Joyce was a beautifully written story that was addictive and mesmerizing. It had me laughing so hard I almost choked a few times and other times it had me crying.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
This is the 1st book that I read by Rachel Joyce but it won't be the last.

This is another absolutely charming novel from Rachel Joyce. Miss Benson's Beetle follows the quirky, misguided, and delightful adventures of one Margery Benson as she attempts to find the golden beetle of New Caledonia. Taking place just after the end of WWII, the book starts in Britain and quickly takes the reader on a wonderful transoceanic adventure to Australia and then New Caledonia. Ms. Joyce's characters are so well developed and you can't help but root for them all. There is a driving, satisfying plot line and an ending that is just perfect. If you were a fan of The Music Room or just love character driven stories, then you will definitely enjoy this fantastic book. Would be perfect for a vacation (or cozy staycation over the holidays!). Happy reading!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3614971888

This piece of historical fiction was full of joy, adventure and heartfelt emotion. It's about Margery and Enid who set off on a journey of a lifetime in the 1950s to Caledonia to search for a mysterious golden beetle that may or may not exist.

Margery and Enid's characters couldn't be more different. Margery is a school teacher and spinster and Enid is a housewife whose situation we learn more about as the story progresses. Despite all the conflicts, issues and hardships they faced on their mission to find the beetle, Margery and Enid's story was as funny and witty as it was emotional.

I enjoyed their unlikely friendship so much and each page was precious. Thank you so much @randomhouse and @netgalley for giving me access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Courtesy of NetGalley, I received the ARC of Miss Benson's Beetle. This imaginative and quirky novel follows the journey of two women who become unlikely friends as they discover themselves, their strength and resilience. Their adventure unfold as they follow their dreams, through the brilliant perceptions, phrases, and descriptions of Rachel Joyce. A story to treasure!