Miss Benson’s Beetle is triumphantly quirky. Her characters are odd, and out of place. They travel to outlandish places, in pursuit of unusual bugs. They are societal outcasts, and even outlaws, but they are totally lovable and engaging. “Beetle” isn’t about happy endings. Its about confronting our fears and dealing with the consequences of engaging with the world.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If there is one thing that Rachel Joyce excels at, it is her wonderful characterization. Once again we enter a world with characters so real, so very human, that your empathy goes into overdrive.

I've read several books by Rachel Joyce and this has to be her quirkiest yet. It is a book of extremes. Extremely eccentric characters - on an extremely improbable quest - to an extremely variant and inhospitable environment.  Yet it works!

The setting of New Caledonia, an island in the South Pacific, is one which I was completely unfamiliar with. After having read this book I have NO desire to go there either. This was a book about an entomologist I know, but the sheer bounty of insects was enough to have me scratching. The plethora of mosquitoes, the red ants down the neck, and the beetles.... so many beetles.

I am NOT a bug lover (understatement of the year). This book has ascertained that Rachel Joyce is an author whom I will always read, no matter the subject matter, as she has proven that she can capture my attention with her brilliant characters.

Yes, the situations were sometimes improbable but this book was set in 1950 so perhaps the travel security measures were much more lackadaisical than they are today.

This is a novel which will make you laugh aloud most of the time, yet once in a while you may shed a tear or two...

This is a novel about cherishing life, finding joy in the most astounding of places, and most of all it is a story about true friendship.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy eccentric characters learning to like themselves, and their world, just a little bit better. Well-rendered, literary, humourous, uplit.

Margery and Enid go careening over sea and land to set up camp and search for the legendary golden beetle. This book is just chock full of surprises at every turn. The journey to discovery involves more than just the hunt for an elusive beetle. This is just delightful, but also heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. There is a bit of cat and mouse and lots of outdoors time. I want to keep any additional hints on the plot to a minimum so others can discover this gem as I did. Includes a fictional interview by the author with the two main characters as well as reading group questions and other bonus material. Highly recommended for book groups and Christmas gifting.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Benson’s Beetle is a historical fiction novel set between England and the South Pacific after WWII. The story follows Margery Benson, a home sciences teacher/ amateur beetle collector who makes the decision to travel by ship to New Caledonia to find a golden beetle (which has yet to be officially discovered). Margery advertises for an assistant to come with her and eventually brings along Enid Pretty (a blond woman in her twenties who is very very different then Margery).

I did like the writing style of this book and the friendship between Margery and Enid. Women’s roles were very defined in that time period and both Margery and Enid ended up creating their own path. I felt in the end that this just wasn’t a book for me and rated it three stars.

There is trigger warnings for PTSD.

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.

Miss Bensen has a life-changing experience and quits her job to go in search of her dream- a gold beetle. When her hired assistant backs out, she ends up with a dyslexic "floosy" with no experience who turns out to be the perfect person to accompany her to the ends of the earth.

It’s 1950 and Margery Benson is 46 years old. Margery had a dream since she was young to discover the golden beetle in New Caledonia. When she finally has a mental lapse and walks out of the British girls school she teaches at, she decides to take the plunge and go on the expedition she has dreamed about for years. Advertising for an assistant, she ends up with “wild and unpredictable and completely illogical Enid”. Enid is young and carefree making them polar opposites, somehow they end up managing to work together, but the expedition turns out to be much more than Margery anticipated when she finds out the secrets Enid has been hiding and she ends up with a crazy stalker. In the end a beautiful friendship evolves and Margery realizes that “she had travelled to the other side of the world, but the distance she’d covered inside herself was immeasurable”.
This book started quite slowly for me and I was disappointed as I could see how much potential there was for a really great story ... THEN I hit the halfway point and started to fall in love with the characters and couldn’t wait to see what happened next❣️

My fifth Rachel Joyce book and a joy to read. Larger than life wacky characters, a passion for beetles, a wild adventure and rollicking good story!

Margery (don’t call her Marge, Marge is a cheap butter substitute!) shares her deceased father’s love of insects and the day she walks out of her job with a stolen pair of boots, Margery is adamant to never return. She will follow her childhood dream, traveling to the other side of the world to discover an elusive gold soft-winged flower beetle in New Caledonia. She hires a lively, chatterbox, take-no-prisoners, French speaking assistant named Enid to join her on this adventure. Unfortunately, Margery soon discovers this assistant only knows one French word. There are times of sadness amongst the hijinks and a character named Mundic who is stealthily following the women, seemingly obsessed by Margery. I couldn’t wait to learn how things would end up for him. A gem of a book.

Margery Benson has been dreaming about finding the heretofore undiscovered golden beetle of New Caledonia since she was ten years old. Now, at age 46, she finally has the opportunity to pursue her passion. But first, she must hire an assistant who speaks French. With only two remaining applicants to choose from and time running short, she hires Enid Pretty, a flaky, wacky woman whose only knowledge of French is “Bon shoor.” Enid is not the woman Margery had hoped for but together they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, supporting each other as best they can. There is an antihero, one of the applicants whom Margery did not select who follows Margery on her journeys in the determination to lead her expedition.

There are comical moments and serious moments and unexpected occurrences. One of the funniest lines is when Margery uses a French phrase from her travel guide: “I am going to the next village to sell my grandmother’s hens!” It makes no sense in the context in which it is used which had me laughing out loud. Miss Benson's Beetle is truly a heartwarming story, a little off the beaten track. It will make you laugh and might make you cry.

Here are two totally different female characters that I fell in love with by the end of the book. A very character-driven novel, the personal growth of each woman is written so skillfully that it makes the reader want to believe in the story. In a journey from 1950s Britain to New Caledonia in search of a mythic beetle, secrets are shared and true friendship is formed. Such a great story about women finding their strengths and following their passions.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Dial Press for the ARC to read and review.

Margery and Enid make a most unlikely team. Margery is a spinster teacher leading a most uneventful life. And Enid – well, you just have to meet her yourself! They are delightful, quirky characters who go on an unlikely quest. Maybe they’re a little bit of Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho. This is a unique and touching story of female strength and the ultimate journey to find yourself. It is a well-written and well-crafted story. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce in exchange for my honest review.

Delightful book that says "Girl Power!" all the way! It kind of reminded me of Thelma and Louise without Brad Pitt, but seriously, Margery and Enid are such loveable characters, you don't need him! This book was funny, inspiring, and encouraging, and honestly, I'll probably end up reading it again.

Miss Benson’s Beetle was a nice escape from reality. Why shouldn’t a rather large lonely woman and a crazy party girl go looking for an undiscovered beetle halfway around the world? Miss Benson and Mrs Pretty made an unlikely pair but combined you felt like they could do anything. Their friendship was more beautiful than some love stories.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Margery Benson survives a tragic childhood and lackluster career. After a particularly dreadful day as a teacher, she leaves her job in a spectacular fashion and embarks on an adventure.

Her mission to New Caledonia in hopes of discovering the famed golden beetle is both helped and hampered by her exuberant young assistant. Together they form a sisterly bond and begin their work.

Problems arise, hilarity ensues, tragedy occurs, and success happens in an unexpected way.

I can honestly say I was unsure reading a book about beetles, but it was the the adventure and the obsession that Miss Benson had for the beetle that moved the book along. It starts out in 1950 London, a rather dreary place still dealing with rationing. Margery Benson lives a very dull life in London, no family alive and no friends, a job she doesn't like teaching young girls Home Ec. When she finds a cartoon of her that the girls are passing around, she sort of loses it. She decides to travel half way around the world top find the elusive New Caledonia Golden Beetle. She needs an assistant, in comes Enid Pretty and her baggage, literally and figuratively.
The two very different women eventually get past not understanding each other and over the months together, become dear friends. This is a story of the obsessions that everyone has and how they came about. There is a lot of humor but more tragedy, loneliness and mystery.

A very interesting story that is full of surprises. The characters are lovable and the science is interesting. It is funny, full of suspense and sad.

Miss Benson’s Beetle is a delightful escape from the stresses of our Covid restrictions into the jungles of New Caledonia to discover the importance of friendship in reaching one’s dreams against seemingly impossible odds. Rachel Joyce is a master of creating memorable, quirky characters. Enid and Margery are women I’m glad I met in the pages of this novel. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Miss Benson’s Beetle

This South Pacific adventure was the female-driven book I didn't know I needed. I suspect we all have an internal Miss Benson that needs to be encouraged and released.

A must read! This book is hilarious and heartbreaking by turns, but what an adventure for Margery Benson and Enid Pretty, and the reader. From London to New Caledonia, there are so many obstacles for these two to overcome in their search for a golden beetle. But, perhaps what they find is even more precious.

Miss Benson is fed up with her dull life. So off she goes, hunting for a mysterious beetle. And her sidekick, Enid, brings plenty of laughter to the story. Part whimsical, part heartwarming, Miss Benson’s Beetle is sure to stick with me,