Miss Benson's Beetle - Rachel Joyce

Miss Benson's Beetle

By Rachel Joyce

  • Release Date: 2020-11-03
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
Score: 4
4
From 309 Ratings

Description

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
 
WINNER OF THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE • 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 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

Reviews

  • Amazingly beautiful

    5
    By Jbherrera
    I read this for book group. At first I wasn’t thrilled with the title. I had no idea. It was one of the most beautiful and enthralling books I have read in a long time.
  • Miss Bensons Beetle

    4
    By Smudges mom
    An unlikely pair travel to the other side of the globe in search of a beetle no one knows exists. In the process they plumb the depths of themselves, exploring places with in each of them they never knew existed. A very good read.
  • You’ll love the friendship that unfolds

    5
    By Dingle jingle
    Loved this it was beautifully written. There is suspense, humor, friendship and the ending will probably make you cry. I wish I could read this with fresh eyes again! Enid was an incredibly entertaining and complex character and miss benson made you feel for her. Must read!
  • Absolutely Incredible

    5
    By Reads-at-night
    This was a joy of a story to read. Action, intrigue, comedy, love. And beautifully written. The bonus is it makes you feel good, like you, too, could overcome all the obstacles in your way and make those things happen that you have always wanted to make happen. Joyce’s characters are somewhat broken and under-endowed with status, money, or power, which makes their triumphs all the more wonderful when achieved. They are unlikely heroes, but heroes nonetheless. I loved this book, as well as the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
  • Absolutely loved

    5
    By mila-jinx
    This was an unusual choice for me. I usually go for thrillers or mysteries but this one just caught my eye. I was a little slow to start but it had me curious within the first few pages. The characters are well written and the story unfolds beautifully. It was an absolute delight of a book and I found myself wishing for more.
  • Good fun

    5
    By Hiking beth
    After reading the whimsical title and downloading a sample, I couldn’t resist giving this one a try. I paid for it with some lost sleep and a little work truancy because it was hard to put down. In some ways exactly what I expected and in others completely unpredictable, the author created endearing, flawed, pitiable yet enviable heroines. Made me yearn for adventure — even more than the pandemic has!
  • Fun Adventure with Heart

    5
    By Rludman
    Marjory Benson is a middle-aged, unmarried teacher who is completely dissatisfied with her life. Remembering her father telling her of the rumor of a golden Beetle in New Caledonia, she decides to venture to the other side of the world to discover it. After searching for an assistant who speaks French to help with her expedition, she settles on Enid Pretty, a bleach blonde woman who is her exact opposite. The two venture to the other side of the globe in the search of a tiny golden beetle but may have found something both needed even more. This story is about two women who are very different and become friends. I love stories of women who pursue their dreams at any age. This book has many humorous moments with wacky Enid contrasted by the straight-laced Margery. However, the plot of this book works in some ways as a thriller or like a spy novel. The women try to find this beetle and their search kept me interested until the end whether they would find it or not. But the women are being tracked by the authorities and some shady characters which also heightens the suspense. I thought this would be a feel-good book, and it was, but there were also some surprisingly sad moments I didn’t expect. Once I got into the book, I couldn’t put it down. I loved this journey to an island shaped like a rolling pin in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with themes of friendship, adventure, and becoming who you are. ★★★★★ • Trade Paperback • Fiction • Published by Dial Press on November 3, 2020. ◾︎
  • Dismal

    1
    By sometimz
    Read a few chapters before realizing I really didn’t like any of the characters, or the writing style, enough to go any further.

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