Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce

22 reviews

motleybooksandtea's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide, and Infertility

Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, War, Stalking, Animal death, and Fatphobia

Minor: Blood

dorsetreader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Classism, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

Minor: Animal death

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was essentially a female version of the odd couple adventure story which is, disappointingly, a rarity. The (platonic) relationship between the two main characters is really at the heart of this book and both of them were so well realised as were some of the secondary characters like Mrs Poe. While the plot was a bit farfetched, it was fun and engaging. I laughed, I cried, I had a great time devouring this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Moderate: Murder, Fatphobia, Animal death, Blood, and War

cassielaj's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is delightful. There’s so much more to the story than the blurb suggested — nuanced characters and universal themes wrapped up in a wildly entertaining story. Loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Miscarriage, War, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Colonisation, and Animal death

Moderate: Suicide, Colonisation, Excrement, Death, Death of parent, and Cursing

annieliz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. It's about friendship, and finding your place in the world as an individual- and as a woman. This is the book I've been longing for that I didn't know i needed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Blood, Suicide, Stalking, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Animal death

hollygon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide, Murder, Blood, Medical trauma, Gun violence, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body shaming

Minor: Sexual content, Torture, and Infidelity

alayamorning's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny and Grief

bobbijopmh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“We are not the things that happened to us. We can be what we like.”

A story of adventure across the world and finding your true vocation. 

This novel was not quite what I expected. I expected a light ‘book club’ type women’s adventure. But it was much more substantial than that. It’s somewhere between a crime caper, and adventure story, and a meaningful feminist journey of self-discovery. It’s about taking a risk to find what truly makes you happy. 

I enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly (2 days). The characters are well developed. The locations are described well enough that they begin to come to life. There is humour, and emotion, and suspense in just the right measures. As a nature lover I certainly enjoyed the entomology references too. 

Overall an easy four star read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Torture

hollyd19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

Miss Benson’s Beetle follows Margery Benson, a middle-aged domestic science teacher in post-war Britain. After a mental break loses her her job in one dramatic day, she decides to throw caution to the wind and go on an expedition to New Caledonia in search of a beetle she has been infatuated with her whole life. She puts a call out for an assistant, and ends up with a hot mess of a woman, Enid Pretty, accompanying her on her adventure.

Y’all, I wanted to love this book. It seemed charming and fun and has a totally-up-my-alley premise. But on the whole, I was pretty disappointed. 

First of all, this book has a lot more heavy themes than I expected given the synopsis and the various endorsements (words like “charming,” “brilliant,” and “marvelous”). I’ll put some content warnings at the bottom. Secondly, the character development felt spasmodic and inconsistent. Finally, there is a character called Mundic who I felt was an awkward, possibly even offensive, attempt at incorporating post-war PTSD into the narrative. Most of the chapters from his perspective left me unsettled and a little confused. 

Admittedly, I liked the second half better than the first. The two women found a bit more of a rhythm and their relationship took on a more believable tenor. That said, I cannot say I found it to be a satisfying to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Infertility

berodatheelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A great story about the power of female friendship

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Suicide, and Vomit