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wordsofclover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
amichaela_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Suicide
aargot1's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, Stalking, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Mental illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide, Gun violence, War, Torture, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia
koreanlinda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What drew me to this book was the hot pink and golden yellow cover with an illustration of two women walking side by side. This matched the experience I got to witness in the book: bright and intense; a journey of two women; and their companionship. One difference is that Margery (Miss Benson) and Enid rarely walked together; they ran, drove, rode, crawl, and scramble. Their adventure was physically demanding and emotionally taxing. What got them through it all was each other, the essence of the story.
I have little interest in beetles. I know they are fascinating, but I don't spend time learning about them. I am actually an entomophobia, who whimpers at the sight of bugs anywhere in arm's reach. However, this story made it easy for me to understand how Margery became so invested in finding the beetle of her dream. Rachel Joyce's such mastery of writing extends to all major and supporting characters: superstitious serial-thief runaway, destructive POW, jealous wife of British consul, etc. Even the characters from Margery's pasts are complex and sympathized: stoic mother and disinterested aunts. Joyce's goal in developing characters is not making them likable; she is rather focused on showing how a person becomes who they are in a "real" life.
The readers would not get satisfaction by finding likable characters but by traveling with Margery and Enid through a series of challenges. You inevitable end up rooting for them in each turn of events, holding your breath, and reassuring yourself with the chunk of remaining pages.
The journey achieves not just one goal but a bunch of more meaningful ones: discovery of authentic self, self love, love for others, true friendship, act of kindness, and healing from trauma. Joyce excels in showing how different traumas manifest in different people. Here are a few quotes on that topic:
“You might travel to the other side of the world, but in the end it made no difference: whatever devastating unhappiness was inside you would come too.”
“But war was not over just because someone signed a truce. It was inside him. And when a thing like war was inside you, it never left.”
“He put everything back in his haversack, but he didn't know what to do with the things from the past. He had no idea where you were supposed to put things that existed only inside your head.”
At the end, some characters succeed in overcoming their hardship and some do not. Overall, the story is filled with female characters who are passionate, determined, loving, adaptive, and audacious. This is why I would recommend this book to girls and young women, despite most characters being adults. As Enid says, “We are not the things that happened to us. We can be what we like.”
Trigger warnings (without much graphic details): suicide, stalking, assault, violence in wars and prisons
Review by Linda (she/they)
Twitter @KoreanLinda
Letter writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, and War
alayamorning's review against another edition
- 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
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
- 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.”
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
arcookson's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Stalking, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, and Gun violence
hollyd19's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
alicea's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Margery Benson at one time in her life was determined to find a gold beetle that had never been officially catalogued or "discovered". But years pass and her dream remains unfulfilled. When she finally works up the courage to make the trip to the other side of the world she advertises for an assistant which is where Enid Pretty enters the story. From the outset, it seems like this partnership is doomed to fail and that's before we realize there's terrible secrets on both sides. It's like the Odd Couple on steroids.
So really this is a mystery thriller and historical literary fiction all rolled into one. And the incredibly short chapters make you feel like you're barrelling right along with these dynamic ladies. I don't want to say any more because I'd like you to experience it as I did: a rollicking ride with unexpected twists and turns. Get ready!
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Confinement, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide, Medical content, and Miscarriage
Minor: Animal death