swordie 's review for:

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce

4.75

adventurous emotional funny 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

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This book made me cry like a little bitch (positive).

I never was so glad that an older woman

found her beetle

, so glad (and disgusted) I went through a harrowing read of a bimbo-looking woman

giving birth

, or so, so devastated when said bimbo

died by the end of the book not too long after her dog died to protect both protagonists

. Miss Benson's Beetle is delightful and gut-wrenching in the same breath, and I'm so glad the protagonists neither fit the norm that society of their time demands on them nor are flat and skin-deep.

Miss Benson's Beetle is a book about what it means to have dreams, and the absolute pains you go to even just obtain a step closer to realizing them. Through Margery Benson's lens, it's a reminder that it's never too late to have an adventure and see truth and wisdom in unexpected places. These women suffer, and I mean, really suffer, but the writing never becomes tasteless. Due to the time Miss Benson's Beetle takes place, there are instances of the r-slur and the f-slur being used, but in no way is it treated as something positive or a simple "joke".

The only thing I wish from this book was that the New Caledonian natives had a bit more development aside from being "others" and scammers. But unfortunately, I kind of get where they're coming from. Do I agree wholeheartedly? Of course not. Even minor characters like Dolly and Mrs. Pope get more featured and thus more development - and I get it, you find comfort in the people who are similar from you, that come from the same place as you.

If you can get past the book being "historically accurate" in the way of having less inclusive language, I recommend this book.