Talk about a change of pace. From the dark gritty historical horror of Otessa Moshfegh, to the whimsical ramblings of Rachel Joyce
When my book group suggested this book I was convinced I was going to hate it. The reviews on the back cover using all the phrases that make my stomach churn in entirely the wrong way. this sounded like the literary equivalent of a diabetic coma.
However, once I started reading it, I found it an object lesson in not judging a book by its cover.
Miss Benson is a teacher in 1950s England. When she catches her class passing around a distinctly uncomplimentary picture of her, she experiences a moment of clarity about how much she hates her job and her life, and she walks out on it all to try to fulfil a childhood ambition- to find an almost legendary golden beetle in the remotest part of the remote land of New Caledonia on the opposite end of the world.
She advertises for a companion to come with her on the journey, but due to circumstances, takes the distinctly unpromising Enid Pretty with her. Enid is everything Marjorie Benson isn't. At first they clash, but as is the way in these things, they find unexpected depths of friendship on their voyage of mutual self discovery.
Normally this is the type of thing to make my eyes roll far enough to see the back of my own skull and dislocate the optic nerve into the bargain. But Joyce's writing is sublime. She has a lovely turn of phrase and I can only describe this book as delightful. I've never used that word to describe a book before, but it's easily the best I can think of for this one.
There is a dark(ish) heart to the story. Miss Benson has sad reasons for being so obsessed with beetles, while Miss Pretty has a dark secret of her own. Also, Miss Benson is being followed by an ex-soldier with PTSD and a dangerous obsession of his own after Marjorie refused his application for the role of her companion. The ending of the book is a genuine emotional rollercoaster.
This is an easy contender for the best book of the year so far. I never expected that when I picked it up and read the reviews on the back cover. I am now going to have to add her back catalogue to my ever expanding TBR pile.