Maria Semple's "Where'd You Go, Bernadette": A Captivating Novel About a Woman's Search for Identity

Client Amazon: Mère au foyer obsessionnelle entretenant des rapports acides avec son voisinage...
On se demande bien ce que l'héroïne nous réserve... alors qu'on semble au plus près de ses pensées !

France on Aug 26, 2023

Nilton C. Teixeira: What a delightful surprise!
I did not expect to enjoy this book but I loved it!
It was fun to read about this dysfunctional family.
I loved the epistolary form, which was well thought out and very engaging.
The characters are not very likeable, but that did not stopped me feeling part of the story. I was really enthralled from beginning to end.
Now I must watch the movie adaptation, because I must see if they created the glass house.

Canada on Jan 13, 2023

Jonathan Pymm: This book is a series of excerpts which, at least for me, made the audiobook a challenge as it failed to adequately convey the shifting emails, faxes and first person accounts within. Once I switched to the book (actually ebook) I had a blast with the original writing style although I hope it is not one overused by other authors. It suits this novel but still makes for an awkward and jolting reading experience.

The book starts slowly and I questioned whether petty grievances over gardening issues were really my thing, but the characters were so plausible from the off that I persevered and was richly rewarded. Initially well-drawn characters were each suitably developed throughout and the original slow pace melted away as the story progressed. Gardening was not the focus either and the unfolding mystery and character reactions were ultimately a delight.

Thank you Maria Semple - I very much enjoyed your novel and the journey you took me on!

United Kingdom on Mar 26, 2022

Sangeeta: This book is definitely different. It's storyline is very interesting. The narration in the form of emails and other documents is also interesting. A lots happening with all the characters and events are connected very nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although I didn't find it as funny as the reviews suggested.

Warning : Spoiler ahead -

Learned a lot about Antarctica and loved how it was blended into the story.

India on Jul 15, 2020

Helena Halme Author: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is a real pleasure to read. I particularly love the voice of the young narrator, Bee, the 14-year-old daughter of Bernadette.

The story begins with the shocking fact that Bee's mother, the funny, talented but somewhat volatile Bernadette, is missing. She was last seen just before Christmas, and Bee's father Elgin, a celebrated Microsoft geek, is refusing to speak about his wife or the disappearance. So Bee decides to investigate and begins to chart the events leading up to Bernadette's disappearance through emails, doctor's and police reports written by people who came in contact with Bernadette and could have had a role to play in her disappearance.

What follows is a hilarious, tragic and poignant tale of Bernadette's life. Artistically talented and driven, Bernadette has been going through a personal crisis for some time. Soon after moving to Seattle to support her husband's new glittering career at Microsoft, she realises how different from everyone else she is and feels ostracised in the forever rainy, suburban Seattle. The well-meaning, but small-minded, parents of Bee's school (or Gnats as Bernadette calls them) soon...

United Kingdom on Sep 28, 2013

Sue Averett: Book Review - Where'd You Go Bernadette
By Maria Semple

Book Review - Where'd You Go Bernadette
By Maria Semple

Where'd You Go, Bernadette has been extensively reviewed by dozens of book critics for newspapers and magazines, as well as almost 1200 readers and others on Amazon. In characterizing the book, reviewers and critics have described it as, "utterly delightful, inventive, quirky, fresh, smart, intelligent, zany, witty, comic satire, and crazy." My favorite descriptions include adverbs such as divinely, achingly, outrageously, scathingly, charmingly, and wickedly FUNNY. Yes, the author, Maria Semple, is a creative and gifted writer, but I didn't find this book all that funny.

This book uses emails, letters, faxes, bills, reports, and almost any form of written information and/or communication to develop the plot and move the story forward. I admit, I read the first section rather casually. Later, when I picked up my Kindle to continue, I had to read the whole section again as I was unable to place all the characters.

The problem with this style of narrative is that the emails, letters, etc. have the same voice (the author's) despite (in the...

United States on Aug 06, 2013

Pam M: "Where'd You Go Bernadette" is a very stealthy book of ideas and insights, wrapped in a delectable froth of humor, nonsense, mystery and suspense. Tucked into that enviable combination is a moving story of unconditional love between parent and child, and a surprisingly sure and intimate portrait of what it looks and feels like when someone loses touch with their central identity. All in a book that you could cheerfuly knock back as easy beach reading. A truly terrific book.

So many others here have already described the plot better than a back cover summary could do, so I won't duplicate their efforts but will just skip to my reactions to the writing and the story.

It took me a while to decide whether Bernadette Fox was a contemptible, self-absorbed elitist with epic anger management issues, or my new hero. By the end of the book (okay, midway) I'd concluded she's probably not quite either, but I was leaning very heavily toward the latter. I started out feeling a teensy bit defensive and offended, and trying to figure whether I was supposed to be a good guy or a bad guy in Bernadette's world. Then I decided I didn't care, and enjoyed the ride. As a parent who once...

United States on Oct 17, 2012