Book Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Age Range: Adult
Author: Maria Semple
Little, Brown and Company
New York
2019
ISBN: 978-0-316-41585-9
List Price: $9.67 (amazon.com)
Bernadette lives in Seattle in a rundown old schoolhouse with her daughter, Bee, and husband, Elgie. When Bee decides to cash in her promised “trip to anywhere” for straight A’s on her report card and selects Antarctica, things get interesting.
The first half of this book is told via a collection of emails, letters, articles, and other documents, and the second is a narrative that picks up where the paper trail leaves off. The letters and emails really drew me into the story and seamlessly wove a multifaceted unveiling of the rather mysterious Bernadette. The technique was used with perfect effect and allowed the big picture to come into focus little by little.
Themes of family, love, forgiveness, and finding your passion are delightfully told. I found myself on some level relating to Bernadette as a mom and rather antisocial character. It had me laughing and cringing in the best way. I took a while to finish this one, but that is only because it was my designated “car/pick up line book.” Otherwise, it would have been a much faster read.
Definitely worth a read before seeing the movie.