Review : Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Posted by on December 18, 2012 4:02 am in 4.5 stars reads | 5 comments

where'd you go bernadetteWhere’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Pages : 330
Genre : Mystery, Women’s fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating : 4,5/5

From the back of the book :

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle–and people in general–has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic. To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence–creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter’s role in an absurd world.

My Thoughts :

I didn’t manage to write a satisfying and concise summary of the book, but the back of the book says it well ; Where’d You Go, Bernadette was compulsively readable and filled with fun and touching moments. It’s simple, really; if you’re looking for a light, entertaining and heartwarming mystery, this is the book you need!

The format itself makes the book a very pleasant read : told mainly through emails, interviews, bills and such, it offers an almost complete view of Bernadette as seen by those close – or not so close – to her. Daughter, neighbors, colleagues, all have their own thoughts on Bernadette and her disappearance, and we get to see a bit of the environment that put Bernadette is such a state of anxiety. Surprisingly, this is a format that worked really well for the story; I didn’t feel there were too many voices or a disconnect between them at any time.

The best way to explain how Bernadette’s story made me feel as I read it is to compare it to the movies’ comedic genre : it’s entertainment, and you do have to suspend your disbelief to really get on board with it. Not too much : it is still a realistic fiction, after all. But if you accept to go along with the characters’ choices, it pays off with an original story, heartfelt moments and a very true-to-life approach to anxiety. I’ve lived with anxiety for some years now, and this book was one of the few on the subject I could actually relate to.

I wish I had more to say about this book because I absolutely adored it. It was unique, and I can’t compare it to anything else; satirical at times, touching at others, I had many chuckles and already want to reread it. A favorite of 2012 – one you definitely need to pick up!

5 Comments

  1. I’ve been hearing a lot of good buzz about this book, and as a person who suffers from anxiety, I can truly say that this is one that I must read. Not too many books out there that deal with this subject gracefully, but it sounds like this one does. Excellently written review today. I am buying this one with my Christmas money!!

    • I think you could like this one! It’s very fun without making fun of anxiety or taking it lightly. I look forward to seeing what you think of it! 🙂

  2. I was looking for a book of the sort to read; this sounds exactly like what I need (:

  3. Sounds like a book with reading. Funny with a serious message. Thank you, for the review. I will add it to my reading list on goodreads.

  4. Oh, this sounds like so much fun! Though not traditionally a fan of mysteries, I’ve been branching out lately — and I love a little intrigue with my fiction. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

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