Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Wow, two posts in one month, I am ecstatic about this 🙂 And you should know, with the exception of summer this’ll probably be the only time it happens!

“Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” is a book I can guarantee I’ll reread sometime. And that doesn’t happen often. Full of laughter, suspicion, and subtle suspense, Semple does a great job of making you hate and simultaneously love a character.

This story is written almost entirely in e-mails and letters which a person could think to be confusing, but instead what the style does is plot out the authors story, while allowing the readers imagination to free flow and create their own imagery. I found the book to be an easy but compelling read, with writing that reminded me of one of my favorite books “The Boy Next Door,” by Meg Cabot in 2002, which was also a book written entirely in e-mail. Come to think of it, “You’ve Got Mail,” is on my favorite movie list as well and it certainly focuses on emails as well.

So here is the synopsis, Bernadette Fox is a brilliant woman- architect, winner of a MacArthur grant, mother to Bee, and wife to Elgin. But Bernadette has some baggage. Ok a LOT of baggage. She does not handle reality in a way that most can, and chooses to live a somewhat alternative lifestyle.In a town and school district where others demand participation and community, Bernadette Fox  is her own person, fighting against the norm and what’s socially acceptable. But she puts her personal feelings aside when her daughter requests a trip to Antarctica in return for her perfect grades and acceptance into top schools. This trip is enough to put Bernadette over the edge, but she’ll do anything for Bee- whether others believe her or not.

A story that grazes on differences and how to accept them, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” is an excellent example of finding yourself. A fun, but telling read, I cannot recommend it enough!