Where’d you go Bernadette, Marie Semple

By Gillian Golborne

Synopsis

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.

Review

A strange book. I can’t decide if I enjoyed it or not. It reads more like a movie script than a book.

Its written in a staccato type prose which I found off-putting. Bernadette reminded me of Bridget Jones as things always seem to be going wrong for her. Considering she was supposed to be a revolutionary architect who students looked up to, she seemed to find it hard to control her life on the most basic level. On occasion, it seemed totally unrealistic. I did enjoy her daughter’s character, Bee, who I felt sorry for, given her parents were so wrapped up in themselves.

The entire plot just seemed too far fetched. I maybe unfair, but I found the book lacked the depth to justify its complexity. I understand it is due to be released as a movie. It might be better suited to this format.

Agree? Disagree? Follow the links below and order online today!

Paperback

Hardback

Kindle

Or maybe you’ve already read this book? What did you think?
Leave your comments below.

Got a review to share?
Email laura@anglophone-direct.com

Leave a Comment