"When fifteen-year-old Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, her fiercely intelligent but agoraphobic mother, Bernadette, throws herself into preparations for the trip. Worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted. Bernadette is on the brink of a meltdown. As disaster follows disaster, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces. Which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together emails, invoices, and school memos to reveal the secret past that Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where'd You Go, Bernadette is an ingeniously entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are, and the power of a daughter's love or her imperfect mother."
I loved 'Bernadette'. I seriously do. There are a lot of
things going on making the story and the book very interesting. But
there were things that happened on the story which was too painstaking
for me to accept happening to someone like Bernadette--imperfect but lovable. There
were moments when I look up from the book and say to myself, "That did
not just happen to her. That must be joke. Or there must be a twist. She
does not deserve that at all." But alas! It happened. I know I don't
make any sense at all but when you read the book, you may or may not
understand.
Also, I was under the impression that it's a laugh-out-loud
book, judging from the abundant praises of different newspapers and
crtics on the first few pages of the book. But it did not draw any laugh
from me at all. Unlike Robin Benway's Audrey, Wait! which had me
rolling on the floor from laughter.
Maria Semple writes with complexity and depth.
Unfortunately, that made her a victim of her own intelligence. Since she
writes her sentences so deep and well-researched, the story becomes
harder to follow. I'm not an expert on writing; I'm far from it but, as a
reader, I want a roller-coaster ride of emotions, which Ms. Semple
achieved from the plot and emotion of the book, but with very little
complication when trying to read and understand, which was difficult when reading this particular book because of all the jargons and big architectural words.
As I was finishing the last portions of the book, I was
intent on giving it 3 stars. But Bernadette's letter, particularly the
last three pages of it, convinced and sealed it to 4-stars.
Must-read? Definitely. If you want a break from the cliched
vampires, immortals, and teenagers-in-love stories endlessly gracing
the bookshelves these past months, this book offers a refreshing story for you. :)
This review is also on my Goodreads profile here. :)
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Reviewed by Bobbie Rebultan on September 22 2013
Rating:
Reviewed by Bobbie Rebultan on September 22 2013
Rating:
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