Where'd You Go, Bernadette
2012
This has literally been on my actual to-read pile for over a year. My 22-year-old stepdaughter read it, liked it, and left it for me. A few months ago a friend chose it as our book club choice for April. That forced me to pick it up, dust it off, and give it a try. I loved it. We had our meeting on Monday and it seems everyone in our group felt the same way.
It was so easy to read and I was captured by this unusual family of geniuses. I wanted to know more about each one of them. Bee, an elementary student at one of Seattle's many private schools, is anxious to head off to a private academy on the East Coast, following in her parent's academic footsteps. She is smart but there is so much more to her as she remains fairly calm and happily involved in her life throughout the book. I love that she picks a trip to Antarctica as her reward for good grades. This is what can happen when parents offer up "you can have anything you want in exchange for good grades!"
This particular request throws Bernadette, Bee's mother, for a major loop-de-loop! Bernadette has not been dealing well with her life after their move from LA to Seattle. Her husband has thrown all his energy into his grandiose work at Microsoft wear he pads around barefoot lauded as some kind of creative genius. Bernadette is left to do the stay-at-home mother thing and this is not her talent. She does not feel any connection to the other parents from Galer Street School and thus has no allies, no one to share her thoughts and feelings. This book is Bee's look back at her mother and how she got so far off track.
This story is told in a very nonlinear fashion, is extremely current with its language and social media conversations, and is just such a fresh fun read. If you haven't picked this one up yet don't hesitate. Thank you Maria Semple for writing such a unique story of love and acceptance.
1 comment:
I loved this book, too! Such a quirky, delightful read.
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