You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Group Themed Reads: Discussions
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January 2013 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple discussion thread
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Isn't it interesting that both books chosen this month deal with missing women? Hmmm....
I have been looking at this book for a long time, so I am going to break down and finally give it a go. : )
Yay, I'm going to read this!
Good point, Janice. Maybe because Christmas stress makes us all feel like running away? ;)
I won a hardcover of this one a few months ago I'm hoping I can get around to reading it for our BOTM:)
Kat wrote: "Good point, Janice. Maybe because Christmas stress makes us all feel like running away? ;)"I agree with that! I have my Christmas vacation planned for next year! no stress during the holidays for me next year! ; )
Just got the word that my copy is in at the library! Will be picking it up later today. Will probably start today or tomorrow! Looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say!
I finished Gone Girl, so am going to read this one too! Just downloaded it. Poor Andre Agassi (my A book for A-Z), I keep putting him on the shelf so I can read other books!
Jennifer, I know how you feel. I say I am currently reading my Louisa May Alcott book, but that just means I walk by it several times a day and let my fingers trail across its spine. I look at it longingly before I go to bed and caress its beautiful cover, but I have not managed to read more than the first page so far. I feel that I am such a disappointment to Louisa. : )But I do want to read this monthly read book before starting the ABC books.
So much for the letter A. LOL
LOL Connie! LMA will wait for you and when you are finally wrapped in her arms, you will be happy. I have not read the book you have chosen though. I will be interested in hearing how you liked it when you are finally done.
I'm waiting for this book to come back to one of the libraries I frequent. Should be available around the 11th if it's not returned late. Looking forward to reading it.
Connie wrote: "Kat wrote: "Good point, Janice. Maybe because Christmas stress makes us all feel like running away? ;)"I agree with that! I have my Christmas vacation planned for next year! no stress during the..."
What do you have planned, Connie? I nice trip?
I just started Bernadette today and am enjoying it immensely today. I had finished my 3rd book for the alphabet challenge but hadn't picked out my next one yet so I decided to start this one. Hopefully Gone Girl will be in from the library in time when I finish this one!
Ann wrote: "I just started Bernadette today and am enjoying it immensely today. I had finished my 3rd book for the alphabet challenge but hadn't picked out my next one yet so I decided to start this one. Hop..."I was just hopping online to ask if anyone is reading?? I am going back and forth between Open, by Andre Agassi (for my A book for A-Z challenge) and this one. This one is a quick read. I am on part 6. It took me some time to get used to the format of the book, but I get it now. I am enjoying many aspects of this book. Will probably finish it today!
Ann ~ that is great you have already read 3 for the A-Z challenge... guess you are the High Octane! :)
Okay, I finished it! I wont say too much, but I liked it. I can't decide between 3 1/2 stars or 4, but I'll round it up to a 4 because it made laugh! I liked the setting of Seattle, as my husband is from that area and the school parents cracked me up. I'm interested to hear how everyone else liked the book. I was frustrated at the ending as I felt some things were left unaddressed. Again, wont say too much as I don't want to ruin it for those that are reading it now.
Jennifer, I finished it yesterday afternoon but as nobody else had said they were finished I didn't say anything! I don't want to say too much either but I did laugh quite a bid especially over the description of the two types of school parents! I gave it 5 stars which I really don't do often but I found it so enjoyable the 5 just popped out!
Sounds like a fun read. I'll be picking up my copy tomorrow.
I've just started this and it's all a little bit "bitty" at the moment, but only ~ 20 pages in. Hoping it improves as it goes on.
hmmm...thought the audio version would be good while I commute...but there are 4 copies and 30 people waiting at the library...let's rethink this.
just finished. It was interesting, but the last section stretched credibility to the limit and beyond. It was interesting how the people changed when faced with the different crisis that cropped up. very glad I don't have a genius for a parent.
Helen wrote: "just finished. It was interesting, but the last section stretched credibility to the limit and beyond. It was interesting how the people changed when faced with the different crisis that cropped up..."ROFL! I wasn't planning on reading this book, Helen, but your comment at the end just tickled me so much that I had to respond. I do not know if you are a parent, but a lot of times, our kids can make a parent feel like the dumbest creatures on earth. At least that has been my experience.
Cherie wrote: "I do not know if you are a parent, but a lot of times, our kids can make a parent feel like the dumbest creatures on earth. At least that has been my experience. "what are you saying....hmmmmm?
Actually...I'm kind of worried about that same thing with my 3 year old.
Just picked up my copy from the library today. Will probably start reading it this weekend.
I started reading this and am not sure what I think of it so far. It is sarcastically funny and easy to read, but I'm not sure I care about the characters enough to find out more. I rarely put down a book without finishing it, so I know I'll continue reading. It's just there is a part of me that wishes I was reading something else in the genres I prefer.
After settling in more with this book, I found myself enjoying it more. It was a bit snarky, but that was ok. It was a fun and easy read. I can relate with some of Bernadette's annoyance with the world around her, especially the stuck-up mothers she call gnats. Of course, I'm not nearly that cynical and withdrawn.
Anyway, for a quick, easy read, it wasn't bad.
I'm like Debra on this one. I wasn't sure what I thought about Bernadette in the beginning. I did love the sarcasm and tongue in cheek attitude all though all through the book.(view spoiler).
The ending blew it for me. I was 4 stars right up to finding her and then going on .... too much of a hollywood ending that didn't seem to fit with the feel of the story. I would have liked her to stay gone...it's what she was famous for :-)
I gave it 3.5 stars.
I'm kinda glad she was found and that she had found a new project to highlight her skills as an acclaimed architect. I guess it was a Hollywood ending, but I didn't mind that.
I truly enjoyed this book! I loved Bernadette's attitude and the daughter's too! It was unbelievable in parts but sometimes that's part of the fun of fiction! I just loved the part when the sign went sliding down the hill into the neighbor's "yard". I laughed most of the way through this.
I just finished the book. I was so excited because I had no idea how the story would end that I was reading as fast as I could. But then I got to the end and I wondered if I missed a chapter. Seriously, did I miss something? Bee finds Bernadette then we jump forward to Bee reading the letter her mom sent her. What was suppose to happen to Soo-Lin? It was happily ever-after for the Branch family except the unemployed pregnant single mom? What did anyone else think? I enjoyed the format; the the way they worked how Bee got all the documents. I enjoyed the way the characters evolved. I feel like the ending was horrible.
I picked this up at the library at lunch (1:15pm) and just finished it at 11:45pm after getting off work and starting to read it at 8pm. It was hilarious and after living in WA I really liked Semple's descriptions and characterization of Seattlites in general. I do find myself giving the "mountains and water " answer frequently to people who ask about living there.
Thanks to everyone that participated in the discussion!Badges are posted and can be found here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...
Liz, I can't answer your question about Soo-Lin. I can't remember a resolution, either. I think I have old-timer's disease.
I bought this book, but I just haven't gotten to it yet. I will read it soon. I hope! This has been a wild month. lol
It's a very light-hearted funny read Connie; good for relaxing :-)
This book was wonderfully weird. I liked it, and I passed it on to several of my friends.
I enjoyed it too, Maggie.
It is not mandatory to read the book during January (although you must comment about the book during the month of January to get a badge!), so if you have already read it or are currently reading it, jump right in!