Where'd You Go, Bernadette: Reviews by 2019 Reading Challengers

[Winter, Group Reads]

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing "[spoiler]" at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the []s with <>s.

[Chantal]

The first 30 pages I really had to think hard where I got myself into. At first I didn't get the emails, then all of sudden I got it. I started to love this book and I couldn't put it down. The main character is really quirky and weird and then the story unfolded and she was gone. Where did you go Bernadette? I had to finish this book in a record time because I wanted to know the end. I felt a little disappointed at the end. I was so used to email/texts and faxes that it felt weird reading just a book. I give it 3.5 points.

[Shivangi]

What a beautiful book! While I was slightly disappointed by the ending, I would still give it 4 stars.

[Kristy]

I finished this book last week. I actually really enjoyed the format (something different is a plus in my mind).

I enjoyed the characters for the most part although I found "Bee" really changed from the sweet A+ student who helps all her classmates to a less-kind teenager. I suppose it was meant to be due to the events happening in their lives? But it still felt like two different people to me. I also wasn't keen on the ending.

Knowing that it will soon be released as a movie, I can definitely see how some of the major scenes might play out on the big screen.

[Genevieve]

Ladies! I agree with everything you’ve posted!

Like you, Chantal, I HAD to finish it. I was engrossed and loved the feeling of reading these emails and faxes for clues to find Bernadette. When it stopped and we were in real time, it did feel weird. We stepped out of the pattern and I just don’t know how else it could have been written...Bee writing to her friend about it? That still would have felt wrong.

And Kristy, I was put off by Bee’s complete change in character too. Super sweet to evil monster who loathes her father?! She seemed too intelligent to cast him in the role of complete bad guy. But, since she had read all those emails and her mom was her best friend, I think you’re right that it was a plausible reaction to all the happenings in her life. I bet any seemingly well adjusted kid would act out.

Shivangi, you say it so succinctly- a beautiful book. I was sorry to see it end and was so unsatisfied with the ending! I think all three of you said you were disappointed. I was ready to punch Elgin after learning about Soo-Lin’s pregnancy and getting a house with her. Horrific that he would do that.

And then it just ends. Ah!!! I feel like I need more closure, but I’m having trouble imaging an ending that would give me the warm “happy ending” feeling that I crave. It definitely doesn’t need a revenge type ending with “what’s her name...” the gnat neighbor... She went all forgiveness mode and I don’t think Soo-Lin needs to be the bad guy either.

Any ideas?

Oh my...it’s just like life. No clear cut good and bad, no righteous smiting of an evil one because no one is truly evil, no neatly packaged happy ending, just more uncertainty...real life...maybe that’s why we’re so unsettled.