Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple - 4 stars

[Nikki]

[Huge thanks to Sara, who sent me this book in the recent Book Swap - I really enjoyed it, thank you!]

Reading this while living in Seattle made for a laugh-out-loud funny experience in places -the book is full of spot-on observations about the city and its inhabitants. Some of these landed particularly well for me since a friend is currently in the throes of touring private schools in preparation for her daughter moving up to middle school, so the plot strand about the PTA trying to position their school as a feeder for Lakeside (Bill Gates' old school) felt all too accurate. (Although I suspect the 'Mercedes parents' they're trying to attract would be 'Tesla parents' if the book were written now...)

The book's structure, starting off as a collage of found texts, works well in allowing the reader to build up a gradual picture of the events leading up to Bernadette's disappearance as seen from all angles, which also means that the awfulness of the more caricatured characters is revealed through their own carefully composed notes and emails, making them even more hilarious.

As well as the sharp humour, the book has a soft and reflective heart, centring on Bernadette's slow drift inwards and her relationships with her family, and although I felt that the ending was a little too tidy, it did neatly pull the many plot strands together in a satisfying way.

[Charlotte]

Great review! Living in the same area and having been a vendor (orange badge) for Microsoft, I 100% agree about the spot-on observations. I giggle the entire time on that aspect. Especially the part about the blackberries. Since they don't grow well in other places in the US, I don't think people realize how insane they are here.

I was traveling for work and Delta had this as one of their movies, so I watched and I was disappointed that various things weren't captured as well. I know it's tough because you are so limited by movies but one of my favorite parts of the book is the Microsoft part probably because I could relate to it so well.

I really liked how the book was set out and that you thought she was crazy but as the picture became clearer, she didn't. I think Semple did an amazing job with character development that wasn't as present in the movie.

[Nikki]

Thanks! You're so right about the blackberries - actually I forgot to mention that a different friend recently did get caught in the middle of a dispute between two neighbours about blackberries, so that part made me giggle too.

I think I'll skip the movie, I've seen a few reviews saying that it doesn't do the book justice.

[Sara]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this book, especially since you could relate to it in so many ways.