Where'd You Go, Bernadette

A Novel

By: Maria Semple

Narrated by: Kathleen Wilhoite

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle - and people in general - has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence - creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

©2012 Maria Semple (P)2012 Hachette Audio

A dysfunctional delight!

This was such a fun listen/read! I giggled throughout and couldn’t put it down. My only complaint was that the narrator’s voice for Bee (who is 15 in the story) comes off as so juvenile that I kept forgetting that she wasn’t 7 but actually 15! It was very annoying and a little distracting which is the only reason I gave the performance a 4 star. Other than that the book is so flawless. Just pure fun.

Eh. No

I thought the narration was pretty good and still couldn’t get through it all.
It felt like a weaving together of a bunch of weird dreams or maybe one long hallucination.

There were funny moments, for sure, and even some lovely poignant moments.

Ultimately it didn’t work for me. Too many tropes, maybe (albeit with some interesting and occasionally surprising twists), or perhaps the father character just made me too mad?

I wouldn’t spend a credit or $ on another work of this author, though I might skim a bit of another of her pieces at a library, as there was some enjoyable creative writing.

One of my top 10 listens of the year!

Any additional comments?

Like other reviewers said, there is something about this book that makes you feel like a glowing review somehow doesn't do it justice and can't adequately explain why this book is so entertaining and sweet.

Bernadette is a stifled artist who redirects her genius energy with some odd behavior. Elgin is her genius husband who works a little too much and misses some important goings on in his family. Bee is their daughter, a mix of the two--also genius, humorous and insightful. So, how is it that Bernadette goes missing? Well, that's where this book gets really entertaining.

The story is told through emails, letters and documents compiled into a book by Bee and it's a fun read. All of the characters are well written and Kathleen Wilhoitte does a great job of giving them each a distinct voice. It does take a little time to get used to, as she tends to be a little overexcited as Bee and their neighbor, but I really came to enjoy it by the end. You somehow end up loving and sympathizing with every character, even through their mistakes.

I was sad when this one ended!

A little bizarre, but great fun

The gorgeous cover of this book drew me in, but it was the unique plot that kept me hooked. Bernadette Fox is a certified genius in this novel, and author Maria Semple just might be too - in addition to keeping this story fresh and funny, she also has writing credits for the ridiculously wonderful show Arrested Development. Win-win!

And while it took me some time to warm up to Kathleen Wilhoite's performance - I feared her precocious reading of 15-year-old Bee would last all nine hours - I did get there, and was floored by her beautiful singing voice, which made a surprising (but delightful) appearance late in the story.

Wilholte Should Win a Grammy

Not since Jim Dial (Harry Potter series) have I enjoyed a narrator so much. Wilholte is great with nuance. I particularly enjoyed her voice as a PTSD counselor. While singing the entire first verse of "Oh Holy Night" was overkill, it did not affect my opinion of her overall performance.
This novel was a gem-- fun, funny and different. Loved it. I will look for more from Semple.

Original, Funny, and a Little Quirky

Held my attention from the beginning. A fun listen. The storyline follows the mysterious disappearance of a mother and wife of an intellectual, earth-aware, family. But the real mystery is trying to figure out what is making the eccentric Bernadette tick.

Funny and lighthearted.

This was the first audiobook that I've listened to and I think it was a good pick. It was funny and lighthearted and I enjoyed the narrator. It makes me wonder if after you listen to a good audiobook that if reading it in book form is as enjoyable. I found myself giggling often and loved hearing the story through the eyes of many characters. I hope Maria Semple writes more books, she has a delightful style to her storytelling.

Entertaining and Fun!

I really did enjoy listening to this novel. The characters are fun and the POV was unique. The mystery is much further into the book than the summary indicates, so I stayed in a state of anticipation. Just enjoy the book and ignore the title and summary. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had. It isn't the funniest book I have ever read (Molly Harper and Jennifer Cruise make me laugh aloud often), but it was funny and witty. It is a well-written and entertaining book that was perfect for vacation!

What Fun!

Any additional comments?

I had heard this book was quite funny but it's so much more than a humorous story. There are laugh out loud scenes and others that bring tears to your eyes. The narrator did a great job capturing Bee's personality. The story kept me guessing right up to the end 'just where Bernadette went'. This is a book I would definitely recommend.

Refreshingly original if a bit dark in places

The clever use of emails, letters, medical reports and a TED talk make for a refreshingly original read. The narrator does the individual voices perfectly. Amusing send-up of the suburban Seattle aspirational lifestyle. The narrative does get a bit dark in the second half, but redeems itself by the end. A few bits strain credibility, but overall it's a very fun story. Our Book Club found it very enjoyable.