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

Captivating and hilarious story!

Captivating, funny, and touching! This book really held my interest and the descriptions of Antarctica were breathtaking. The reader's voice was good but the tone wore on me after awhile. It was just a touch too over the top for my taste. The plot of the book was also a bit over the top but that is what made the story funny and captivating as it was very unique. Highly recommend this book!

A mother actually did it... she ran away from home

What mother doesn't want to get away at times? What mother doesn't wish that she could just walk away from all of the demands of home, children, spouse and peers?

This book is a solid story about a mother who checks out - and it's not just lighthearted... you get into the meat of a potential mental imbalance that cause a mother to leave her life.

Great narration - very well suited.

Great characters, fun performance!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Although the story was a bit thin by the end, I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed the book overall. I wouldn't say it's a must-read, but it's clever with some nice moments and also some hilarious and creative bits of writing. It started off really strong, but the story got increasingly over-the-top (and harder to believe) as it went on. As someone who works in Hollywood, I enjoyed hearing a certain television writer's name being used for a character. Nice homage to a very talented, kind writer who I'm sure the author worked with during her TV writing career!

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The two main characters -- Bernadette and her daughter -- were a hoot (and I think they'd describe themselves that way as well).

What does Kathleen Wilhoite bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She really captured the young, inquisitive and exceptionally precocious spirit of Bee, the narrator.

Any additional comments?

Keep writing, Maria Semple! I'm excited to see what you do next.

Great story. Great narration.

Just the right pacing, great exploration of a precocious kid's perspective. Love the quirkiness of Bernadette, the exploration of "crazy" vs. eccentric, the rejection of norms that keep people boxed in to small lives. Great tale of personal and artistic freedom in a world where most people cling to security.

Characters you almost wish you could hate

Would you consider the audio edition of Where'd You Go, Bernadette to be better than the print version?

Probably. Kathleen Wilhoite does an amazing job of getting the tone of each character just right, from the naive B to the snarky school moms, Su-Lee and Audrey.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

These characters are just SOOO self absorbed, you want to hate them, but you wind up getting sucked into their stories and enjoying every over the top situation that leads to the mess they make of their lives.

What about Kathleen Wilhoite’s performance did you like?

Kathleen Wilhoite's performance actually saved this book from itself. Without her narration, these characters would have just been too much to take. Fortunately, the narration helped to give them the comic twist they needed and the whole story just rocked along.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I enjoyed listening in bits and pieces, because the story isn't linear, so it was just as enjoyable to come back to it at each listen and pick up a little more about each character.

Great, funny read

It took a little while for me to get used to the narrator, who has high-pitched, almost child-like voice. But she did a great job adjusting to the many different characters and viewpoints who tell the story. It's a funny read (or listen) that still manages to touch on some serious topics, such as family, mental health, and belonging.

Not Enthralled

Story could have been good but narrator was hard to differentiate between characters. Couldn't tell if it was Bernadette or B half the time. Painful to get through.

Mysteriously Quirky

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I already have! It's an excellent read for those of us who are constantly torn between comedy and suspense.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bee - Her ability to stay afloat amidst all the chaos is astounding and she does it with a perfect level of humor and grace.

Have you listened to any of Kathleen Wilhoite’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but I thought she was an excellent narrator.

Fantastic!

Richly-developed characters and a captivating story, told by the young character and correspondence between the others in the novel. I miss it already!

Narration Flowed Like a River

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tie: Bernadette and Be

Which scene was your favorite?

Be and Elgin find Bernadette.

If you could rename Where'd You Go, Bernadette, what would you call it?

How Be Got to Antarctica

Any additional comments?

Loved. Kathleen Wilhoite narrated this story beautifully.