Where'd You Go, Bernadette

A Novel

By: Maria Semple

Narrated by: Kathleen Wilhoite

A misanthropic matriarch leaves her eccentric family in crisis when she mysteriously disappears in this "whip-smart and divinely funny" novel that inspired the movie starring Cate Blanchett (New York Times).

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 her best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette vanishes. It all 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, and secret correspondence -- creating a compulsively readable and surprisingly touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

Critic reviews

"This divinely funny, many-faceted novel...leaves convention behind. Instead, it plays to Ms. Semple's strengths as someone who can practice ventriloquism in many voices, skip over the mundane and utterly refute the notion that mixed-media fiction is bloggy, slack or lazy.... The tightly constructed WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE is written in many formats-e-mails, letters, F.B.I. documents, correspondence with a psychiatrist and even an emergency-room bill for a run-in between Bernadette and Audrey. Yet these pieces are strung together so wittily that Ms. Semple's storytelling is always front and center, in sharp focus. You could stop and pay attention to how apt each new format is, how rarely she repeats herself and how imaginatively she unveils every bit of information. But you would have to stop laughing first."—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

You don't have to know Seattle to get Maria Semple's broadly satirical novel.... Underlying the nontraditional narrative are insights into the cost of thwarted creativity and the power of mother-daughter bonds, although a reader may be having too much fun to notice."—O, The Oprah Magazine

"Delightfully droll.... Semple...cuts a wry slice of a life-one that's populated by private school helicopter parents, obsessively eco-conscious neighbors, and green-juice swilling, TED-talking husbands-and one that's sharp enough to make us feel slightly relieved about not having to live anywhere quite so bucolic."—Megan O'Grady, Vogue

"The characters in Where'd You Go, Bernadette may be in real emotional pain, but Semple has the wit and perspective and imagination to make their story hilarious. I tore through this book with heedless pleasure."
—Jonathan Franzen, author of Freedom

"There's a lot to like in Semple's charming novel, including the vivacious humor and the lesson that when creative forces like Bernadette stop creating, they become 'a menace to society.' Even more appealing is the mutually adoring mother-daughter relationship at its warm heart."—Heller McAlpin, NPR

"In her second novel...Semple pieces together a modern-day comic caper full of heart and ingenuity....a compelling composite of a woman's life-and the way she's viewed by the many people who share it. As expected from a writer who has written episodes of Arrested Development, the nuances of mundane interactions are brilliantly captured, and the overarching mystery deepens with each page, until the thoroughly satisfying dénouement."—Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

"A comedic delight..."—Family Circle

"Agoraphobia and Antarctica are among the elements in Maria Semple's terrific novel."—Parade

"Semple's affecting characters, not-necessarily-nice humor and surprising plot twists make this novel an enchanting ride."—Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times

A great story of family, love, and being crazy

Would you listen to Where'd You Go, Bernadette again? Why?

This is a funny book about a dysfunctional family of brillant people. The narrator does a great job capturing the voices of the characters. The story builds as each character must face their own choices in dealing with life, work and school. It leaves you feeling warm and happy.

Fun story but the narrator wasn't my cup of tea

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narration was grating. Way too much enthusiasm for most of the characters.

A really fun book!!!

This is one of the few times I've reviewed a book. As a Seattle resident and former MS contractor I really enjoyed all the references. It made me laugh and I found the main character so quirky and endearing. I definitely recommend it.

Why'd you name it this?

Silly, but I avoided this book because I was put off by the title and cover art. When every review began with the word, "quirky," that was enough to put it on the bottom of my list. Glad I got to the bottom of my list. This was fun and funny especially if you've spent time in Seattle and environs. This author is really smart and quite clever, and just when you think you've had just about enough of THAT, she tumbles down to earth with a vulnerability that touches the hardest of hearts. But the best part, without a doubt, is the narrator. She took a good book and she made it amazing.

Surprising. Loopy. Fun.

It's hard to know what to compare "Bernadette" to, it's so unpredictable, entertaining and loopy. It's a perfect distraction: well-written, energetic, quirky. Great characters. I would definitely recommend.

Kathleen Wilhote's performance is an enormous plus. I'm glad I did the audio version for this book because of her and can't wait to find more books she reads. Extra bonus is her incredible vocal performance-- I assume that's her singing? Amazing.