The Book Mistresses
Chosen by SandraExcerpt from cover:
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.
May 2013 - Book #107
Where'd You Go Bernadette
The Book Mistresses' Review:
Where’d you go Bernadette by Maria Semple
The Book Mistresses overall enjoyed Ms. Semple’s second novel. Several members gave it extremely high praise- one even giving it 5 out of 5 stars. We do not give those out lightly! We were missing a few members and rumor has it at least one of them was challenged by the books dark side. The novel is a satire which pokes fun at lots of different aspects of life. Nothing is deemed sacred in Semple’s epistolary novel which dares to hate Canadians, Seattle, the private school system and big bad Microsoft. If read in the light I believe it was intended it is hysterical. The prose is quirky, charming, unexpected, biting and over all provides some wonderful LOL moments. Semple’s experience as screenwriter provides her with the back ground to produce a novel as funny as many of the sitcoms she has been involved with.
Many members agreed that the book was unbelievable. We were particularly challenged by the scenes that took place in Antarctica. The latter half of the book is devoted to what happens to Bernadette in Antarctica and it is pretty unrealistic. In addition one member brought up a good point that we have no back ground or history to understand why Bernadette is what she is. What was her childhood like, what kind of parents did she have and how as a reader do you determine the fine line with mental illness, depression or is she just in a bad spot.
Everyone agreed that the underlying theme’s messages in the book were focused on Mother Daughter relationships and the overall challenge women face of balancing work, marriage and children. Semple’s approach to both themes was clever and provided in a light manner.
Final summary- could be just a great summer read but do not under estimate its ability to provide a lively book club discussion!
by Maria Semple
Book Mistresses 2013 Best Character
Bernadette
Silhouette image used with permission, courtesy of PetitePrints Silhouettes.