City News

Maria Semple’s novel, Where’d You Go Bernadette shows readers how one person can change another's life through a small deed. The novel is written through Bee Branch’s perspective of events, articles, and emails that all connect to her mother, Bernadette Fox’s disappearance. The beginning of the novel starts with Bee convincing her parents into letting them take a trip to Antarctica because she got accepted into her dream school. Her parents readily agree and her mother starts to prepare for the trip via Manjula her digital assistant from India.

Throughout the novel Bernadette uses Manjula to order food from and to use as someone to talk to. Because she spends so much time out in her trailer and using Manjula, Bernadette barely goes outside and socialize with other people causing the parents at Bee’s school to be distrustful of her. Her one rival is Audrey Griffen her neighbor who is also head of the PTA at school. A series of unfortunate events happened between Audrey and Bernadette where Audrey accuses of Bernadette of running over her foot and a big mudslide happening as Audrey hosts a party for new students which are both of Audrey’s fault. After these events unfold the readers discover that Bernadette used to be a famous architect who won the MacArthur “Genius” Grant, but gave her life in California up after the project that won her the award was sold to her jerk neighbor who promptly destroyed it. She then starts a new life in Seattle with her husband Elgin who works for Microsoft and after four miscarriages has Bee. Elgin grew in Microsoft and now is the boss of a whole section in the company. The story back picks up with his new admin Soo- Lin Lee who is a friend of Audrey’s. It is revealed that Elgin is not aware of Bernadette’s incidents with Audrey and this causes Elgin to worry for his wife’s sanity. Meanwhile, he and Audrey are forming an almost romantic relationship. Soon after the FBI informs Elgin that Manjula is a russian scammer which Elgin is shocked to hear because he didn’t know about Manjula either. He then assembles an intervention to confront Bernadette about her “problems”. This does not go as planned because Bernadette escapes with the help of Audrey Griffen. Soo- Lin reveals to Audrey that she is pregnant with Elgin’s baby from a one night stand which he is not happy to have.

At Choate (Bee’s dream school) she receives an anonymous package with all the correspondence that lead to Bernadette’s disappearance from Audrey. Bee is kicked out of Choate because she is writing a manuscript or this book about the events. She then guilts Elgin into a trip to the Antarctic in which neither get along because Bee feels like it was his fault Bernadette ran away. Bee believes that her mother is still at Antartica. After nearly losing hope Bee discovers Palmer Station where scientists live. She steals a boat with her father and rides over in hope of finding her mother. They find Bernadette who is helping designing an architectural project there. The book ends with a letter from Bernadette promising to return home to her family once she is done with the project.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy mysteries, however you have to be very patient with the book because there is a lot of backstory that some people might not be interested in. Each of the characters had a great story line that tied nicely back to the general plot. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of its quirky characters and relatable yet unique setting and plot. Bee progressed from a role model and great student to a rebellious angsty teen because of her mother's disappearance and information found that made it into the book. Elgin, Bee’s father went from a kind and ignorant husband to a guilty father. Elgin’s decisions affected a mother whose son went to Bee’s school, Soo- Lin who Elgin cheated on Bernadette with. Soo- Lin’s friend, Audrey Griffen the towns gossip and aggressive PTA mom was rude to Bernadette which was one of the factors that made Bernadette leave to Antarctica. Bernadette after what had happened to her had not changed at all, but the readers can see her slowly coming out of her shell of iciness when talking to Audrey, Bee and Elgin at the very end of the novel.

Check out Where'd You Go, Bernadette at the Newport Beach Public Library.