Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Today I'm reviewing Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette? I listened to the audiobook version of this satirical fiction novel.

Overview: 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? focuses on Bernadette Fox, a once-renowned architect who suffers from extreme anxiety and agoraphobia. She hired a virtual assistant from India to complete her basic chores to avoid communicating with others. Bernadette's 15-year-old daughter, Bee, excels in school. Her husband, Elgie, works as a top Microsoft executive, and he's practically married to his job.

After Bee finishes the school year with perfect grades, Bernadette and Elgie promise to take her on a family vacation to Antarctica. But the upcoming trip makes Bernadette's anxiety worse and, following a series of events, she disappears. But where did she go?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? is told through a series of letters, emails,  FBI documents, and memos pieced together to form a story. Some narration by Bee is woven through the documents in order to clarify the storyline.

Opinion:

I didn't know what to expect when I started listening to Where'd You Go, Bernadette? I bought the audiobook on a whim because I remembered seeing the eye-catching cover everywhere a few years back. I was excited to learn that the author, Maria Semple, wrote the popular TV show Arrested Development. 

At first, I didn't like the epistolary format of the book The array of documents confused me, and I had a hard time figuring out the plot. I think listening to the audiobook made the confusion worse, since I couldn't go back to reference previous emails and memos. Once I figured out the system, though, I started to really enjoy the unique set-up. I've never read in a novel in an epistolary format before. I bet writing this way is extremely tough,  but Maria Semple pulled it off flawlessly.

As for the characters, they were so strange that you couldn't help but love them. Bernadette is hilarious, troubled, mysterious, and eccentric all at once.  Elgie's character is delightfully odd as well – imagine a tech whiz with an off-the-charts IQ and a wildly popular TED Talk who walks around the office with no shoes. Bee is a mix of both her parents. She's clever and sassy, but also incredibly smart.

At its core, Where'd You Go, Bernadette? is supposed to be a humorous satire about Seattle and its wealthy elite. Semple pokes fun at everything from private school parents to five-way intersections. But, honestly, I didn't laugh out loud while reading this book. Maybe I didn't understand the humor because I never visited Seattle, or maybe I don't connect to satire as well as other people.

Nevertheless I enjoyed the novel for what its worth. I especially couldn't get enough of the Antartica plot line – I mean, what other book takes place partly in Antarctica?

The Audiobook Experience:

The narrator of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, Kathleen Wilhoite, nailed the gig. She switched between character voices flawlessly, and her voice held the perfect amount of emotional infliction. I would've enjoyed the book less with another narrator.

Rating: 4/5

I recommend this book for an easy, entertaining read – as long as you don't pick it up solely for the satire. I'd say the target audience is women in their 20s and older.

Photo from Amazon 

What I'm Loving: My Currently List

Here is what I'm currently...

Watching: My boyfriend, Jake, and I have been binge-watching the first season of "The 100" on Netflix. It's a science fiction/drama TV show set in a post-apocalyptic world. Life on earth has been destroyed by nuclear war, and the last remaining humans live on the international space station. After life-sustaining supplies on the space station start to run out, one hundred juvenile prisoners are sent to the ground to test whether earth is survivable. I love "The 100" because it has a bit of everything – romance, action, drama, and suspense. 

Reading: I just finished reading "Hush, Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick (read my review here), and I started the sequel, "Crescendo." I'm enjoying the YA fantasy novel so far. I'm also listening to the audiobook version of "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" by Maria Semple during long car rides. Expect reviews on my blog soon!  

Listening: I find all of Rachel Platten's songs extremely catchy, so they've been my go-to tunes when I want something upbeat. My favorite is "Stand By You," which plays on the radio every five minutes but I'm not complaining.

Drinking: Lately I've been craving bubble tea, a Taiwanese drink. I order a cold black tea mixed with milk and chewy tapioca balls. It's a delicious and refreshing treat. My favorite place to order bubble tea is Unique Tea House in Syracuse, although the best bubble tea I've ever had came from a street vendor in New York City's Chinatown. 

Eating: Jake and I have been trying new restaurants around Syracuse lately. We ate at an Irish pub called Kitty Hoynes last week, and we're heading to Byblos Mediterranean Cafe tomorrow night. Both of these places were featured on one of our favorite TV shows: Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. 

Enjoying: I'm grateful that I get to visit Jake during his spring break. We've been apart for much of our relationship, thanks to internships and study abroad, so I value the all of the time we spend together. 

Wearing: For my 22nd birthday, Jake bought me a gold Pisces necklace from Anna Saccone's Zodiac Collection on Stilnest. I've been dropping hints about the necklace for a while, so I was ecstatic to receive it as a gift. The necklace is adorable and matches most of my clothes, so I've been wearing it nearly every day.  

Top photo taken in Prague, Czechoslovakia 

Gramma Dots on Sanibel Island

I absolutely love food, so it's nearly impossible for me to choose a favorite dish. But if I were ever placed in a scenario where I had to pick my number one meal, the fried oyster Caesar salad from Gramma Dot's might be the winner.

Gramma Dot's is a quaint restaurant located on the Sanibel Island seaside. My family has a house across the water in Ft. Myers Beach, so we often take our boat to Gramma Dot's for lunch. The menu contains typical beach-y fare: fresh fish, shrimp, and sandwiches. You can also order a "Your Choice" Caesar salad with chicken, shrimp, grouper, or fried oysters.

Let me tell you, nothing beats the fried oyster Caesar salad. The oysters are cooked to perfection – crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. They pare exceptionally well with the creamy Caesar dressing and crisp lettuce. I ordered this meal during my first visit at Gramma Dot's, and I've never strayed from it during subsequent visits. Then again, when you combine two of my favorite things (fried food and seafood) and place the result on a bed of lettuce, I'm pretty much guaranteed to fall in love.

The other food as Gramma Dot's doesn't disappoint, either. I especially enjoy the crab leg appetizer and homemade potato chips. My mom sticks with the fried grouper Casear salad, while my boyfriend usually order the Cajun grouper. Both options are extremely tasty, but I'm too devoted to my fried oyster salad to order anything new.

I highly recommend Gramma Dot's, if you're ever in Sanibel Island. I guarantee that my family will return to this gem over and over again.

Tell me: what's your favorite seafood dish?