Where'd You Go Bernadette? - Maria Semple

This was one I put on my hold list the same time as Daisy Jones and all those bunny books. I think I was in the middle of reading a different book when I got bored and picked up this one. Now this is an unusual thing for me to do. For some reason I feel it necessary to finish any book I start. And this book I was getting bored with wasn't a bad book, it was slow and about WWI and I just couldn't stay in it. So I picked up Where's You Go Bernadette?

I enjoyed this book for the most part. Again, I have the issue of flipping forward now and then, but the overall story was good. Bernadette is an eccentric mother of one married to a very important Microsoft employee. They live in San Francisco and have one daughter, Bea. The book is written in emails, letters, and narrative after Bernadette disappears and Bea is trying to find her. Bernadette has a tough time with people, social situations, and perhaps life in general. But it seems that her breaking point came after Bea gets straight A’s and as a reward asks to go to Antarctica (her parents may have made a mistake making an open-ended promise for straight A's). Bernadette is left to plan the trip, along with dealing with life in general. She hires a virtual assistant from India to help manage her life. Let’s just say, life gets out of control. Bernadette has trouble not only with the Antarctica trip, but also with her neighbour who is also a parent at Bea's school. Secrets about Bernadette’s life are revealed and we learn a lot about her and why life is difficult for her. It has lots of funny moments and some sad moments. This was one that I didn’t want to stop reading.