Where'd You Go, Bernadette cover art

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

The New York Times bestseller, now a major motion picture starring Cate Blanchett

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Where'd You Go, Bernadette

By: Maria Semple
Narrated by: Kathleen Wilhoite
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About this listen

 Bernadette Fox is notorious.

To Elgie Branch, a Microsoft wunderkind, she's his hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled wife.
To fellow mothers at the school gate, she's a menace.
To design experts, she's a revolutionary architect.
And to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, quite simply, mum.

Then Bernadette disappears. And Bee must take a trip to the end of the earth to find her.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a compulsively readable, irresistibly written, deeply touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's place in the world.

(p) 2012 Hachette Audio©2012 Maria Semple Fiction Literature & Fiction Women's Fiction Witty Funny Heartfelt Comedy

Critic reviews

It's intelligent but easy to read; eccentric but never twee.
I love the extraordinarily well-drawn characters, the plot, the tender, lovely relationship, the humour, and the courage to do daring things (Nina Stibbe)
Extremely funny, often laugh-out-loud so... with her penchant for unexpected twists and smart, jet propelled dialogue, Semple has a way of combining a technologically savvy, ice-cool wit with a stealthy ability to show gradually a character's warmer side
The characters in 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
Fresh and funny and accomplished, but the best thing about it was that I never had any idea what was going to happen next. It was a wild ride
A fresh, flamboyantly witty new voice
A delightfully funny book, that constantly catches one by surprise, Where'd You Go, Bernadette combines a shrewdly observed portrait of Seattle life with, of all things, a mysterious disappearance in Antarctica. A pleasure
Maria Semple dissects the gory complexities of familial dysfunction with a deft and tender hand. Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a triumph of social observation and black comedy by a skilful chronicler of moneyed malaise
If you loved the humour of A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD, pack this sharp, witty novel...A fabulously kooky tale
A clever, witty page-turner with sparkling dialogue, some hilarious episodes and a heart that gradually melts
[A] deeply touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's place in the world. A seriously compulsive read
In what is at times a sad and painful tale about family dysfunction, black comedy waylays sentimentality. Semple's second novel is a witty, thrilling adventure about creation, destruction, the Antarctic - and the maternal bond
The funniest book I've read in a decade. I laughed to the point of crying on an airplane. My wife thought I'd lost my mind until she read it a few days later
A novel full of honesty and heart
All stars
Most relevant
Loved this book and narration. It’s full of dark humour and it’s insightfully funny. With a partner at Microsoft it was pretty accurate at times too. Can’t wait to see the film now.

Fabulous

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This is one of the best books i've ever read. It's so happy! A whole life opened up to you by mails and notes, it's incredibel!

fantastic story!

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sweet, witty, and entertaining story, cleverly integrating multiple perpectives, beautifully narrated. A very enjoyable listen

sweet, witty, entertaining story, beautifully read

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This book can be a bit slow at times, but it’s worth it in the end. Really good listen while commuting

Worth the listen

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Loved the main characters, the story and how it's mostly told through emails, letters etc. Was a bit difficult to get into due to the letter format, but it grew on me quickly and I ended up loving it. The narrator was a bit meh, and although annoying, I feel she did work well for Bernadette. Great book

Quirky, fun and couldn't stop.

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