Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

This year does seem to be good to me. But that might have something to do with me reading only books that have been on my TBR forever. And Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple was just one of those.

How did it turn out for me? You might have to read my book review to know more.

Have you read Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple? How did it work for you? What are your favorite zany characters? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

About Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Where'd You Go, Bernadette book review cover

Book Name: Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Author: Maria Semple

Genre: Fiction – RomanceYoung adult

Characters: Bernadette Fox, Elgin and Bee Branch, Audrey and Kyle Griffin, Soo Lin.

Setting: Seattle, Washington, The USA

Plot Summary of Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Bernadette Fox is borderline anti-social and mildly agoraphobic. She is married to a Microsoft tech-wiz Elgin Branch, who is a workaholic and barely present father to their precocious teen daughter, Bee (Bala Krishna).

Bernadette delegates most of her problems to an online concierge Manjula, something Elgin disapproves of and ignores the snotty comments and activities of the her peers from Bee’s private school.

Shortly after Bee persuades them to take a family trip to Antarctica, Bernadette’s life goes into a spin. And she disappears without a trace.

Did Bee find her mother? Is there a happily ever after waiting for them forms the rest of the story in Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

Book review of Where’d You Go, Bernadette

The first thing that will strike you when you start reading Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is that it is wacky and satirical. And that can be a make or break deal for you. You either love it or hate it.

Written mostly in an epistolary and correspondence format, it takes a bit to get used to. Understandably, the characters are so weird and such goofballs. While they may feel they are one dimensional, they work, most of the times.

AND I LOVED THEM ALL. Sure some of the things that happen are not so believable, but I found them HILARIOUS.

The Seattle rants and the “Victims against Victimhood” were particularly entertaining. The digs at the gnats and the private school culture were just perfect. I now have to see the Cate Blanchett starred movie adaptation soon!

I loved how the author spoke about mental illness without making it preachy or judging it and the effect it could have on the family as a whole.

The last few chapters felt a bit rushed and could have been more interesting. But I am gonna ignore that for now.

What worked for me

  • One of the best satirical I have read in the recent times. It had several laugh-out-loud moments and I would reread this book, hopefully.
  • The writing and the characters are zany and over the top, and I love that! Bernadette would be a character that you would love or hate, but she will be unforgettable.
  • I love how the author dealt with mental illness and its effect on oneself and one’s family. And the social stigma attached to it.

What may have been better

  • The last 50 pages turned out kinda less entertaining.
  • The writing style and characters may seem over the top and if you don’t immediately connect to them, you may never.

Content warning

Parent abandonment, Mental illness and attempt to commit to psychiatric hospital.

Bottom line

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is highly entertaining and hilarious. If you have not read it already, you should do it already.

Similar book reviews

Pin me!

elgeewrites Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple - A book review Whered You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple Pinterest

Let’s chat

Have you read Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple? How did it work for you? What are your favorite zany characters? Let us talk.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

Silent Patient, The by Alex Michaelides – A book review

How often do you agree with hype and award winning titles? I had heard so much about The Silent Patient and I was reluctant to pick it up, because I didn’t want another disappointment. But how did it fare on my scale? Read my book of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides to know more.

Have you read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides? Were you able to find the culprit? What is your favorite whodunnit murder mystery book? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

About the book

Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Book review

Book Name: The Silent Patient

Author: Alex Michaelides

Genre: Fiction – Mystery, Thriller

Characters:  Alicia Berenson, Theo and Kathy Faber, Christian, Professor Lazarus Diomedes, Gabriel and Max Berenson, Elif, Yuri

Setting: London, England, The UK

Plot Summary

Theo Faber, a psychotherapist can’t wait for this chance to prove himself by helping Alicia, the famed silent patient. And to do that, he has begun to work at The Grove where the artist is being treated for a while now.

About six years ago Alicia Berenson, a well known painter was arrested for murdering her husband, Gabriel. Since then she has not uttered a single word. She is suicidal and unresponsive to any sort of communication.

Theo is also fighting his own demons and for his marriage. Will he be able to save Alicia or himself for that matter? Read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides to find out more.

Book review

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a fast paced murder mystery/thriller. And it is definitely worth its hype. I definitely should be more open to picking hyped books hereon.

While the explosive climax is not novel, I didn’t see it coming. I had several other theories (a few more ingenious than the others ..cough.. cough) of course, but the red herrings worked perfectly. And that says a lot about the author’s ability to weave a web of tangles around it.

I had a few issues with how the “hospital was run” and that Theo’s approach to help Alicia was pretty much unprofessional. There are a few comments about therapy that misleading and harmful, and definitely reduced the credibility factor for me.

What worked for me

  • I didn’t see the classic twist coming at all. And that’s because I was so engrossed in the narration.
  • The short chapters worked well enough to make The Silent Patient a page turner and I couldn’t just stop reading.
  • The red herrings will keep you second guessing and hooked till the end.

What may have been better

  • Theo’s breakthrough treatment was totally unprofessional and kinda lowkey annoying for me. I hated that there were misleading and harmful comments about therapy and therapists.
  • The twist has been done and tested many a times. One of the well known example is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

Bottom line

If you are quite new to the murder mystery genre and you liked books like Girl on the train or The Woman In The Window by Finn A J, you will love this book. If you’ve read as many whodunnits as I have, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides may not surprise you. But it is still worth a read.

Content warning:

Depression, multiple suicide attempts, Drug abuse, Misleading concepts about therapy, extramarital affair,

Similar book reviews

Pin me!

Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Pinterest

Let’s chat

Have you read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides? Were you able to find the culprit? What is your favorite whodunnit murder mystery book? Let us talk.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

Ziggy, Stardust and Me – A book review

Once in a while we get to read books that are too difficult to read because they speak of raw and unflinching truths. Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon is one such book. Read on to hear more on my review of Ziggy, Stardust and Me.

Have you read Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon? What other books will you recommend on the subject? What other historical fiction have you read this year? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

About the book

Ziggy, Stardust and Me Book review

Book Name: Ziggy, Stardust and Me

Author: James Brandon

Genre: Fiction – HistoryYoung adult

Characters: Jonathan Collins, Webster, Starla, Dr Evelyn

Setting: Missouri , The USA

Plot Summary

Jonathan has been waiting for his final “therapy” session so that he can be cured of his “disease” and be the son his father wants.

The sixteen year old is bullied at school and ignored for most of the time by his alcoholic father, who is still mourning his wife’s death. At a time when being gay is considered a mental illness and is punishable, Jonathan just wants to be a boy who is “normal”.

When his only friend Starla, a biracial neighbor leaves the town for the summer, he realizes he is truly alone. Except for Ziggy Stardust. He worships David Bowie and has long (and only) conversations with his dead relatives and Ziggy.

But everything changes when he meets Web, a Native American/ Indian kid in his school. Web is everything he wants to be – fearless and not ashamed of being gay.

What happens when their homophobic neighbours, classmates and mainly families know about his secret forms the rest of Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon.

Book review

For a setting that is inherently doomed and heartbreaking, Ziggy, Stardust and Me surprisingly is not. There are many sweet moments and is full of hope, especially in the end when Jonathan starts accepting who he is gradually.

That being said and given the time it is set in, the book has so many homophobic and racist characters that it broke my heart. Unfortunately not much has changed in the last 50 years or so.

I think it is essential for us to learn from our history to understand how homophobic we have been as a society. Ziggy, Stardust and Me also talks about how internalized homophobia affects people, especially younger ones.

If you like David Bowie, there are so many references to his songs and characters and you will love it. Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about them and the references flew over the top of my head.

What worked for me

  • Ziggy, Stardust and Me is a must read to learn about our mistakes in terms of understanding homosexuality. And it is definitely a hard to swallow pill.
  • Despite the gloomy background, there were several sweet and romantic moments between the main characters.
  • The book also talks of music and music icons can play a huge role in saving people from trauma and from others.
  • While I can’t speak for its accuracy, I loved Web and his Native American (Lakota) representation.

What may have been better

  • I didn’t get or connect with Jonathan’s monologue, in this first person narration. And that bothered me quite a bit.
  • I hate the closeted homophobic bully trope. It is a personal thing for me, and I am getting tired of this trope of “oh the homophobes are all secretly gay themselves“.

Content warning:

conversion therapy, (internalized) homophobia, electroshock therapy, homophobic slurs, suicidal thoughts, Bullying, hate crimes, racism, racist slurs, past death of a parent, alcoholism, mentions of drug use, sexual assault,

Bottom line

Ziggy, Stardust and Me is an essential read to understand what the LGBTQA+ community had to overcome to just exists. It is a harsh, intense and raw book that is worth reading.

Similar book reviews

Pin me!

Ziggy, Stardust and Me Pinterest

Let’s chat

Have you read Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon? What other books will you recommend on the subject? What other historical fiction have you read this year? Let us talk.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

Normal People by Sally Rooney – A book review

Have you read a book that makes you an emotional fur ball and then climaxes with an open ending? Do you love or hate such a book? Let us talk about Normal People by Sally Rooney, shall we?

Have you read Normal People or anything else written by Sally Rooney? Do you like character driven plots? What other books that handle emotional abuse and depression exceptionally well? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

About the book

Normal People By Sally Rooney Book cover

Book Name: Normal People

Author: Sally Rooney

Genre: Fiction – Drama

Characters: Marienne and Alan, and their mother Denise Sheridan , Connel and Lorrainne

Setting: Ireland

The plot

Normal People begins with Marianne and Connell as teenagers who are from different social backgrounds attending the same school. Connell’s mother works in Marianne’s mansion. Connell is kind of the popular jock at school while Marianne is ostracized and is rather invisible.

They begin a sexual relationship but later puts an end to it, because Connell doesn’t want his friends to know about it. When they enter University, their roles reverse. Now Marianne’s intelligence and wit wins her friends while Connell feels so out of it and gradually slips into depression.

Their on/off romance continues and they lean on each other time and again, whatever their romantic entanglements were then. Did they end up with each other forms the rest of Normal People by Sally Rooney.

My initial thoughts

As I was saying earlier, Normal People made an emotional wreck of me. I rarely get affected so much by a book that I had to stop take catch a few breathes while I am reading. This book did that to me.

The plot as such is not anything that we have not read earlier nor very intriguing. But it is the writing and characters that made me come back for more, repeatedly. The protagonists felt so real that made me reach out to an old time friend, just to ask if they were doing fine. We all were normal people, once.

Flawed characters that are deep and emotionally broken? Sign me up. Her penchant towards self destruction and his gradual slipping into depression hurt me viscerally.

The only issue I had was not being able to understand why Marienne’s family hated her so much or some kind of background about it. Every time she felt unworthy and mistook abuse as love based on her family, especially the men, my heart broke.

I loved the social commentary parts in the book as much as inner thoughts of the characters.

What worked for me

  • CHARACTERS. Such deep, flawed and real characters.
  • I love plot-less plots, if you get what I mean. Character and angst driven plots are the best and Rooney did a great job at that.
  • This might be a make or break thing, but for me, the open ending seemed like a perfect finish to Normal People.

What may have been better

  • I wanted to know more about Marienne’s family and their treatment towards her. How and why would they?
  • Some readers may have an issue with the style of Rooney’s writing. Trust me you will get used to it in a bit.

Bottom line

If you are interested to read a character driven plot that will affect you emotionally, Normal People should be your pick. Normal People by Sally Rooney deserves all the praise and accolades it has been getting. I am definitely reading more from Rooney in future.

Similar books for you

Pin me!

Normal People By Sally Rooney Pin me

Let’s chat

Have you read Normal People or anything else written by Sally Rooney? Do you like character driven plots? What other books that handle emotional abuse and depression exceptionally well? Let us talk.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – A book review

Convenience Store Woman – A book review

I recently read The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa and loved it, and I picked Convenience Store Woman on a whim hoping it will continue that streak. Let us get on with the review to know if it did, shall we?

I picked Convenience Store Woman on a whim hoping it will be as good as the other Japanese lit I've read. Read on with the review to know if it did! What is your favorite #translatedwork? Recommendations, please. Let us talk. Click To Tweet

About the book

Convenience Store Woman Review cover

Book Name: Convenience Store Woman

Author: Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori (Translator)

Genre: Fiction – Drama

Characters: Keiko Furukura, Shiraha

Setting: Tokyo, Japan

The plot

Keiko Furukura, a 36 year old convenience store worker, doesn’t fit into the social constructs. She doesn’t have a husband or a boyfriend, kids nor a well paying job – in short an outcast. 

Keiko has been working at the same convenience store for eighteen years and has a routine that works for her. She has no interest in trying to fit in to the society but conveniently masks her oddities. She goes even to the extent of faking an illness which makes her too weak to work anywhere else. 

Her peaceful life goes into a toss when she meets another part time worker, Shiraha who is an outcast as well. They share a lot of commonalities, and they even get into a relationship charade to shut the voices of the society.

How did that turn out? You will have to read Convenience Store Woman to know more. 

My initial thoughts

I love reading character driven books and Convenience Store Woman does a great work at that. Keiko is a strong character who accepts and has no problem being the odd duck. She survives the pressure on woman to marry and birth a child at the right age without openly rebelling against the system. She is on the brink of a break down and yet manages to get through the motions of life. I adore the odd duck she was. 

Convenience Store Woman is a melancholic, relatable and yet so surreal.  It is quintessentially Japanese and is a great choice to read if you want to know more about the country’s culture and society. 

I liked reading about the operations of a convenience store and the role it plays in helping Keiko to mimic other humans. Maybe she is on the spectrum but the author never explicitly discusses that. I am glad I found Convenience Store Woman among the hundreds of recommendations on bookstagram.

Things that worked for me

  • Convenience Store Woman gives a great commentary on the culture and society of Japan.
  • The characters are etched to perfection. I could relate to them so deeply that it scares me.
  • I loved the poignant undertone all through the book.

Things that didn’t work for me

Even though the book is comical in bits, but I saw many reviews saying this book was hysterical or funny. It wasn’t. Amusing maybe. Funny – no!

Bottom-line

If you love character driven books and translated works, Convenience Store Woman is a great choice. If you liked books like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time, this is for you!

Similar books that you might like

Pin me!

Convenience Store Woman Pinterest review

Let us chat

Do you read translated works? What was the last translated book that you read? What is your favorite and I am calling for more recommendations. Let us talk.