Quick take
A wacky mother-daughter tale that shifts between hilarious and heart-wrenching.
Good to know
Quirky
Puzzle
Buzzy
Now a movie
Synopsis
Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect; and to 15-year-old Bee, she is her best friend and, simply, Mom.
Then Bernadette vanishes. It all began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.
To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, and secret correspondence--creating a compulsively readable and surprisingly touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.
Member ratings (4,025)
Nicole R.
West Chester, OH
I’ve wanted to read this for so long and am glad I finally did! Great plot twists and easy to follow, even with some time jumps. You love some characters, hate others, but they all fit together well!
Sara S.
Frederick , MD
This book was perfect for the anxiety of quarantine. It was light hearted, funny, but also the characters (especially Bernadette) were especially intriguing! I recommended this book to so many people!
Danielle W.
New York, NY
Excellent well-paced story & satire. Loved all of the casual observations Semple makes about the banality and "important" trivial incidents of everyday life. Keeps you guessing right up until the end!
Devin N.
Davenport , FL
This book was so captivating! I couldnt put it down! Watching the movie after was so much fun.(Though we know the books are always better!! ;)) Bernadette is funny and witty and loving! Recommend!!!!
April D.
Omaha, NE
Movie or book first? I saw the movie first so I had pictures of the characters in my mind. I could’t get in to book until the end when it was different then the movie. I really do like the story.