Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

39 reviews

rhondag354's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved this book far more than I thought I would.  I identified with Bernadette far more than I like to admit so I did end up loving her.  Probably would have been 5 stars, but the ending felt forced and unrealistic.  Maybe since I did identify with Bernadette, I couldn't help but think the solution was not that "simple". 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

apuskas's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, though I am not sure why I expected anything different. Two things: most (essentially all) characters, including unpleasant ones, are portrayed with a bit of cheer and redemption. Also, there  is a sneaky combination of meandering and economy in the prose. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Toxic friendship

goldstrawberry's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

maddielle's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

greenan26's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cursing, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Alcohol

lpeterson's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Bernadette doesn’t belong in Seattle, but her husband is a big shot at Microsoft, so there she is. So different from all the other moms at her kid’s (Bee) school. In a wild series of events in which everyone acts without actually discussing anything with each other, Bernadette goes missing. Now it’s up to Bee to think like her mom to try to find her even though everyone else has given up hope. This book was hilarious and I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts

221bpinkst's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Some language

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

vk124's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Recommended to me by my sister, and then again by the librarian, I finally read this book. I laughed so hard in some moments and felt thoroughly misanthropic in others. I have an unresolved question even after completing the book, but it ended on an upbeat note.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Bullying and Mental illness

Minor: Infertility and Infidelity

vannahcabana's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.5

In the end this book was good. However, I was confused what was actually happening in the first third of the book. There are a lot of sections broken into emails, letters, and storyline; it was difficult to determine the plot. It did pick up about a third of the way through and was no longer confusing. Cute story- nothing particularly spectacular for me! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Medical content