A review by waytoomanybooks
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I went into the book not knowing what to expect, which made it all the more fun to read! There were a lot of interesting twists that I can honestly say that I didn't see coming. I think all of the characters were fascinating messes of flaws and virtues, which made all the more invested in their stories. It kept me guessing, and it made me keep turning the pages!

I should explain why I gave it a 3 out of 5 rating (in no particular order): I think the ending was rushed and a tad sloppy. And there are a few loose ends I would've liked seen tied up
(like Soo-Lin's baby!?)
. There was also a completely unnecessary Christian bent to it that got shoved into the narrative in the last quarter of the book. And also some casual racism and hatred against the poor and the homeless that jarred me out of the narrative on more than one occasion. Also, the whole
Russian mafia angle was never brought up after the intervention. Surely they couldnt just go about unaffected by the fact that their identities/SSNs, addresses, and account numbers, etc. were stolen?
.

It was an enjoyable read, but it definitely needed another round of edits.
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