Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

I've noticed something lately. While movies and TV shows were quick to incorporate technology such as smart phones and social media into story telling, books are further behind in doing so. It's not especially noticeable until you come across a book that has done a fantastic job using modern-day methods to tell a story. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? is an example of such a book, because it uses emails, letters, faxes, etc. as part of the narrative, and it really adds to the story.

It also adds to the character development. When I'm writing an email, it's capturing my thoughts and telling the recipient who I am as a person. The same can be said for reading the character's emails. We have insight into how the characters are thinking and what makes them who they are and show us their motivation for why they do what they do (which then moves the plot forward).

The characters themselves are unique and kind of quirky, which really made the book hilarious to read. At the same time, they had depth and background that made them very real and I felt for them as I learned of their past struggles.

Overall, this is definitely worth checking out, and I really enjoyed it.