- For film adaptation 2018, see Where'd You Go, Bernadette (film) .
Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a 2012 comedy novel written by Maria Semple. The plot revolves around an agoraphobic architect and a mother named Bernadette Fox, who disappeared before a family trip to Antarctica. Narrated by his 15-year-old daughter, Bee Branch. Told in a series of documents (email, memos, transcripts, etc.) with occasional interruption by Bee.
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Synopsis
After her mother disappeared, 15-year-old Bee Branch collected correspondence relating to her mother to confirm what had happened to her. Bee tracked the incident back to his perfect report card. Earlier, Bee's parents had told her that she could have whatever she wanted if she got the perfect report card for years at this school. Because of his previous appointment, Bee assured his parents, stayed at Bernadette's mother's house, and Elgin's father, a genius who worked at Microsoft, to take him to Antarctica. Although Bernadette mostly lives at home, he delegates the task of making their arrangements for a personal assistant in India, Manjula.
Because he lives at home, Bernadette has a continuing feud with several mothers at Bee's private school with the main instigator to be his neighbor, Audrey Griffin. Audrey accuses Bernadette of running on her feet in her car (which Bernadette does not argue, though that is not true).
Bee also learned that his mother had been a famous architect, MacArthur's winner "Genius" Grant for his creation at the 20 Mile house, so called because it was made from materials sourced within 20 miles of the house. After he won the grant, Bernadette sold the house, only to realize that it had been sold to a hostile neighbor who destroyed the house once he got it. After the defeat Bernadette moved to Seattle where she suffered four miscarriages before Bee.
A friend of Audrey, Soo-Lin Lee-Segal, an admin at Microsoft, works for Elgin Branch. He revealed to him Bernadette's "attack" on Audrey, causing him to question whether to recognize Bernadette to a psychiatric institution. When Soo-Lin and Elgin embark on an emotional connection, the FBI also contacts Elgin to reveal "Manjula" is actually a Russian money scamming ring that plans to deceive Elgin and Bernadette. Elgin arranged an intervention with Bernadette at the dentist to reveal these facts to him, but by mistake (unsuccessfully) the intervention occurred in their home with the FBI and the police involved. In the middle of the intervention, Bernadette went to the restroom and disappeared.
After the disappearance of Bernadette, Bee was sent to Choate early and Soo-Lin revealed to Audrey that she was pregnant with Elgin's child and she had bought them a family home. Elgin and Soo-Lin know that Bernadette did travel to the Antarctic himself and went there to face him just to get him to disappear again. Soo-Lin has also revealed to Audrey that her life is miserable and that pregnancy is the result of a one-night hangover standing between her and Elgin, who truly regrets the incident.
At Choate, Bee received a packet containing most of the correspondence used in the novel until then. It is revealed that after discovering that his allegations against Bernadette would result in her being hospitalized, Audrey helped her escape from her home, showing him all the correspondence between Soo-Lin and her husband, remaining silent when Bernadette decided to go to Antarctica in the hope that he will be able to speak privately with Elgin and Bee there, and send a packet of all correspondence to Bee, in the hope that Bee will understand what happened to Bernadette.
Bee was expelled from Choate, partly because of the script he composed. He trusts his father to go on a trip to Antarctica with him in the name of closure although he secretly believes that his mother is alive and hiding there. After almost giving up, Bee learned from Palmer Station, the American base where scientists work and research. Stealing the boat with his father, Bee went to the station where he actually found Bernadette who was shocked to find that his family thought he was dead when he sent a letter to Bee.
Bee found the missing letter when he returned to his old school. The letter revealed that Bernadette went to Antarctica in the hope of reconciling with her husband and daughter and deciding to stay during the voyage. While there he met a scientist who told him about Palmer Station and architectural projects for the south pole where every material had to be sent from the US which meant that it was the most important thing for everything designed to complete perfection.. Bernadette sneaks into Palmer Station hoping to work on the project and sends the letter to Bee to ask for his blessing and tells him that he will come home if he does not get it for a certain period of time.
Maps Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Awards
- A year on New York Times Top sellers list
- 72 weeks on the NPR Paperback Book List
- 12 weeks on the NPR Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List
- Interested in 2013 Feminine Gifts for Fiction
- Alex Award 2013 (American Library Association)
Movie adaptation
Annapurna Pictures and Color Force acquired the rights to film adaptation of the novel in January 2013, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber writing scenarios, Semple, Bryan Unkeless, and Ted Schipper producing executive. Richard Linklater will direct the movie. In November 2015, it was announced Cate Blanchett was in talks to join the film. He later revealed that Holly Gent and Vince Palmo had taken over writing assignments on the film.
Kristen Wiig, Billy Crudup, Laurence Fishburne, Troian Bellisario and Judy Greer also joined the cast. Production began in July 2017.
References
External links
- Reviews Where You Go Bernadette Janet Maslin, New York Times , August 6, 2012.
- "Annapurna & amp; Strength of Color Taking The Movie Right For 'Where You Go, Bernadette ' ". deadline.com . Retrieved February 17 2015 .
- Official website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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