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What Members Thought

Craving half stars for this book, because I want to give it a solid 3.5. 100 pages in I would have said it would be four, but it lost a little bit of credit for a few reasons. The author tells the story in a very fragmented way - letters, e-mails, legal action, newspaper stories, etc. You find out later that the daughter of Bernadette is the one trying to tell the story this way. I enjoyed this method of storytelling, the same thing that I enjoyed in novels like The Historian. But then it is as
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Dec 25, 2013
Astrid Lim
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
dysfunctional-family,
funny-ha-ha,
america,
puzzle,
lovely-heroine,
contemporary,
psychology
A hilarious read, perfect to end 2013 :) So many funny moments, twists, and crazy things along this book. I love the heroine, fantastic Bee, the daughter of Bernadette. This book shows us that being different is totally okay, and sometimes it's good to just release your creative energy, otherwise you're going literally crazy.
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For me, this book really should have been "Why would I care where Bernadette went as long as she never, ever f'ing comes back!".
The plot feels forced, like the author is trying too hard to make it an interesting book. The characters are either flat or over exaggerated. Bernadette, I guess, is supposed to be seen as quirky, but really she's just a bitter shrew that's held on to a 20 year old slight and uses it as an excuse to be a pain-in-the-ass flake and an utter bitch to everyone, including he ...more
The plot feels forced, like the author is trying too hard to make it an interesting book. The characters are either flat or over exaggerated. Bernadette, I guess, is supposed to be seen as quirky, but really she's just a bitter shrew that's held on to a 20 year old slight and uses it as an excuse to be a pain-in-the-ass flake and an utter bitch to everyone, including he ...more

I'm pretty sure it would only be a three star if I didn't live in Seattle.
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Wholly entertaining, laugh-out-loud hilarious, poignant, and valid. The writing is great and the characters are vivid. I'd give it five stars except that I grew tired, and early on, of the portrayal of mental illness as charming quirkiness that can be cured with a little nudge and the right attitude.
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The characters in this story are a hoot, and I am looking forward to the movie. I can't imagine anyone but Cate Blanchett playing the role of Bernadette.
Despite what a fantastic movie this will make, the book was so-so. It jumped around a lot, made up of letters and random bits from other characters with an overarching narrative from Bee, Bernadette's daughter. This left a bit more to be desired to fill out a great story line. ...more
Despite what a fantastic movie this will make, the book was so-so. It jumped around a lot, made up of letters and random bits from other characters with an overarching narrative from Bee, Bernadette's daughter. This left a bit more to be desired to fill out a great story line. ...more

It took only half a day to read.
Inventive, fast-paced, entertaining, modern, lightweight, far-fetched, sentimental. I like Bee and Bernadette and their relationship. Bernadette is singular. She references the rosewater ice cream of Mashti Malone's which is up the street from me.
Why isn't there a question mark in the title?
(brain as discounting mechanism--matter of survival
contractor Kabuki) ...more
Inventive, fast-paced, entertaining, modern, lightweight, far-fetched, sentimental. I like Bee and Bernadette and their relationship. Bernadette is singular. She references the rosewater ice cream of Mashti Malone's which is up the street from me.
Why isn't there a question mark in the title?
(brain as discounting mechanism--matter of survival
contractor Kabuki) ...more

I found the book to be clever, but l didn't feel that it will translate well through the ages. Some of the stuff is so tech/geek heavy that I could see many people alienated by it. I enjoyed the satire but it never really sucked me in.
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I can not finish. This is it - I am done. Free to a good home. Let me know if you want it and are happy to collect / cover the shipment.



Feb 04, 2014
Addy
marked it as to-read

Nov 22, 2014
Rachel
marked it as to-read

Jan 01, 2015
Kali
marked it as to-read

Oct 31, 2017
Alan
marked it as to-read