I love Maria Semple. Where'd You Go Bernadette is one of my favorite books of the last 10 years. And, I love the pace at which she writes and the characters she conjures up. This book began as no exception. It just felt easy and I looked forward to opening up every night this week.
Then, it kind of lost me.
I'll back up.
The book revolves around an extended family living in Los Angeles. We meet Violet, the wife of a hot-shot music agent who is clearly restless in her marriage. And, we meet that music agent's sister Sally, who is desperate for a life free of financial stress.
These ladies are a mess.
Violet quit her job as a TV writer when her husband's career soared. She filled her empty days with projects - first, a home renovation. Then, she found a project disguised as a struggling musician she met in a high-end bathroom. He's impressed with her - enamored with her. And, you can tell she's chasing that high that's clearly missing from her marriage. It's a cliche for a reason and it carries the plot for awhile.
Sally is chasing the financial comfort that Violet is clearly taking for granted. Her desperation shows as she locks down a rising TV star who is clearly not compatible.
Both stories converge and you cover your eyes waiting for the crash.
You can see, the plot is compelling. The characters are fantastically awful, yet somehow relatable. But, I still didn't love it. It was Semple's first novel and it feels like it. I felt like she had some good bones, but maybe tried to do too much. I found myself just wanting it to be done.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not. But, I'd recommend every other Maria Semple book, as you can clearly see the improvement with each one.
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