Where did the time go? | And, same question to Bernadette

Well, it’s 2015. And, while for many (most?) of you, that means less free time than cheap gas because you’ve got a building list of resolutions to accomplish, for others, it means time to curl up by a fire with a cup of hot tea and get real deep into a new book.

Gosh, the thought of a new read – of opening that first page and diving into a new story, meeting new “people” and reading new things to dream about and question the significance of later. It’s a refreshing way to lull yourself to sleep at night rather than playing solitaire until your fingers freeze. It’s a way to kill time instead of waistlines with bored eating. But, hey, whatever excuse you need have to read, take it – and take this book while you’re at it.

The Book | Where’d You Go, Bernadette?          The Author | Maria Semple

I will admit I bought this book about a year ago. Whenever it showed up in my “books” section of Entertainment Weekly, I thought to myself it sounded good and the cover illustration was enough to sway my judgement into a trip to Barnes & Noble. (Where I probably bought five other books and still haven’t read those, either).

Once I opened it’s still-fresh paper-smelling pages, though, I didn’t put it down. I mean, I ate and I slept, but otherwise, this book as in my hands and it took me all of about 4 days to rip through it. Take that, speed readers!

This story is a mother-daughter thing, first and foremost, but it’s also an independent woman kind of story. One of self-discovery and the marathon of a lifetime it takes to (sometimes) actually discover it. It’s a little new mom, a little not-your-average-mom and a little creative artist. I couldn’t help but relate to the ideology. No worries though, if you have read it, because I don’t relate to the idiosyncrasies of our main character. She’s wild at heart and a little mentally unstable, but from what we constantly see her try and prove, it’s all from a good place – albeit a little selfish.

Readers, you’ll enjoy the funny, witty and preposterous situations that ring eerily similar to real life. It’s a comical stance on “what am i doing with my life?” and how certain people find their roles in unexpected places (middle school PTA).

I laughed out loud on many occasions, having to read the passage out loud to my Minesweeper-playing husband in bed next to me. It was a fun read, but one that didn’t sacrifice motif for comic relief. I read it fast, but I remember everything and still think about the little family on occasion.

Grab this one and start the new year’s reading list off with something fresh, fun and different. If nothing else, it’ll help repurpose that list of resolutions.