Bernadette Fox, a once-revolutionary architect, is now an enigmatic and reclusive figure in Seattle, notorious for her unconventional behavior. To her brilliant Microsoft-executive husband, Elgie, she is a complex and often exasperating partner. To the other mothers at her daughter's elite private school, she's a social pariah. But to her 15-year-old daughter, Bee, Bernadette is a best friend and an endlessly fascinating mother. As Bee excels academically, Bernadette's anxieties and eccentricities escalate, particularly her disdain for social interaction and her growing agoraphobia. After a series of comedic and disastrous events, orchestrated largely by Bernadette's virtual assistant in India, Bernadette vanishes just before a planned family trip to Antarctica. Driven by unwavering love and concern, Bee embarks on an extraordinary quest, piecing together emails, faxes, and secret documents to uncover her mother's whereabouts and the truth behind her disappearance, ultimately leading her on a profound journey of discovery about genius, family, and self-reinvention.
Critical Reception
"A New York Times bestseller and a Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist nominee, this novel garnered widespread acclaim for its unique narrative structure, sharp wit, and deeply touching exploration of family dynamics and genius."
Adaptations
Major motion picture (2019) directed by Richard Linklater, starring Cate Blanchett.