English language
Published Dec. 20, 2008 by Little, Brown and Co..
Semple may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she certainly has my number. Her characters are unique, complex, maddening, and impossible not to love. The story might seem meandering, but it’s arranged less around a sequence of events, and more around fascinating characters and the emotional truths they uncover.
I read Semple's second novel, "Where'd You Go, Bernadette", first and loved it. I started reading this first novel, and was thinking that it was pretty good, but not as pitch-perfect as "Bernadette" when I realized how far past my bus stop I had ridden. I slogged home, and dove it again.
Another good one from Maria Semple- this one tries to be an updated Anna Karenina minus tragic ending. Love how she makes you like her at-first-annoying characters.
