This is the best new novel I have read so far this year. It is the story of what happens when Bernadette Fox's life goes off the rails at the prospect of a family cruise to Antarctica, as recounted by her daughter Bee through notes, letters, and emails. I pretty much hate the epistolary novel but here the form works brilliantly. Satirical, funny, relentlessly entertaining, smart, and even touching. Maybe I've been reading too many crime novels lately and my senses are warped but I can't remember reading anything this fun in a long time (A Visit from the Goon Squad maybe?) Even the title of the book and its cover are wonderful. My wife also read it and while she enjoyed it, she is of the opinion that I have gone overboard in my enthusiasm for this book. That's okay - everyone thought the same thing about Bernadette, so I am in good company.
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