Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

33 reviews

achalasiaasha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book was a fantastic read. Elizabeth’s not your classic heroine, but a heroine just the same. She champions women’s rights AND ABILITIES! The amount of misogyny and injustice she faces is horrific. She defies all the odds of ignorance, sexism, assault, and the overbearing underestimation of all those around her. She loves her child and is wildly independent whilst being simultaneously compassionate and logical. She champions women’s rights and civil rights all while making hearty dinners based on science, not taste. Beautifully written and wildly enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

shingekiyes's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

i read this per my aunt’s recommendation with zero knowledge of the book going into it. it is about the generation of women who came just after my grandmother, adult women in the late 50s and 60s who were on the precipice of the next great American feminist movement but still greatly impacted by WW2 social norms.

i did not expect this book to impact me so much! i love women’s fiction, but i tend to prefer more literary works than this. there was a very clear timeline and plot, which i appreciated, and though the book covered serious topics, the tone was mostly lighthearted. 

the POVs in this book were absolutely incredible. i LOVED getting 6:30’s perspective, and the type of head hopping that would normally
bother me was used very strategically and successfully! 

there was a HEAVY dose of found family here that i did not expect at all. i welled up in tears many times over during scenes where Mad and Elizabeth got to experience the love and support of their own little community. 

also, i SHOUTED when the

Vogue

reveal happened. Harriet slayed!!! Best character award!!! 

i can definitely see how this book lends itself to a TV series, which i plan on watching! overall, this was a really fun and interesting read outside my comfort zone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abortion, and Alcohol

iriswishes's review against another edition

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Grief

Moderate: Fatphobia, Suicide, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment

saumyagupta's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Really enjoyed reading the book and especially loved the different characters' point of view. The pacing felt a bit off. My main issue is how the heavy topics were handled, especially rape. The protagonist gets raped by a professor and it gets mentioned in really extreme detail with little to no mention of it after the page 20. It felt a bit weird to me. 
But I did enjoy this book and it was a page turner for sure and it also made me cry. I do wish some topics were more explored and some topics weren't dragged on

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

mandyjedi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

haysebecca's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely fantastic, I'm pretty critical of books, and no issues DNFing something, but not once did that thought even cross my mind. I truly feel this is a book that everyone should read.

Lessons in Chemistry is icredibly well written, the pacing is amazing the characters are all fully formed and no one feels like a cardboard cut out. 

The reading experience is fantastic, some books you read because you want answers to something, or because you like a singular character, but some books you read because they flow so well that you basically float through the book. This is one of those. 

The Author uses multiple POVs, and does an amazing job of it, never once are you asking why someone's thoughts are relevant or quationin who it is that your reading. 

The story comes full circle, nothing is left dangling, no threads are untied, and the ending is *chefs kiss*. You close the book feeling like it's complete, and wanting more, but aknowledging that anything else would ruin the finality and drag too long. 

All of the (main) characters are very well written, and almost feel like friends. They have flaws, they have quirks, but most of all, they're very human and very well developed. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Pedophilia and Racism

chrysanthxmum's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I wish this book had been brave enough have more diverse characters. The beginning 2/3s of the book dragged for me but once I got past a certain point I was somewhat invested. I think the book had room to also depict the inequality of treatment amongst women of differing races and it just did not go where I had hoped it would. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Car accident, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Death of parent

The dog has periodic spurts of panic, particularly in regards to his past with bombs.

astronautin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racism, Car accident, and Death of parent

pajaka13's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault