Reviews tagging 'Excrement'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

5 reviews

dropout's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

Loved reading it. Perfect mix.
Sad and relatable. inspiring, honest and charming.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Abortion

spootilious's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

 

 

Read: July 17th, 2024
 Title: Lessons in Chemistry 
 Author: Bonnie Garmus 

Genre:  Historical Fiction 

Rating: 2/5
 Review: 

I have been contemplating how to review this for a few hours now. It’s difficult because I really enjoyed reading the book. It made me smile, cringe, and cry; though I think the ‘Laugh out Loud’ reviews are a bit farfetched. In fact, this novel wasn’t just heavy, it hit like a freight train (pun intended). 

I suppose my biggest conflict is that I really really like the message of the novel and the focus on social injustices. 

The issue then becomes all the things I didn’t like about the novel. 

The work was written well enough but Garmus switch so drastically from one injustice to another that I felt as if I were getting whiplash. She moved back and fourth so much that I don’t think any one subject got as much attention as it deserved. The one focused on the most being Women Empowerment but it felt more like anti-men than pro-women… That being said, I am the type of woman that will ALWAYS choose the bear. Still, I think it would be nice to see a feminist store that builds its own ladder rather than using the destroyed men as stepping stones to empowerment… Cuz in the end it means we still need them… even if in a negative way. 

I found the dialog to often be condescending as well. Almost as if Garmus was throwing in ever intelligent sound word she could find. It felt forced. People of high intelligence can sound as brilliant as their IQ without sounding like a robot. 

The unapologetic and vulgar nature of the atrocities throughout the book is both disturbing and refreshing. I’ve mentioned it in a rare review but I have to admire an author who can simply write a horrific act without defending or explaining it, it makes it hit harder. 

That being said… There was a lot… and jumping from it to a ‘funny’ quip or one liner made the whole thing feel off putting… 

 

Overall I really enjoyed the read, just not the way it was written. I would recommend this to individuals who enjoy heavy reads/sad reads, drama, historical fiction that borders on fantasy, or a strong feminist tone. 

 

TBH I loved the show though. Very well done. 

QUOTES:
 “The librarian is the most important educator in school. What she doesn’t know, she can find out. This is not an opinion; it’s a fact.” 

“Imagine if all men took women seriously. Education would change. The workforce would revolutionize. Marriage counsellors would go out of business.” 

“Courage is the root of change—and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.” 

“Sometimes I think," she said slowly, "that if a man were to spend a day being a woman in America, he wouldn't make it past noon.” 

 

 

TW: Rape, Adultery, Religious bigotry, Racism, Feminism, Sexism, Animal harm, parental death, death of a child, death of a parent, pedophilia, sexual assault, sexual harassment, bombs, death threats, car accidents, suicide, domestic abuse, vomit, abandonment, mentions of abortion, alcoholism, drug use, blood, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, toxic relationships, stalking, slurs, gaslighting, grief, fatphobia, emotional abuse, classism, alcohol, animal cruelty, pregnancy, miscarriage, infidelity, emotional abuse, medical content. 

 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

jcshells's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Excrement, Medical content, and Grief

shainalite's review

funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

Lessons in Chemistry is really a lesson. I took some notes from this book (quotes and facts about foods) as I was attending a chemistry class myself.
This book is a critique towards society, many things deemed as standard and normalcy in society were questioned here by our chemist main character, her daughter, her neighbor, and her intelligent dog. Topics such as marriage, motherhood, education (how awful Madeleine's teacher was!), family, passion, religion, journalism, entertainment, etc especially when it includes women in it  are brought up and challenged here. 
Everything is perfectly arranged and stitched into a story, the revelation is what closes the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

emotional inspiring fast-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? No

4.25

it's like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but even better imo. i fell in love with Elizabeth Zott, whose experiences are painful to read and made me want to scream with indignation. in fact, (almost*) the whole cast was lovable—not just  "able to be loved", but rather, "no choice but to love". an engaging, many-threaded story full of heart that weaved into one for a rock-solid ending (for which i'm a sucker).

*except, to be honest, Walter Pine. i don't see how he was much better than the villainous men before him (Donatti and Lebensmal); maybe he was "just following orders", but as if that makes up for it. he's a devoted father, but what kind of daughter's role model is complicit in the mistreatment of women under his own purview? but of course he's ultimately

rewarded with a promotion—which i don't fault the writing for, it's prob the most realistic course of events unfortunately—but less believably, becomes bffs with Elizabeth at the drop of a hat

?? he may recognize the err of his ways, but did he follow that up with any significant changes, e.g. use his newfound power to uplift those he previously kept down? not that we know of. maybe i hold a grudge like Calvin but i don't really see how Walter redeemed himself.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism