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piquareste's review against another edition
4.0
Mind the content warnings. I was personally okay for most of it but had to flip quickly through one rape scene, which I hadn't anticipated.
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident
crazymaplady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fatphobia, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Child death and Car accident
kelsimarirobb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
summerdecembers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Car accident, and Gaslighting
sierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
emmas_shelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I liked the historical context of this book being in the 60s and thus the themes of second wave feminism in its earlier forms. However, I do feel like this book didn't fully touch on intersectionality as much as it could have - although the author does mention intersectionality in the interview attached to the end of the audiobook which I thought was really insightful. I didn't realise this is a debut novel for the author, nor did I realise they were published later in their writing life. I think having the context of knowing she wanted to write about her mother's generation helped. Also she isn't a chemist, which considering how much chemistry knowledge is in this book is very impressive!
I almost want to join a book club to discuss the themes, difference scenes which popped up and I am wanting to watch the Apple TV series now to almost re-read/ go over this story again. There were some harder scenes to listen to but key themes of gender, workplace harassment, domestic violence, media, woman empowerment.
I think this book also had some whimsy aspects of it, none more so than having Six-Thirty the dog and thus an additional, unexpected POV to read from. It was an interesting creative decision but I didn't find myself hating it - although I know from reading other reviews, it wasn't to other people's taste.
Whilst one can read LIC and think 'it's at least not as bad for us(meaning women/ female-presenting people) nowadays' - I also think it is the point of the book to highlight how there are still too many similarities between Elizabeth Zott's reality and today. Which I also think is exactly the point, I am glad I read this book as its outside what I normally I read and it made me think. I suspect I will find myself randomly thinking about this book again and again, which to me is a good thing.
The expanse of side characters and how they all interwove together is a trope of mine I extremely enjoy. I was super satisfied with the ending of this book and enjoyed that Harriet, Walter, Rev. Wakely and even Fran Frask all intertwined within the novel. I just love it when the bigger picture/ small details circle back within a book.
I am very interested in reading whatever Bonnie wants to write next.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
peachybee53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I would advise anyone with a history of sexual assault to tread lightly with this one, but otherwise think the dry humour and darkness balance each other out well. The way Zott & Calvin fell in love gave me 'the ick,' and I thought that Calvin's family storyline and the rushed ending took away from it a bit.
Favourite quotes:
"Courage is the root of change—and change is what we’re chemically designed to do."
"I think [religion] teaches us that nothing is really our fault; that something or someone else is pulling the strings; the ultimately, we're not to blame for the way things are; that to improve things, we should pray. But the truth is, we are very much responsible for the badness in the world. And we have the power to fix it."
"It was her confidence, the certainty of who she was. She sowed it like a seed until it took root in others."
"Having a baby, Elizabeth realized, was a little like living with a visitor from a distant planet. There was a certain amount of give and take as the visitor learned your ways and you learned theirs, but gradually their ways faded and your ways stuck. Which she found regrettable. Because unlike adults, her visitor never tired of even the smallest discovery; always saw the magic in the extraordinary."
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Murder, and Abandonment
iamaprettyflower's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I highly recommend this book ❤️
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
steph_weigle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol
arnoles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Pedophilia and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Suicide