Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Lessons in Chemistry

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

166 reviews

greenan26's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

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? No

3.5

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bookobsessednow's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I saw a fan edit of Elizabeth and Calvin for the TV show adaptation. I fell in love with it and found out it was from a book. The story switches povs and gives insight on how all the characters are involved, especially surrounding Calvin and of course Elizabeth. Through Elizabeth eyes and the women in the story, we see how women were underestimated and was expected to be within certain traditional societal roles. It is kinda funny as Elizabeth agrees to cook for the tv show and a man STILLS calls the shot even though "being in the kitchen is supposed to a woman's job". The women also partook in the misogynistic ideals, almost to the point bullying (Ms Mudd, i hate you. How sad for a full grown adult to go after a literal child) Sadly there are segsual harassment and assault mentioned, where the women spoke of it happening to them. This also occurred where the perpetrators was men in power or simply the next door husband. There are also themes of abuse, work discrimination, and everything we know of society back in 1950s-1960s. It definitely doesn't give us full on reparations and the ending we want, especially for Elizabeth and Madeline. Besides from them, we also get a glimpse into Calvin's past and how even he had his rough childhood. I just wanted him to get the childhood and parents he wanted and deserved (tbh literally any child). At least we see that Madeline gets to know his mom

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peachybee53's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

This book is honestly just a bit of fun. It is a highly dramatised reflection on how women are viewed and treated as subservient, incapable & good for only one thing. The protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, is hilarious, determined and gutsy.

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."

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