Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

119 reviews

currytiff's review against another edition

emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Slow start but kept me thinking about the message and characters for many days after finishing. Very thought provoking!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment

kailiyahknight's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, and Death of parent

xiaogui's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.0

It’s an okay read if you don’t know anything about chemistry. Particularly food chemists should not read this the chemistry parts are not good. It’s a good enough comment on women in the 50s, not so much in science though. Her career is not discussed enough for it to be called a chemists life novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Grief

Moderate: Violence, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

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

noxa's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

1.0

This author can’t seem to wrap her head around the concept that religion and science are not mutually exclusive. Hell, just in my direct family alone, 83% of us studied science in university and we are all very comfortable in our faith… for a man of God to take 1 chemistry course and suddenly be so shaken in his faith? A. Skill issue. B. That reeks of a severe lack of understanding of religion to me. C. One of the most idiotic lines I’ve read in a book in a while. 

It’s also a pretty wild choice to have a book set in the USA in the 50s and 60s and to have the only mention of black people be an offhand comment about supporting Rosa Parks. Not a single person of color in this book? Seriously? In CALIFORNIA? 

There’s also somehow enough religious extremists in their town for Elizabeth to get death threats & an attempted bombing for saying that she’s an atheist on air but not a single racist exists to complain about her explicitly supporting the Civil Rights movement. Sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Car accident

Minor: Pedophilia

mypoormeatball's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

escapereader's review against another edition

This book was not for me. While there seemed to be potential in the FMC, the dull writing and lackluster "chemistry" in the romantic relationship made for a very boring read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

intrepidheroine's review against another edition

4.0

I found this book interesting and gripping, but my goodness was there a lot of sexual assault.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse

abirej's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? Yes

4.75

How can I even describe how wonderful this book is? Most of the time I stay away from 3rd person omniscient but this is an example of a WELL DONE pov. I adore Elizabeth Zott. This story is told perfectly, everything revealed at e x a c t l y the right time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Car accident

snazzy10101's review against another edition

5.0

this book deserves every award it has and more. 
i feel represented by Elizabeth Zott and also by the need to want to know someone who died more than you did when they were alive. 

i’m so emotional. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment