Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

49 reviews

piquareste's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring

4.0

Interesting! This was an engaging read that I was happy to sit and read straight through. Was quite invested in the characters, especially in Elizabeth and her unbreakable backbone even through everything she endures. I found some of the empathetic side characters endearing and very welcome — the producer, the minister, the neighbour — all of whom give a much needed respite from the relentless sexism and repression in the rest of the cast. I did feel like the framing of the feminist thinking too on-the-nose, especially in the beginning, when the book seemed to want to remind me repeatedly that the story was set in the backwards 1950s.

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident

steph_weigle's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

alimactkd's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

arnoles's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• 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

I really loooooooved this book. Some have pointed out that elements felt unrealistic, and while I agree, they're easy to put aside because they still act in service to the overall message if the book and are entertaining as hell! I would have liked to see a little bit more of Elizabeth's interior life and thoughts, which is where the .25 docking came in. I found the characters very lovable and thought all the storylines tied together perfectly in the end. I laughed out loud and cried over the course of this book - it made me feel something and was hard to put down.

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Content Warnings

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

jdromsky's review against another edition

emotional funny informative sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I picked this book because so many people told me it was “amazing!” and it was good, but I think it was a little overhyped. I thought that Elizabeth Zott did not develop as a character nearly as much as the others, which was the most frustrating because we spent the most time with her. 

I also though

the ending where Elizabeth meets Calvin’s mom was very anticlimactic and felt very much like a tag on. I wanted it to end after Elizabeth quit Supper at Six, and just to see a bit of how she embraced the life she had or was going to make for herself. I wanted to see her MAKE A LIFE for herself rather than have another thing handed to her by Calvin’s mom no less.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

eluned2406's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse and Vomit

ofi's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

i thought the six-thirty pov episode of the series was the saddest thing i’d ever seen but then i read the book every single line in his pov is much much worse. six-thirty i would give my life for you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

anarchy7's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment

mrsmeowmix's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

One of the most riveting books I’ve ever read. Spoke to me on a molecular level. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

teadrinker4theoceans's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

3.75

If you think you had a shitty day, Elizabeth Zott will prove you wrong.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicide