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fairytalefootnotes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Medical content, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Pedophilia and Abortion
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
- 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
Elizabeth Zott is an amazing character, and a survivor. She is the embodiment of female power and a force to be reckoned with.
The things Zott experiences in the work place are appalling and no one would call her personal life easy. In real life, a woman in Zott’s shoes wouldn’t be faulted for breaking down or giving up. But Zott doesn’t let anything stop her from reaching her goals. She goes on have a wonderful life in spite of the horrendous things she’s had to survive, because she is a survivor.
Parts of this book had me in tears while others had me fill with so much pride I thought I would burst. At its core, this book is about the strength and resilience of women and I can’t recommend it enough. This will be a book I won’t stop thinking about for a very, very long time.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Vomit, Abortion, and Alcohol
clareasday's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
amygrace98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion
rhyanreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion
epen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Car accident
Minor: Child death and Abortion
saskiahill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion
uranaishi's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
freul's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Eating disorder, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
queen_melliott's review against another edition
- 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
1.5
First of all, I have no idea why in the world anyone would describe this as comedy and compare it to Mrs Maisel when the holy story revolved around discrimination, prejudice, bullying, rape, suicide and death in general. It had zero funny moments.
The story felt so unrealistic for the time. Yes, there absolutely were women who were highly intelligent, who wanted to work, to be scientists or doctors, who didn’t believe in God, who supported or at least accepted gay people, who didn’t believe in marriage, who didn’t want children, who were not warm and nurturing but more unemotional and matter-of-fact, and who had highly intelligent children whom they brought up with a more liberal mindset. Elizabeth, however, combined all of these traits and felt so incredibly unrealistic to me. The reason why I couldn’t stand her was a different one, though. She always felt the need to fight, to be mean and make enemies wherever she went. She was so uncooperative and defensive, she didn’t see when people were trying to help her and be good to her (Calvin, Mason, Avery). She felt downright hostile to me.
Talking about unrealistic, DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON MAD AND THE DOG. Madeline is 5 YEARS OLD. Even for a gifted child, it just seemed ridiculous to me, the way she talked, speaking about taxes and faith having nothing to do with religion, get out of here.
And then the friggin’ dog. Learning English. Analyzing human behavior like a psychologist. Reading the clock. Speaking to dead and unborn people. Walking 9 miles by himself to visit Elizabeth at work. Picking up Mad from school. Having an inner monologue about the dissonance between people thinking they’re so smart and voluntarily consuming carcinogens. Then of course he was trained in bomb detection, too. I swear the only thing that dog couldn’t do was go rowing with Elizabeth.
Also, maybe three people would watch that cooking show. It would NOT be a hit in that time. Today, yes. Back then, hell no.
Needless to say, I skim-read most of the book because I hated it so much but still wanted to know where the story was going to go, what all the fuss was about.
Then came the point I would have DNFed this, hadn’t I been in 76% already: Elizabeth, a SCIENTIST, someone who always stuck to the SCIENTIFIC FACTS, telling a woman on her show that it is OK TO EAT MEAT BECAUSE PLANTS ARE ALIVE, TOO, just like animals!!! LADY, PLANTS DO NOT HAVE A CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, THEREFORE, THEY DO NOT FEEL PAIN. Also, they do not feel emotions and have no families, they don’t feel frightened before we dice them, they do not release stress hormones, they don’t feel pain, they don’t miss their family members when separated from them. EATING MEAT AND EATING PLANTS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT COMPARE. Meat is murder, full stop. So is dairy and eggs. Educate yourself, Bonnie Garmus. The only slightly redeeming part about this was that, later, Elizabeth teaches her audience that plants do in fact have protein. So at least, Bonnie Garmus knows nutritional facts, even if she has no clue about the anatomy of plants or ethical questions.
Lastly, the whole point of the story was to fight discrimination and be accepting of people no matter their sex or sexual orientation - with the exception of people who believe in God, of course, and all Christian churches in the world. They are pure evil! There is only a single good priest and that is the one who doesn’t believe in God in the first place (Wakely). What a way to undermine the books whole point. Accept people for who they are, unless they have a different point of view or different beliefs from yours. Well done, Bonnie Garmus.
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Homophobia, Rape, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent