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peachybee53's review against another edition
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."
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."
Content Warnings
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
shingekiyes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
i read this per my aunt’s recommendation with zero knowledge of the book going into it. it is about the generation of women who came just after my grandmother, adult women in the late 50s and 60s who were on the precipice of the next great American feminist movement but still greatly impacted by WW2 social norms.
i did not expect this book to impact me so much! i love women’s fiction, but i tend to prefer more literary works than this. there was a very clear timeline and plot, which i appreciated, and though the book covered serious topics, the tone was mostly lighthearted.
the POVs in this book were absolutely incredible. i LOVED getting 6:30’s perspective, and the type of head hopping that would normally
bother me was used very strategically and successfully!
there was a HEAVY dose of found family here that i did not expect at all. i welled up in tears many times over during scenes where Mad and Elizabeth got to experience the love and support of their own little community.
also, i SHOUTED when theVogue reveal happened. Harriet slayed!!! Best character award!!!
i can definitely see how this book lends itself to a TV series, which i plan on watching! overall, this was a really fun and interesting read outside my comfort zone.
i did not expect this book to impact me so much! i love women’s fiction, but i tend to prefer more literary works than this. there was a very clear timeline and plot, which i appreciated, and though the book covered serious topics, the tone was mostly lighthearted.
the POVs in this book were absolutely incredible. i LOVED getting 6:30’s perspective, and the type of head hopping that would normally
bother me was used very strategically and successfully!
there was a HEAVY dose of found family here that i did not expect at all. i welled up in tears many times over during scenes where Mad and Elizabeth got to experience the love and support of their own little community.
also, i SHOUTED when the
i can definitely see how this book lends itself to a TV series, which i plan on watching! overall, this was a really fun and interesting read outside my comfort zone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abortion, and Alcohol
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
Title: Lessons in Chemistry
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 2/5
Review:
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.”
“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.
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
saumyagupta's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- 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? No
2.5
Really enjoyed reading the book and especially loved the different characters' point of view. The pacing felt a bit off. My main issue is how the heavy topics were handled, especially rape. The protagonist gets raped by a professor and it gets mentioned in really extreme detail with little to no mention of it after the page 20. It felt a bit weird to me.
But I did enjoy this book and it was a page turner for sure and it also made me cry. I do wish some topics were more explored and some topics weren't dragged on
But I did enjoy this book and it was a page turner for sure and it also made me cry. I do wish some topics were more explored and some topics weren't dragged on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
minisaucisse's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
VERY immersive. Almost missed my stop a couple of times because of it. sadly, the end is a bit flat
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
katlinstirling_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? N/A
5.0
I loved this book I’m not gonna lie. I loved the way it was written, I loved the characters and the storyline everything! Completely heartbreaking in parts and I was so angry with the sex discrimination and abuse towards women, I did actually throw the book a few times! I don’t care what anyone says this is a 5-star read to me!! ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
nikrib's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
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
4.25
I picked up this book from the library after seeing an ad for its tv adaptation. I’m not sure where I thought this story was going before cracking open the book, but it definitely was a distinctive journey. With the book’s setting of 1950-60’s, all the societal, economic, and cultural issues are at play. While I did enjoy the protagonist (often rooting for her decisions, $#@! the patriarchy) I am not fond of the book’s ending.
The narrative felt as it was going down two separate yet parallel avenues and then at the end just chose one. I reread the ending twice due to the lack of fulfillment the ending gave me. Perhaps that’s just my take, wanting more justice for this character and not a predictable sappy ending.
Some reviews speak on a lack of diversity in the book; I do not wholly concur. The narrative does not speak of race, at all, but we can assume the characters are predominately Caucasian as the way that the book is written /does/ fit the time period and realm the characters move in. However, one of the characters who is a neighbor and becomes a prominent supporting character does strike me as P.O.C. Again, time period, it would by more common for this supporting character’s actions to come from a P.O.C. For example, caring for another family’s child and the type of care being “seen as atypical compared to society” and extending normalcy of simply babysitting. This supporting character moves through the narrative differently compared to the protagonist and other minor characters. Their name is also known more as belonging to a P.O.C. for that time period.
To say that this book lacks diversity is unfair. If you took a survey of a chemistry lab, a university, a studio, (all from that time period) the race ratio would indeed be significantly heavy handed on Caucasian, if not solely Caucasian. Those were unfortunate times. Now, this book is fiction, yes, so the author could have purposefully written in some diversity. Although, just as the author chose to leave race out of the narrative, readers can choose to place race in the narrative. There’s creative freedom here. A reader could absolutely make the protagonist a P.O.C. The lack of specifics on race in the narrative allow for flexibility per reader. If the book didn’t have a Caucasian woman on the cover, I don’t believe there would be reviews commenting lack of diversity.
The other 1950-60’s themes are used throughout the narrative to bring attention to issues pertaining to that time (and in this case, focusing on the battles that women faced and are still facing current day).
The chemistry themes are ever present but not annoyingly so, unless you’re a chemist and care that there are minor flaws. There is a sexual assault scene (r@pe) in the beginning of the book and again later sexual exposure, both of which are traumatic for the character but does allude to everlasting issues revolving sexism, patriarchal power in the workplace, and the fact that women are continuously assaulted. While that is a sensitive subject for a lot of people, I believe it was powerful and purposeful in the narrative to shed light on women’s issues and women’s rights.
There is a dog (don’t worry, nothing happens to him) and he’s a (fun? I’m not sure my idea of this dog aligns with the author) addition to the narrative. I’m not sure where people are getting comedy out of this book. I think I may have laughed two or three times, but more of a scoff than anything comical. All in all, good book and likable main characters. I’m eager to watch the tv adaptation. Although, I stick by my yearning for a different ending.
The narrative felt as it was going down two separate yet parallel avenues and then at the end just chose one. I reread the ending twice due to the lack of fulfillment the ending gave me. Perhaps that’s just my take, wanting more justice for this character and not a predictable sappy ending.
Some reviews speak on a lack of diversity in the book; I do not wholly concur. The narrative does not speak of race, at all, but we can assume the characters are predominately Caucasian as the way that the book is written /does/ fit the time period and realm the characters move in. However, one of the characters who is a neighbor and becomes a prominent supporting character does strike me as P.O.C. Again, time period, it would by more common for this supporting character’s actions to come from a P.O.C. For example, caring for another family’s child and the type of care being “seen as atypical compared to society” and extending normalcy of simply babysitting. This supporting character moves through the narrative differently compared to the protagonist and other minor characters. Their name is also known more as belonging to a P.O.C. for that time period.
To say that this book lacks diversity is unfair. If you took a survey of a chemistry lab, a university, a studio, (all from that time period) the race ratio would indeed be significantly heavy handed on Caucasian, if not solely Caucasian. Those were unfortunate times. Now, this book is fiction, yes, so the author could have purposefully written in some diversity. Although, just as the author chose to leave race out of the narrative, readers can choose to place race in the narrative. There’s creative freedom here. A reader could absolutely make the protagonist a P.O.C. The lack of specifics on race in the narrative allow for flexibility per reader. If the book didn’t have a Caucasian woman on the cover, I don’t believe there would be reviews commenting lack of diversity.
The other 1950-60’s themes are used throughout the narrative to bring attention to issues pertaining to that time (and in this case, focusing on the battles that women faced and are still facing current day).
The chemistry themes are ever present but not annoyingly so, unless you’re a chemist and care that there are minor flaws. There is a sexual assault scene (r@pe) in the beginning of the book and again later sexual exposure, both of which are traumatic for the character but does allude to everlasting issues revolving sexism, patriarchal power in the workplace, and the fact that women are continuously assaulted. While that is a sensitive subject for a lot of people, I believe it was powerful and purposeful in the narrative to shed light on women’s issues and women’s rights.
There is a dog (don’t worry, nothing happens to him) and he’s a (fun? I’m not sure my idea of this dog aligns with the author) addition to the narrative. I’m not sure where people are getting comedy out of this book. I think I may have laughed two or three times, but more of a scoff than anything comical. All in all, good book and likable main characters. I’m eager to watch the tv adaptation. Although, I stick by my yearning for a different ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
jcshells's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Excrement, Medical content, and Grief
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
I have seen that this book continues to be popular, and I wanted to try it for myself. I adored the characters and the writing. I thought the book was paced well, but there were a few threads that were started and never went anywhere. For example: Walter's crush on Harriet and Elizabeth's participation in the rowing team after her pregnancy . I also felt that, although it was in character for Elizabeth to be antiracist because she finds racism and all other forms of bigotry to be illogical, there are no Black characters or other characters of color in the book. Finally, the author employs some words turns of phrase that were definitely not used in the 1950s/1960s: e.g. "fast forward to now."
Even with all these caveats, I enjoyed the book very much, and I would highly recommend it. The author does an excellent job of showing how structural sexism harms all of society, not just women. The tragedies in the book feel very complex and human.
Even with all these caveats, I enjoyed the book very much, and I would highly recommend it. The author does an excellent job of showing how structural sexism harms all of society, not just women. The tragedies in the book feel very complex and human.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Outing, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Sexual content, Slavery, and War
fairytalefootnotes's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: None
Tropes: Woman in a Male-Dominated Field, Pregnancy
3rd Act Breakup?: In a way?
The Praise: Elizabeth is such a strong, inspiring character. I loved her sass, her frankness, and her unwillingness to allow men to walk all over her in a time when that was the norm. The side characters were also so lovable— especially Six-Thirty.
The Critique: Not actual critique of the book itself, but the audiobook narrator continuously changed her pronunciation of things and that was frustrating.
Final Thoughts: The story was unique and interesting while also breaking my heart. I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Medical content, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Pedophilia and Abortion