A review by jcstokes95
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
[light spoilers ahead]
My main thought is that this book’s marketing is absolutely catastrophically bad. What I went in expecting and what I left with is like…a gap the size of the Grand Canyon. If someone told you this book was light-hearted, or funny, or inspirational, they are off their fucking rocker. Here is a list of thinks that happens in this book: a rape, untimely death of a partner, another attempted rape, being called a cunt in the workplace, child abuse. So…maybe the marketing team should take another run at this one.
I had a hard time in the first half of this book because it was an enraging bummer. You spend most of your reading experience furious with he men that Elizabeth Zott works with. I believe that the author does this in service of making it easier to sympathize with her. But, somehow, she never becomes a character that I liked. Which is maybe fine, women are allowed to be unlikable characters. But I feel like the story wants us to like her spunk and alternative worldviews. We’re supposed to be rooting for her, and we are, but I also found myself very glad I didn’t have to ever work with her. She seems self-involved and straight up rude. Now, there will be a contingent of people who, in response to this, will say that she is clearly coded as neurodivergent. (me too bro) I would say, that does not make up for her being kind of a prick.
The good news is, everyone else in the book is a prick too. So, I guess by comparison this is fine. Now, it’s happening again, I’m writing a negative sounding review but you can see I am rating this a 3.5, which is not a bad number. So, I have to say, despite everything, this still does a lot of things right.
Mainly, it is a fucking page turner. I always wanted to know how things for these people would turn out, which is a miracle because I would also argue way too much was going on. Because I was very much rooting for the bad folks to be cleaved in half by the hand of God. And we do get some of that emotional payoff. And that does feel spectacular. This is a book of good and evil for sure. There is very little room for nuance. I don’t have a problem with that, black and white thinking can bring maximum catharsis in a book. I will say, man, what a convoluted and rushed ending, but no matter.
I guess what I am saying is, I am not sure how I feel about this book. I read it two month ago, and thought I’d have more coherent thoughts by now, but I don’t. But I also feel like I could talk about it for hours. And there is value in that. I am interested in making my mom who worked in a lab in the 80s read it and tell me if it feel true to life. I can appreciate it’s representation of women in STEM fields and the small ways women are pandered to like they are morons in media. I don’t know. I will say, I am going to have a fun time reading other reviews of this. Bonnie Garmus gave us a lot to talk about, so much respect to her for that.
My main thought is that this book’s marketing is absolutely catastrophically bad. What I went in expecting and what I left with is like…a gap the size of the Grand Canyon. If someone told you this book was light-hearted, or funny, or inspirational, they are off their fucking rocker. Here is a list of thinks that happens in this book: a rape, untimely death of a partner, another attempted rape, being called a cunt in the workplace, child abuse. So…maybe the marketing team should take another run at this one.
I had a hard time in the first half of this book because it was an enraging bummer. You spend most of your reading experience furious with he men that Elizabeth Zott works with. I believe that the author does this in service of making it easier to sympathize with her. But, somehow, she never becomes a character that I liked. Which is maybe fine, women are allowed to be unlikable characters. But I feel like the story wants us to like her spunk and alternative worldviews. We’re supposed to be rooting for her, and we are, but I also found myself very glad I didn’t have to ever work with her. She seems self-involved and straight up rude. Now, there will be a contingent of people who, in response to this, will say that she is clearly coded as neurodivergent. (me too bro) I would say, that does not make up for her being kind of a prick.
The good news is, everyone else in the book is a prick too. So, I guess by comparison this is fine. Now, it’s happening again, I’m writing a negative sounding review but you can see I am rating this a 3.5, which is not a bad number. So, I have to say, despite everything, this still does a lot of things right.
Mainly, it is a fucking page turner. I always wanted to know how things for these people would turn out, which is a miracle because I would also argue way too much was going on. Because I was very much rooting for the bad folks to be cleaved in half by the hand of God. And we do get some of that emotional payoff. And that does feel spectacular. This is a book of good and evil for sure. There is very little room for nuance. I don’t have a problem with that, black and white thinking can bring maximum catharsis in a book. I will say, man, what a convoluted and rushed ending, but no matter.
I guess what I am saying is, I am not sure how I feel about this book. I read it two month ago, and thought I’d have more coherent thoughts by now, but I don’t. But I also feel like I could talk about it for hours. And there is value in that. I am interested in making my mom who worked in a lab in the 80s read it and tell me if it feel true to life. I can appreciate it’s representation of women in STEM fields and the small ways women are pandered to like they are morons in media. I don’t know. I will say, I am going to have a fun time reading other reviews of this. Bonnie Garmus gave us a lot to talk about, so much respect to her for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual assault