A review by pandaorb
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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

3.5

I liked the first half of this book more than the second. In the beginning, I found Elizabeth charming and her story quite relatable. She shines as a beacon of reason and feminism in witty book. By the halfway point, however, I felt that Garmus was being heavy handed with her message of "men are bad and religion is bad". Although the narrative leans into hyperbole in order to illustrate its cast, I found the character mold for every single man was repeatedly either malicious or stupid, while the character mold for every single religious person was either flat out evil or too dumb to have ever thought about their beliefs. Unfortunately this misrepresentation really took away from my ability to enjoy the story. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings