A review by noxa
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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

1.0

This author can’t seem to wrap her head around the concept that religion and science are not mutually exclusive. Hell, just in my direct family alone, 83% of us studied science in university and we are all very comfortable in our faith… for a man of God to take 1 chemistry course and suddenly be so shaken in his faith? A. Skill issue. B. That reeks of a severe lack of understanding of religion to me. C. One of the most idiotic lines I’ve read in a book in a while. 

It’s also a pretty wild choice to have a book set in the USA in the 50s and 60s and to have the only mention of black people be an offhand comment about supporting Rosa Parks. Not a single person of color in this book? Seriously? In CALIFORNIA? 

There’s also somehow enough religious extremists in their town for Elizabeth to get death threats & an attempted bombing for saying that she’s an atheist on air but not a single racist exists to complain about her explicitly supporting the Civil Rights movement. Sure. 
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