Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Lezioni di chimica by Bonnie Garmus

51 reviews

brittbroadwood's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

This book felt like a similar vibe to hidden figures. There were points in the story I found myself getting a little bored, but overall very inspiring and honest depiction of women’s experiences  (surprisingly similar to now)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death and Vomit

Minor: Cannibalism, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

jaduhluhdabooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Truly exceptional. I felt so empowered and seen reading this book. As an academic, as a Black woman, and as someone who is reaching for some high aspirations in the world, I felt heard and understood. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, an iconic, well rounded, and powerful chemist. This was a book about pursuit and tenacity and inevitability of resiliency that comes with the life of minority. It was profound in structuring the sexist and patriarchal systems of the 1900s. It was revealing of the quiet and brooding strength of the house wife and mother. It was striking of the pain and the weariness of the unlived reality that many men take for granted of the woman. It was a sobering reminder of just how far we have come and yet so much father we still have yet to go. 

I am grateful for this book and for this story telling. I am proud of who I am and what I desire and believe it. This text grapples with questions I’ve consistently presented myself, especially as a person who believes in God. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s grasping. And I loved every second of it.

I think I would’ve appreciated a tie in of the racism talk angle with an actual person of color experiencing the depth that their intersectionality brings into the academic world and the societal. Other than that, this is a read I would 100% recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

scmiller's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Hate crime, Cursing, Classism, Car accident, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Blood, Vomit, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Car accident, Child death, and Cannibalism

kjboldon's review against another edition

fast-paced

3.0

Lots of trigger warnings. A fast read, often funny, weirdly shifting in tone, that felt rather packaged to me, like it had been forced into a similar narrative to Where'd You Go Bernadette? Excellent dog character and dog POV though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Bullying, and Rape

Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Vomit, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Abandonment

vivboyd98's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

As others have said, this book takes a while to get into. Overall, it’s a decent book, but I don’t know if I can agree 100% with the amount of hype it got. Elizabeth is a hard character to like, gives a very “white savior complex” kind of vibe. I do love how the book is told from different perspectives & the story gets tied in a nice bow at the end. It was good, but not great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide and Alcoholism

vj_thompson's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

This book 🥹 I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would and wish more people would read it, or at least give it a chance!! 

There is a reason this is a five star read. This writing is beautiful, intentional, and meaningful. Each word was written with purpose. Everything in this story; backstory, inner monologue, character, had reason. I LOVED how everything was wrapped up in the end. Of course I cried 😭 Ugh, please read!! 

Last thought, Six-thirty is my favorite character. I highlighted so many of his parts. He is a wise dog. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Abortion, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Vomit, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, and Suicide

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, and Child death

arrow3002's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

 Lessons in Chemistry is a tale of a bad ass woman working against a very prejudice world, and I am absolutely here for it. It was such a fun read, and I really enjoyed the way Bonnie was able to tell Elizabeth's story through all the different chapters of her life. Throughout the book it will occasionally switch to a different character's perspective, and I found myself quite enjoying the change in pace. It added a lot more to the narrative instead of confusing the reader in the guise of character development. The women empowerment, that is the main driving force behind this book, was beautifully done. There were many points where I felt that gender discrimination was handled in a very elegant yet profound way that I don't see often. There is so much in this book that makes it a genuinely great read. I devoured the book in a couple of hours and was left feeling very satisfied with how everything played out in the end. Also, Elizabeth and Calvin’s relationship had my heart absolutely melting, and let’s not forget the absolute legend that is Six Thirty. I fell in love with all the characters and felt such a strong connection with each and every one of them, which is a very hard to accomplish. Despite all the good, there were a couple of personal issues I had with the book that kept it from being a 5 star. I will start of by saying I am bias when it comes to the topic I will be bringing up, and I understand that everyone will have a different opinion, and that is more than totally okay and welcomed. But I felt that there was a strong anti-religion message continued throughout the whole entirety of the story, specifically anti-Catholic. There were a lot of times that I felt like I was being ridiculed for my beliefs and a lot of the stereo types often circulated about the catholic church were very much present in the book. I will not deny that the things that occur in the book definitely do happen and are not right in ANY way. But if you are a person of faith, there is a lot said in the book that you will probably find very hurtful due to the point of view the author is coming from. I am a huge believer in the power behind science and how important it is to the betterment of everyone, but I also hold my religious beliefs at the same importance. I totally believe that you can rely on science AND God at the same time. Again, I understand where the author and the main character is coming from, and in no way invalidating their beliefs or experience. It just took away from the enjoyment I was having with the book so much so that I felt a need to comment on it. If you do not like the book then stop reading it and move on, but it is a point I want to acknowledge for those who are religious and want to read the book. Again, other than my problem with how the church is portrayed, the story is an empowering and inspiring tale of a women in STEM and had me feeling empowered by the end of it. I will definitely suggest this book to anyone who comes to me asking for a fun and witty read that will keep them from wanting to put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Classism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Confinement, and Gun violence

jessidbee's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Grief, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Death, Suicide, and Misogyny

Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence

jaxgirl007's review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I pick one word to start my review. The word I picked for 'Lessons in Chemistry' is: indomitable

Merriam Webster defines 'indomitable' as: incapable of being subdued

And, oh boy (or girl?), Elizabeth Zott will not be subdued. At first I struggled with her: sometimes I felt like...why is she SO intent on doing everything her way...this doesn't seem realistic? But I had come around to her way of thinking by the end. Because in most of the scenarios where I was hoping she might back down, she was not being treated respectfully. And I realized that sometimes I was uncomfortable with the fact that she would not accept the discrimination she faced...which often happens when someone is not being treated right. The person being discriminated against should stop complaining so that everyone can go back to be uncomfortable. But to stop the discrimination, you have to accept being uncomfortable so that you can insist that our society does better. I went into this thinking this might be some light chick-lit but instead it had a few very heavy topics with some funny moments interwoven.

The back 100 pages slowed down quite a bit for me, but overall it remains a good year for me so far reading wildly popular books since I did like this one in the end. I am a sucker for irreverant humor and I especially liked Mad...she's such a good egg (and I secretly would love to trace my Family Tree back to Nefertiti).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death and Car accident

Minor: Vomit and Alcoholism

kcarney86's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Grief, Abandonment, Suicide, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Rape

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism