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rdmoreland0801's review against another edition
- 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
When her life goes off track due to tragedy, she has to face a lot of harsh truths. Being a woman in the 60s was not ideal. I definitely wouldn’t have survived. What’s sadder is that these kinds of things still happen. Being a woman today is scary.
Elizabeth uses her position as a tv cooking show host to bring chemistry and science into the lives of the “average housewife”. Instead, she begins a powerful women’s movement in her own right. Women no longer feel like they have ti stay home or be so fragile a man needs to take care of them.
I love all the different points of view, especially that of Six-Thirty. I think it was a great cast of characters, led by a powerful woman who refuses to go with the status quo.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
soshereads_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism and Pedophilia
willisalive's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent
alisonannk's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident
readingwithleslie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, and Vomit
Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Suicide, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Car accident
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
*except, to be honest, Walter Pine. i don't see how he was much better than the villainous men before him (Donatti and Lebensmal); maybe he was "just following orders", but as if that makes up for it. he's a devoted father, but what kind of daughter's role model is complicit in the mistreatment of women under his own purview? but of course he's ultimately
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism
alexalovesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
The truth is, while Lessons in Chemistry didn't quite wind up becoming a new personal favorite, I can certainly see the appeal for other readers. We follow the story of Elizabeth Zott, a clever woman who has no hesitation when it comes to being herself... even when the world tries time and time again to knock her down and keep her there. While I didn't get on with her right away, as I continued reading her story, I found myself drawn to this unusual character, admiring how she stood her ground and inspired many other folks in the book to do more and be more where they could. It's because I wound up invested in her that I remained invested in this story; adding a dash of unusual if dark humor, other fleshed out characters to the ensemble cast and keeping me on my toes in terms of where the plot would go just made my experience with this book good overall.
Though it took me a chapter or two before I could get used to Miranda Raison, I did overall enjoy the audiobook. Elizabeth Zott felt even more like a real person, thanks to the narrator, in my humble opinion. There's also a brief interview with Pandora Sykes and author Bonnie Garmus at the end, which was delightful to listen along to.
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Domestic abuse
katjonzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Fatphobia and Violence
satsumaorange's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book was fantastic, compelling, and simultaneously infuriating. Every other page, I felt myself coming to Elizabeth's defense on every side. It angered me so deeply the way she was treated, that I started bookmarking every time someone said or did something genuinely kind to her. Total number: 20. If you are sensitive to sexism, I'd advise you to brace yourself.
HOWEVER.
Elizabeth was a compelling character to me, and I kept reading just to watch her shine as herself despite her hardships. Some people may have issues with her pragmatic, blunt, and very literal personality, but I actually really enjoy characters like Elizabeth! I choose to interpret her mannerisms as indicative of autism, which made her relatable and endearing to me.
If you have been turned away by the cover, I do encourage you to try Lessons in Chemistry. It's a wonderful story of empowering women, overcoming enormous adversity, and finding the true meaning of family.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Outing
pipnewman's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail