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ashleyhale'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
3.5
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, and Death
abundance_of_fiction'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
Yes there is some romance, but not in the typical sense. In the words of Elizabeth Zott, they are “soul mates”. Not in the cheesy meet-cute fashion but the real-life, messy, laugh and cry sense.
This book was empowering, heartbreaking, and everything in between. I cried so much in the last hundred chapters because I had gone through this journey. I was Elizabeth Zott and I was all the other women. You would think a novel set in the 1950/60s wouldn’t have so many parallels to the modern world but that was the beauty of it. As sad as it is, many of us are still Elizabeth Zott. Maybe not in the most direct sense but in spirit.
Even if you can’t relate to Elizabeth Zott’s story, you know someone who can.
Overall, a 5 star read through and through.
*slight spoilers*
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You will be crying by 30% into the book, so just be Prepared.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Ableism, and Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Pregnancy, Child death, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia
Minor: Cannibalism
gtures's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Death of parent, Child death, Car accident, and Suicide
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This novel started slow (and dark - readers should be aware [I wasn't] that
Elizabeth Zott is such an incredible main character - tough, uncompromising, fiercely intelligent, and strong-willed (almost too much so, there were times I wished she would bend just a little, but no, she would not), but she did have a gentler side which I appreciated reading about.
Elizabeth needs every bit of willpower, because number one, she was a scientist, and number two, she was an unmarried woman living in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, a time which did not look kindly on women, particularly women who did not fit their prescribed stereotypes.
Fair warning to readers that the misogyny in this book is extreme, infuriatingly so. It comes from not only men but some women too. The sexism was so overwhelmingly awful at times that I had to stop and wonder if it actually was as terrible as Garmus depicts. I'm not sure, but I know that women definitely got a raw deal in this period of history.
The other infuriating thing to read about was so many of the terrible events in the novel could have been prevented if certain people had been less greedy, small-minded, or desperate. But then I guess there wouldn't have been a story, so go figure.
There were a few things that didn't quite work for me. The switches between POV characters would often occur within the same section, and even in the same paragraph at times, which was jarring as I would need to figure out whose POV I was reading.
Also, the POV of Elizabeth's
Anyway, overall this was a really great read, albeit one with some pretty dark themes - I would advise prospective readers to check the content warnings.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Car accident, Death, Pregnancy, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Cursing
Minor: Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Child death
epen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Religious bigotry, and Suicide
Minor: Abortion and Child death
agathacrispie's review against another edition
Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Vomit
snackykennedy'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? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism and Child death
Minor: Violence
khowez'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Misogyny, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Homophobia
Minor: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Self harm, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Child death
saskiahill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Grief, and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Car accident, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Abortion and Alcoholism
uranaishi'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Car accident, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Vomit, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Animal death, Racism, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse