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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
erinwolf1997'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
4.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Suicide, Body shaming, and Homophobia
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
Minor: Gore, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
shlymiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
honeybeewitched87'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
3.5
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Grief, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicide
akane_readsyt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
booksinherhead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Death
Moderate: Body shaming and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content
cepbreed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content, Car accident, and Medical content
tiffanysmith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I think it would have benefited the story to truly allow the characters to exist in their space. I kept forgetting that the storyline takes place in the 1950s, only to be reminded by Elizabeth saying something completely absurd. I want to be immersed in the time era and I want characters with complexity, faults, and things that make them grow.
There was very little world-building and I felt a big disconnect with the characters—a beautiful chemist who makes chemistry a successful cooking show, a pre-schooler who acts like a 35 year genius, and the dog POV was a little strange. The nerd stereotype was over utilized and it was challenging to emphasize with the characters.
The love story between them didn’t seem very genuine. They met and they fell in love. It didn’t seem to go much deeper than that.
Also, the religious element threw me off. It was very emphasized, but it didn’t do anything to propel the plot line or character growth. It just felt uncomfortable.
There was some good parts of the book, but I did not laugh at the wittiness and I was unable to relate to the characters.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, Bullying, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Cursing
elaisanitalian'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
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Body shaming, Car accident, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Child death