Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

74 reviews

ruusaer's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Misogyny

Moderate: Suicide, Death, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder

pixie_d's review against another edition

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

1.5

The book seems to be fighting against bigotry towards women, but it unapologetically, and probably unconsciously, exhibits massive bigotry towards Catholicism, which the author treats as nothing more than a cheap way to fill out a melodramatic plot with cartoon villains. 
There is also unacknowledged racism and sexism. Like The Collected Regrets of Clover, which I also read this month, this author signaled "bad" characters by their looks. Ladies, describing someone as having a "hooked" or "prominent" nose to indicate bad characters or villainy is racist. I'm sure you weren't even aware you did that, but someone on the editing team should have called it out. In this book, she signals the rapist villain by the looks of his wife  (not a typo. He's a rapist. The author is unconsciously racist by how she describes the wife's looks.) In that chapter she also signals the antagonist secretary by her fat hips. That's sexist because women should not internalize and then judge other women by those standards, particularly not to signal bad character. Later the main character gives a speech about how you shouldn't judge women, and incidentally people of color, but to throw that in as just a phrase in your speech doesn't make you not a racist. It was a weak attempt to draw that in, where it wasn't integral to the rest of the book. Bleh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism and Fatphobia

theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-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

Please please please! Check the content warnings and know that all of them are prevalent in this book, but you think you can handle them PLEASE read this book. 

Elizabeth Zott is an amazing character, and a survivor. She is the embodiment of female power and a force to be reckoned with. 

The things Zott experiences in the work place are appalling and no one would call her personal life easy. In real life, a woman in Zott’s shoes wouldn’t be faulted for breaking down or giving up. But Zott doesn’t let anything stop her from reaching her goals. She goes on have a wonderful life in spite of the horrendous things she’s had to survive, because she is a survivor. 

Parts of this book had me in tears while others had me fill with so much pride I thought I would burst. At its core, this book is about the strength and resilience of women and I can’t recommend it enough. This will be a book I won’t stop thinking about for a very, very long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Car accident, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Abortion, Vomit, Alcohol, and Pedophilia

vanessatombolini's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Grief and Suicide

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Vomit, Car accident, Racism, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

pauline_2704's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Self harm, Death, and Grief

Minor: Fatphobia and Homophobia

cavallonee's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Fatphobia, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Vomit

belovedb33's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

robyn1998's review against another edition

dark 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? No

1.0

This wasn't my cup of tea at all. I felt almost as if it was written to be a film - it was full of snappy dialogue and mic drop moments. Slight marvel/girlboss vibes. The characters were either good or evil archetypes. 
The main character was horribly annoying, stereotypically nerdy, with no indication as to why anyone in her life actually liked her. 
The book was very anachronistic. Elizabeth, the main character, seemed to have been transplanted from the modern day into the 1950s, replete with 2022 feminist talking points- most of which, it was implied, everyone else was too dumb to understand. 
Add in the graphic and unnecessary rape scenes, the somehow very bleak and pessimistic outlook on humanity, the talking dog, the anti-religion standpoint, and the fact that everyone bad was fat, and this has to be a 1 star read for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Suicide

agathacrispie's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

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

khowez's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.0

Thoroughly enjoyed this feel-good book, with lovable characters and a satisfying ending. 

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Content Warnings

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