Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

509 reviews

taylor_bb's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I’ve never been so deceived by a book description before. Usually, I have good idea about what a book is about just by reading the blurbs or, in the case of this book, seeing trailers for TV/Movie adaptations. But this book completely threw off my game… and for bad reasons.

Using descriptions like “laugh-out-loud funny” and “original and vibrant as its protagonist” could not be more wrong. Just because there is humor in the book, it DOES NOT mean that this is a “laugh-out-loud funny” book,

especially since a graphic SA scene is described not even 5% the way in.

Even though I knew that this took place in the mid-20th century, I did not expect the constant references to SA.

Do NOT get me started on the CONSTANT misogyny. Again, I get it, it’s the 50s-70s, with a woman in STEM, it’s going to happen… but God it felt like every chapter included some misogynistic obstacle with Elizabeth on the brunt end of it. It genuinely grated on my nerves how every chapter HAD to contain some “b-b-but you’re a w-w-woman” moment, so that Elizabeth could have her girl boss moment.

While Elizabeth had the many components of a “not like other girls” character, I do appreciate that the author did not make her one entirely. In fact, I did enjoy Elizabeth’s character a lot! It just got annoying how every few pages, she would have a “misogynist-owned” moment. I mean yeah, it takes place in the mid-20th century when misogyny ran ramped, but I understood the point after the thirtieth incident, I didn’t need over half the book to consist of that.

I liked Mad, Calvin, Harriet, and Six Thirty (after reading that Bonnie Garmus has a dog named 99, THAT made a lot more sense), so I don’t have much to say about that. I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, so I adored the beginning that focused on Calvin and Elizabeth.

The whole marriage thing was frustrating, but I get it lol. One thing about Mad though was the whole family tree thing and befriending a priest to find out more information about her dad. I REFUSE to believe any mother would be okay with walking into her house and seeing a random man hanging out with your 5/6(?)-year-old daughter. NOPE.

So, yeah, I had a few issues with it, and it felt like it dragged on and on. Will probably not reread it, too much effort, but I did enjoy a lot of the book. It was also a bit too surface-level with its feminism. It was basically saying “Hey, women were treated badly in the 50s. They should not have, and should have been able to do science.” Overall, I did enjoy it, but not enough to revisit it or overwhelmingly recommend it.

Content Warnings

bookb1itch's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

I can't believe it took so long for me to actually decide to read this book. Everyone i know has loved it, and i really enjoyed the TV series, but the read was MUCH better than anticipated. I love that the book was even more feminist than the TV series. And there was more 6:30. What a genius character, with uncanny intelligence and self-doubt. In my Book Club, we discussed book-inspired tattoos and inthis book I found my choice:

“The librarian is the most important educator in school. What she doesn't know, she can find out. This is not an opinion; it's a fact. Do not share this fact with Mrs. Mudford.” Not that I am likely to get a tattoo anytime soon...

I did not expect so many laugh out loud moments, many of which were at the expense of Mrs Mudford (who turns out to be a little more likeable in the series.)

I will be recommending this to everyone I know who isn't also late to this party.

Content Warnings

nat_kiverse's review against another edition

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

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

melanieripple's review against another edition

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3.0

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kaileylebrun's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

tdouty97's review

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lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

It's just... like I get it but at the same time why? The plot is very convoluted but not enough to be charming? Why is this feminist book so much about a man? Why do 100 pages go by before the cooking show is any part of the story? Why do we get to know the dog's thoughts? Not quite sure how this one got so popular

Content Warnings

pengustorm's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring

5.0

Content Warnings

gemloukay's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Spoilers ahead! Elizabeth Zott is a chemist struggling in the sexist world of 1950s/60s. She is beautiful and intelligent and won’t accept that she can’t have what the men in her life have. When she falls for fellow chemist Calvin Evans and subsequently falls pregnant out of wedlock (despite him asking to marry her she refuses), she is further shunned by society. Unfortunately Calvin dies in an accident and she takes a job teaching the nation to cook (since cooking is chemistry after all!), which makes her a nationally acclaimed tv personality. Their dog, Six Thirty, is a personality in himself and blames himself for Calvin’s death, so watches out for Elizabeth and her daughter Mad. I loved his inner monologue and how he was a character that had real thoughts but couldn’t voice any if them!

The book deals with sexism, particularly the struggle for women to be seen as equals in science, alongside grief, the struggles of motherhood and the need for women to support each other both then and now. If you don’t like releasing about feminism, you’ll hate it. Thankfully for me I was brought up by strong women and men who supported them, so I found it to be an inspiring read. Some of the science was a bit simplistic for a supposedly brilliant chemist but then, unlike the women in this story, I was lucky enough to be able to study it at university so maybe I’m a bit more educated in the subject than most! An inspiring story and a brilliant debut novel.

Content Warnings

starrynebula73's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

tommelisesofia's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted 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

3.5

Content Warnings

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