Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

542 reviews

gemloukay's review against another edition

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, and Rape

Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death

starrynebula73's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual assault

tommelisesofia's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Car accident, Vomit, Cursing, and Religious bigotry

It is White-centric.

bella_01's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

I absolutely loved this book!! As a woman studying Chemistry, I find it incredible that real women similar to Elizabeth are the reason I can study Chemistry so freely today. I was initially reading this as an E-book but ended up buying a physical copy since I enjoyed it so much!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Grief

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Violence

chelly_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

kcfedy's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Suicide, Misogyny, Rape, and Grief

jcshells's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Excrement

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

I have seen that this book continues to be popular, and I wanted to try it for myself. I adored the characters and the writing. I thought the book was paced well, but there were a few threads that were started and never went anywhere. For example:

Walter's crush on Harriet and Elizabeth's participation in the rowing team after her pregnancy

. I also felt that, although it was in character for Elizabeth to be antiracist because she finds racism and all other forms of bigotry to be illogical, there are no Black characters or other characters of color in the book. Finally, the author employs some words turns of phrase that were definitely not used in the 1950s/1960s: e.g. "fast forward to now."

Even with all these caveats, I enjoyed the book very much, and I would highly recommend it. The author does an excellent job of showing how structural sexism harms all of society, not just women. The tragedies in the book feel very complex and human.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Cursing

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Blood, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Outing, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Suicide, and Abandonment

Minor: Slavery, Sexual content, Gun violence, War, and Animal cruelty

thewinterwillow's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

finished my read in 4 days, absolutely captivating 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Death

Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Grief, Suicide, and Alcoholism

meg_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

5.0

I absolutely LOVED this book. The way that the plot and characters are so well fleshed out right fromt he start was so well done and made the story so believable throughout. I genuinely felt like these could all be real people, despite some of the less believable elements of the plot. The main characters of the story were so enjoyable to read, but the author also builds out the personalities and worlds of each of the side characters and it further contributes to how real everything within the story feels. 

The main elements of the book that I adored was the soulmate relationship between Elizabeth and Calvin. The development of their connection and their relationship as a whole was a joy to read. I love them. I also loved 6:30 and the strangeness of his influence within this family and within the narration of the story. It was such a unique, yet fun part of the book. Lastly, I think that the depth of the characters and the themes of the story were very meaningful and made these beautifully written characters that much more enjoyable to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, and Sexism