Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

481 reviews

kaileylebrun's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Grief, Bullying, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Injury/Injury detail

mazzoccatoadele's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring 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

someone cooked here

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pedophilia, Homophobia, Murder, and Suicide

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

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

laurenbaggy's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Death, Pregnancy, and Car accident

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Outing, Grief, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Violence

kllrbls's review against another edition

dark inspiring sad medium-paced

3.5

I enjoyed the

biological mom

plot, but I wished that it had been revealed in a more show-don’t-tell manner, rather than having everything spelled out in the last few chapters. I also found Elizabeth's use of chemistry jargon to be sooo extra--it's as if she assumed it was all general knowledge. However, still an interesting read. The relationship plot was particularly exciting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Death, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Death of parent and Car accident

rusina's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Car accident, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Vomit, and Body shaming

Minor: Rape, Classism, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts