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cozycactus's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is a literary story, so if you're looking for a cozy read -- look elsewhere. Still, the characters and circumstances feel real. It also evokes emotions on both ends of the spectrum in a way only great storytelling can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Suicide, Death, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
bbmaan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Abandonment, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Homophobia
strugglecity's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Bullying, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
lmurpho's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
One that definitely does not live up to the hype...
[Warning for the jump-scare rape scene in chapter 3.]
While this book is advertised as a funny & inspiring feminist story, I don’t see it as any of those things. Putting aside the many inconsistencies and inaccuracies with how scientists are portrayed (I have a lot more to say about that), the main character’s personality is stunted from the start with very little character development described.
Half the time EZ is made out to be a matter-of-fact, stoic person seemingly incapable of understanding basic social interactions, and then other times she's portrayed to be fully empathetic and emotionally soft. The author attempts to smooth the rough edges of Zott’s personality but these glimpses of a more emotionally mature adult do not fit the rigid template character of ‘socially-awkward scientist’ the author has lifted from modern media.
In Elizabeth’s character, the author has done a huge disservice to women in science, both back in the 1950's but also today. Women did exist in science in the 50s; Rosalind Franklin, Gertrude B. Elion, Rita Levi-Montalcini, Barbara McCintock, Dorothy Hodgkin, Irene Joliot-Curie, Rosalyn Yalow, and Gerty Theresa Cori were all award-winning scientists active in the 1950’s and I’m sure would have faced many of the barriers that Elizabeth experienced. However, rather than show the audience that success can be achieved despite the odds, she chose to encapsulate them into a main character that is emotionless, rigid and uninteresting.
For a supposedly feminist novel (or at least one that wants to celebrate a woman revolting against the role that society has carved for her) this book severely lacks in meaningful female relationships. The interactions between women in this book repeatedly tend towards judgement, shame or pity. It's not just women that seem to suffer the author’s tendency to focus on negative character-traits either, the men in this book have few redeeming qualities. Most of the male characters are either physical, emotional, or sexual abusers.
I’m petty so here’s a few examples of the inaccuracies/inconsistencies I spotted:
• Lab coats outside the lab are a big no-no in chemistry. Despite this, EZ decides to wear hers out of the lab, getting into her car and going to someone else’s place of work to confront them.
• It rarely rains in Cambridge, England. I know this from living there for 7 years, but also a quick google comes up with: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/trending/where-is-the-driest-place-in-the-uk-weather-climate.html.
• Nobel prize nomination lists aren’t made public until 100 years after the award. You’d need some very close connections to the Swedish National Academy of Sciences to know if Calvin Evans was nominated for a Nobel.
• Despite being a brilliant scientist who uses logic and reason in every part of her life, she was very surprised to find-out she was pregnant when her co-worker pointed it out as a possible cause of morning sickness.
• Again, despite being a brilliant scientist, she manages to break her centrifuge with an unbalanced load (this is the first thing you learn when you are shown a centrifuge).
• Nobody (literally nobody) has ever said 'pass me the sodium chloride'...
[Warning for the jump-scare rape scene in chapter 3.]
While this book is advertised as a funny & inspiring feminist story, I don’t see it as any of those things. Putting aside the many inconsistencies and inaccuracies with how scientists are portrayed (I have a lot more to say about that), the main character’s personality is stunted from the start with very little character development described.
Half the time EZ is made out to be a matter-of-fact, stoic person seemingly incapable of understanding basic social interactions, and then other times she's portrayed to be fully empathetic and emotionally soft. The author attempts to smooth the rough edges of Zott’s personality but these glimpses of a more emotionally mature adult do not fit the rigid template character of ‘socially-awkward scientist’ the author has lifted from modern media.
In Elizabeth’s character, the author has done a huge disservice to women in science, both back in the 1950's but also today. Women did exist in science in the 50s; Rosalind Franklin, Gertrude B. Elion, Rita Levi-Montalcini, Barbara McCintock, Dorothy Hodgkin, Irene Joliot-Curie, Rosalyn Yalow, and Gerty Theresa Cori were all award-winning scientists active in the 1950’s and I’m sure would have faced many of the barriers that Elizabeth experienced. However, rather than show the audience that success can be achieved despite the odds, she chose to encapsulate them into a main character that is emotionless, rigid and uninteresting.
For a supposedly feminist novel (or at least one that wants to celebrate a woman revolting against the role that society has carved for her) this book severely lacks in meaningful female relationships. The interactions between women in this book repeatedly tend towards judgement, shame or pity. It's not just women that seem to suffer the author’s tendency to focus on negative character-traits either, the men in this book have few redeeming qualities. Most of the male characters are either physical, emotional, or sexual abusers.
I’m petty so here’s a few examples of the inaccuracies/inconsistencies I spotted:
• Lab coats outside the lab are a big no-no in chemistry. Despite this, EZ decides to wear hers out of the lab, getting into her car and going to someone else’s place of work to confront them.
• It rarely rains in Cambridge, England. I know this from living there for 7 years, but also a quick google comes up with: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/trending/where-is-the-driest-place-in-the-uk-weather-climate.html.
• Nobel prize nomination lists aren’t made public until 100 years after the award. You’d need some very close connections to the Swedish National Academy of Sciences to know if Calvin Evans was nominated for a Nobel.
• Despite being a brilliant scientist who uses logic and reason in every part of her life, she was very surprised to find-out she was pregnant when her co-worker pointed it out as a possible cause of morning sickness.
• Again, despite being a brilliant scientist, she manages to break her centrifuge with an unbalanced load (this is the first thing you learn when you are shown a centrifuge).
• Nobody (literally nobody) has ever said 'pass me the sodium chloride'...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
jaduhluhdabooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Truly exceptional. I felt so empowered and seen reading this book. As an academic, as a Black woman, and as someone who is reaching for some high aspirations in the world, I felt heard and understood. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, an iconic, well rounded, and powerful chemist. This was a book about pursuit and tenacity and inevitability of resiliency that comes with the life of minority. It was profound in structuring the sexist and patriarchal systems of the 1900s. It was revealing of the quiet and brooding strength of the house wife and mother. It was striking of the pain and the weariness of the unlived reality that many men take for granted of the woman. It was a sobering reminder of just how far we have come and yet so much father we still have yet to go.
I am grateful for this book and for this story telling. I am proud of who I am and what I desire and believe it. This text grapples with questions I’ve consistently presented myself, especially as a person who believes in God. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s grasping. And I loved every second of it.
I think I would’ve appreciated a tie in of the racism talk angle with an actual person of color experiencing the depth that their intersectionality brings into the academic world and the societal. Other than that, this is a read I would 100% recommend.
I am grateful for this book and for this story telling. I am proud of who I am and what I desire and believe it. This text grapples with questions I’ve consistently presented myself, especially as a person who believes in God. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s grasping. And I loved every second of it.
I think I would’ve appreciated a tie in of the racism talk angle with an actual person of color experiencing the depth that their intersectionality brings into the academic world and the societal. Other than that, this is a read I would 100% recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
graff_fuller's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
This book is NOT going to be for everyone. For those who want to keep the status quo OR those who are male chauvinists. These man babies are going to rail against this book, the upcoming adaptation and we've already seen them hate Brie Larson. Well, they are the minority in this world. Yes, they may still be in positions of power, but they see their time is coming to an end.
This story is hilarious, but it also shows a lot of problems that have been inherited over the years in our society. There has been an unequalness that needs to change. This book/story pushes against the inequalities and the fear that some men have of smart and extraordinary women.
Elizabeth Zott (which will be played by Brie Larson in the upcoming adaptation from AppleTV+) is the protagonist of the story. She's just trying to live her passion of science, and at every crossroad, she's manipulated, exploited, assualted, diminished and dismissed. This will resonate with EVERY woman who has ever lived.
My wife and my two daughters have fought against this injustice in their lives...and I have supported them in every way possible.
I read this book with my wife. Marie would read a chapter out loud, and then I'd read the next chapter out loud...and we've done this the entire day...and it's been an amazing day. We've laughed, we've cried, we've talked about experiences that have been shared in the book and we have been talking about it to our friends.
This is a great story.
Also, in this book...are men that act poorly. Too many examples, honestly...but for accuracy sake...it would've been a lot more (unfortunately). BUT, also...there are good men represented, too. Walter, especially. We loved Walter.
Of course we loved Calvin, but he's too important to talk about here, for we want you to read the book and see his part in the story.
This is fiction, for there wasn't a real Elizabeth Zott, but there are SO many examples of women doing the work, and men taking the credit. Shame. Shame. How could they live with themselves.
Lastly, in the #MeToo era, and the exploitation of women in the workforce being exposed (represented in the movie, She Said, and others), we are hoping that this becomes less and less prevelent. The poll of how many women have been raped or molested is staggering. This has GOT to stop! As a husband and a father, it sickens me...that even one has had this happened to them, but to see the numbers...is revolting.
I see a lot of people reading this book, and it always makes me happy.
Loved this book and am looking forward to the TV adaptation coming soon on AppltTV+.
This story is hilarious, but it also shows a lot of problems that have been inherited over the years in our society. There has been an unequalness that needs to change. This book/story pushes against the inequalities and the fear that some men have of smart and extraordinary women.
Elizabeth Zott (which will be played by Brie Larson in the upcoming adaptation from AppleTV+) is the protagonist of the story. She's just trying to live her passion of science, and at every crossroad, she's manipulated, exploited, assualted, diminished and dismissed. This will resonate with EVERY woman who has ever lived.
My wife and my two daughters have fought against this injustice in their lives...and I have supported them in every way possible.
I read this book with my wife. Marie would read a chapter out loud, and then I'd read the next chapter out loud...and we've done this the entire day...and it's been an amazing day. We've laughed, we've cried, we've talked about experiences that have been shared in the book and we have been talking about it to our friends.
This is a great story.
Also, in this book...are men that act poorly. Too many examples, honestly...but for accuracy sake...it would've been a lot more (unfortunately). BUT, also...there are good men represented, too. Walter, especially. We loved Walter.
Of course we loved Calvin, but he's too important to talk about here, for we want you to read the book and see his part in the story.
This is fiction, for there wasn't a real Elizabeth Zott, but there are SO many examples of women doing the work, and men taking the credit. Shame. Shame. How could they live with themselves.
Lastly, in the #MeToo era, and the exploitation of women in the workforce being exposed (represented in the movie, She Said, and others), we are hoping that this becomes less and less prevelent. The poll of how many women have been raped or molested is staggering. This has GOT to stop! As a husband and a father, it sickens me...that even one has had this happened to them, but to see the numbers...is revolting.
I see a lot of people reading this book, and it always makes me happy.
Loved this book and am looking forward to the TV adaptation coming soon on AppltTV+.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, and Suicide
Minor: Death of parent
anapthine's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia
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