Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

136 reviews

killerwhaletank's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

There is one word for this book: tedious. I really don’t get the hype around it, I thought it was a slog. It is also not funny or romantic or humorous. I found most of the book quite sad.

To be fair, it’s not horrible but I did not connect with the characters. I never warmed up to Elizabeth or Calvin or their brief romance. The majority of the cast in book is extremely unpleasant to Elizabeth and there aren’t many “good” characters in the book. (Sometimes I can’t blame them because I find both Elizabeth and Calvin unpleasant as well.) There are a few supporting cast members (her TV producer, her neighbour, a little bit of the Reverend) that save the book from just being a few hundred pages of “everyone in the world other than Elizabeth and Calvin are completely unenlightened a$$holes”.

Yes, the dog is unbelievably anthropomorphic. If you can’t handle that, you’ll hate it. I actually enjoyed that part. I wasn’t sure at first about it, but the dog ended up being the most interesting and probably well-rounded character in the book, and really grew on me. 

Yes, the daughter is an unbelievable level of genius. If you can’t handle that you’ll hate it too. I didn’t love it, but next to the dog, Mad was probably the next most rounded character. I rolled my eyes more than a few times.

I really hated that most of the men that featured in the story were basically rapists and jerks except for one or two. And speaking of rapists… trigger warning, there are not one, not two, but three separate instances of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, or references to past sexual assaults in this book. Does it inform Elizabeth’s character at all? No, not really, except that it’s the story to why she always has a pencil behind her ear? For the level of trauma and effect it had on her life, I didn’t think it was really dealt with at all.

And for the religion part of it… I am not a religious person, but I don’t care if others are. Even as a non-religious person, I found this book’s anti-religion message kind of grating. It wasn’t because of the message itself, but it left me with the impression that the author thought anyone who believes in religion is somehow lesser than Elizabeth and her super wonderful woke and enlightened way of seeing the world. 

Overall, meh. I don’t recommend it and found it a slog to get through. But, I can see where others would enjoy it, so if you did love the book, I wouldn’t be staging an intervention for you or anything… It just wasn’t for me as there was no one to really feel connected to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Death

Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment

Minor: Suicide

jaylene's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

I have no idea why it took me so long to pick this up. I love Bonnie Garmus' writing style, it's not your typical storytelling as it felt very cinematic with multiple POVs in one "scene." Lessons in Chemistry's characters are easy to fall in love with, especially our brilliant and headstrong main character and, of course, Six Thirty. The growth of her list of characters didn't feel forced or confusing even when meeting most of them in the last 1/3 of the book. Most importantly, topics of sexism and trauma were handled with such care but felt accurate for the time period.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, and Bullying

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Death, and Abandonment

I would with how many content warnings I added, I would say sexism is the only one that is scattered throughout the entire story. It sounds like it is heavier than it really is.

emwebz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Suicide, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

kyjade_x's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Bullying, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Car accident, and Suicide

Minor: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse

lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Bullying, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Body shaming

sareidle's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death, Bullying, and Suicide

bookb1itch's review against another edition

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Grief, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Car accident

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

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

vplett4's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Bullying