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anarchy7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Child death, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Death of parent, Vomit, Suicide, and Domestic abuse
mrsmeowmix's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Violence, Gun violence, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
teadrinker4theoceans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Car accident, Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicide
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
- 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
Elizabeth Zott is an amazing character, and a survivor. She is the embodiment of female power and a force to be reckoned with.
The things Zott experiences in the work place are appalling and no one would call her personal life easy. In real life, a woman in Zott’s shoes wouldn’t be faulted for breaking down or giving up. But Zott doesn’t let anything stop her from reaching her goals. She goes on have a wonderful life in spite of the horrendous things she’s had to survive, because she is a survivor.
Parts of this book had me in tears while others had me fill with so much pride I thought I would burst. At its core, this book is about the strength and resilience of women and I can’t recommend it enough. This will be a book I won’t stop thinking about for a very, very long time.
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Car accident, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Abortion, Vomit, Alcohol, and Pedophilia
allegra_j's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Abandonment, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Grief
jrae1334's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Rape, and Suicide
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
beautifulpaxielreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This novel started slow (and dark - readers should be aware [I wasn't] that
Elizabeth Zott is such an incredible main character - tough, uncompromising, fiercely intelligent, and strong-willed (almost too much so, there were times I wished she would bend just a little, but no, she would not), but she did have a gentler side which I appreciated reading about.
Elizabeth needs every bit of willpower, because number one, she was a scientist, and number two, she was an unmarried woman living in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, a time which did not look kindly on women, particularly women who did not fit their prescribed stereotypes.
Fair warning to readers that the misogyny in this book is extreme, infuriatingly so. It comes from not only men but some women too. The sexism was so overwhelmingly awful at times that I had to stop and wonder if it actually was as terrible as Garmus depicts. I'm not sure, but I know that women definitely got a raw deal in this period of history.
The other infuriating thing to read about was so many of the terrible events in the novel could have been prevented if certain people had been less greedy, small-minded, or desperate. But then I guess there wouldn't have been a story, so go figure.
There were a few things that didn't quite work for me. The switches between POV characters would often occur within the same section, and even in the same paragraph at times, which was jarring as I would need to figure out whose POV I was reading.
Also, the POV of Elizabeth's
Anyway, overall this was a really great read, albeit one with some pretty dark themes - I would advise prospective readers to check the content warnings.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Car accident, Death, Pregnancy, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Cursing
Minor: Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Child death
prappleby's review
- 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
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
Minor: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Vomit
reads2cope's review against another edition
4.0
Much funnier and darker than I was expecting. Required a lot of suspension of disbelief, but the writing was engaging and easy to read. For example, very weird that Elizabeth spouted such strong political convictions on her TV show but had no qualms about working for a military contractor. At the same time, I wanted her to shove it in the face of her old bosses. Loved the time jumps and how the other story lines wove together. Picked it up because most of my aunts have read it this year, so looking forward to hearing their opinions when I’m home over the holidays.
Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Sexism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Bullying, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
khowez's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Misogyny, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Homophobia
Minor: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Self harm, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Child death