Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

220 reviews

afternoondreamer's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a wild ride for me. I finished the book soo quickly and couldn't get myself to put it down. Its such an emotional story: funny, sad and anger-inducing at the same time. You really find yourself rooting for the main character and her loved ones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, Body shaming, Religious bigotry, and Car accident

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

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

gracielou2000's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, and Car accident

Minor: Fatphobia, Abortion, and Addiction

emimero's review

inspiring reflective medium-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

4.5

Wow wow wow ! Finally something different. Bonnie Garmus really created something special here. It's not your typical romance book, it has so much more to it, women's conditions in the society, being different, strength and solidarity,.... It is way better than the show (which is good too by the way) but the details, the characters are so loveable and the plot keeps you going because again, I've never read something like that I truly don't know what's happening next ! Definitely recommend to read this gem ! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, and Misogyny

Moderate: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Suicide, Grief, Gaslighting, and Homophobia

ceilisbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death, Grief, and Misogyny

Minor: Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

jules1090's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Abandonment, Rape, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicide and Homophobia

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

haleylooloo's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

Wow, very rarely do a finish a book and immediately want to turn back to the first page and start again. What a fun, important book. The idea of recommitting to every stroke is going to stick with me for a long time to come. I loved the way the narrative jumped between characters, such fun writing. I laughed, I cried, I felt seen. Just as Elizabeth’s watchers liked her show, this story made me feel capable and heard. Will be one I reread for sure

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

gsmith923's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Body shaming

Minor: Abortion, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry