Reviews with content warning for Rape - Lessen in chemie

I was sold this as a romance, but it's so much more than that! The main character grows up in the aftermath of second wave feminism and, as a chemist by trade, struggles to gain a place in a aggressively patriarchal United States. It isn't all triumph which makes it all the better.

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louisehall's review against another edition

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funny inspiring mysterious slow-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? No

4.0

I would first like to say I would DEFINITELY recommend this book to anyone who is even mildly interested! I picked this back up after a slump and made my way through most of it in a few days because of how fun the novel is. It's written incredibly well written and Garmus is masterful with her comedic timing, I found myself laughing a lot!

I have one personal dislike, and I feel like this might be an unpopular opinion, but I did not love Elizabeth Zott. There were times I did, and I was always rooting for her throughout the novel - she deserved it after all she'd been through! - but there were times I found her love of science too gimmicky I suppose. Maybe its because I read this part the same day I write this, but I'm thinking of how she started talking about the Babylonians when that reporter just asked why her dog was called Six-Thirty. I understand maybe not wanting to explain the personal meaning behind it but there was also no need to be a patronising smart ass 😭 Moments like those were few and far between for me though, and as my rating shows I thoroughly enjoyed this book and LOVED the inspiring message it conveyed. I also loved the character development of Miss Frisk - we've all known a woman like her and it was refreshing to see her grow!

Overall, I'd highly recommend!!

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emi0610's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I‘m actually torn on this. It had me heavily invested, I was excited to keep reading for most of it. But at parts it just dragged on soooo much. Also yeah I’ll say it the dog pov annoyed me and freaks me out but hey.
The overall story arch is a tiny bit too messy for me. I’d personally prefer it more condensed and detailed but that is mainly preference.
Also important TW for graphic depictions of rape and sexual assault in this book.

Now saying all this, I still enjoyed this book. It really transported me into the time period or well, what I imagine it to be.
So 3 stars feels a bit harsh but considering how I struggled through the first 100 pages it feels right.

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