Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

99 reviews

nikrib's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring lighthearted tense 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

4.25

I picked up this book from the library after seeing an ad for its tv adaptation. I’m not sure where I thought this story was going before cracking open the book, but it definitely was a distinctive journey. With the book’s setting of 1950-60’s, all the societal, economic, and cultural issues are at play. While I did enjoy the protagonist (often rooting for her decisions, $#@! the patriarchy) I am not fond of the book’s ending. 

The narrative felt as it was going down two separate yet parallel avenues and then at the end just chose one. I reread the ending twice due to the lack of fulfillment the ending gave me. Perhaps that’s just my take, wanting more justice for this character and not a predictable sappy ending. 

Some reviews speak on a lack of diversity in the book; I do not wholly concur. The narrative does not speak of race, at all, but we can assume the characters are predominately Caucasian as the way that the book is written /does/ fit the time period and realm the characters move in. However, one of the characters who is a neighbor and becomes a prominent supporting character does strike me as P.O.C. Again, time period, it would by more common for this supporting character’s actions to come from a P.O.C. For example, caring for another family’s child and the type of care being “seen as atypical compared to society” and extending normalcy of simply babysitting. This supporting character moves through the narrative differently compared to the protagonist and other minor characters. Their name is also known more as belonging to a P.O.C. for that time period. 

To say that this book lacks diversity is unfair. If you took a survey of a chemistry lab, a university, a studio, (all from that time period) the race ratio would indeed be significantly heavy handed on Caucasian, if not solely Caucasian. Those were unfortunate times. Now, this book is fiction, yes, so the author could have purposefully written in some diversity. Although, just as the author chose to leave race out of the narrative, readers can choose to place race in the narrative. There’s creative freedom here. A reader could absolutely make the protagonist a P.O.C. The lack of specifics on race in the narrative allow for flexibility per reader. If the book didn’t have a Caucasian woman on the cover, I don’t believe there would be reviews commenting lack of diversity. 

The other 1950-60’s themes are used throughout the narrative to bring attention to issues pertaining to that time (and in this case, focusing on the battles that women faced and are still facing current day). 

The chemistry themes are ever present but not annoyingly so, unless you’re a chemist and care that there are minor flaws. There is a sexual assault scene (r@pe) in the beginning of the book and again later sexual exposure, both of which are traumatic for the character but does allude to everlasting issues revolving sexism, patriarchal power in the workplace, and the fact that women are continuously assaulted. While that is a sensitive subject for a lot of people, I believe it was powerful and purposeful in the narrative to shed light on women’s issues and women’s rights. 

There is a dog (don’t worry, nothing happens to him) and he’s a (fun? I’m not sure my idea of this dog aligns with the author) addition to the narrative. I’m not sure where people are getting comedy out of this book. I think I may have laughed two or three times, but more of a scoff than anything comical. All in all, good book and likable main characters. I’m eager to watch the tv adaptation. Although, I stick by my yearning for a different ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death, Medical content, Sexual violence, Classism, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Grief, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

nat_kiverse's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Car accident, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, and Suicide

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

kllrbls's review against another edition

dark inspiring sad medium-paced

3.5

I enjoyed the

biological mom

plot, but I wished that it had been revealed in a more show-don’t-tell manner, rather than having everything spelled out in the last few chapters. I also found Elizabeth's use of chemistry jargon to be sooo extra--it's as if she assumed it was all general knowledge. However, still an interesting read. The relationship plot was particularly exciting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Death, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Death of parent and Car accident

mamaewalk's review against another edition

inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

First half 3 stars, second half 4. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Suicide

anarchy7's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

kickitupanotch7's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative mysterious relaxing sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Phenomenal with extremely developed characters. Includes the most interesting perspective of a dog I’ve ever seen or heard. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Car accident, Sexism, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

ktbelliss's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really liked this story! My only complaint was that, as a scientist, I could tell the author wasn't a scientist herself. The scientists in the story struck me as slightly stereotypical. They were more what people think scientists are like, and less like the actual scientists I know. Otherwise it was really interesting to see into the life of a woman in the 60s and made me grateful for how far the world has come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Death

Covers what life was like as a woman in the workplace in the 1950s and 60s, including mulitple instances of

sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. However, the main character does overcome these incidents and even stops assault by stabbing her assailant.

maddy_porter_27's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, and Blood