Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

23 reviews

rusina's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative inspiring fast-paced
  • 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

3.5


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emray14's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious medium-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? No

3.75

Elizabeth was a self centered, egotistical woman who genuinely seemed to have no care for the way in which her actions might affect those she cares about. Elizabeth continuously bashes stay at home moms and women in non-science fields, which is contradictory to her insistence that women can be anything (just so long as she approves). The book  gives just two sentences to racism and one sentence to homophobia. Her weird ass comparison of her interest in science to her dead brother’s queerness wholly misses the mark. 

The sweet moments were sweet and the sad moments were sad. When it wants to be emotional, it succeeds beautifully. The format was fun to read, what with all the changing povs, but the graphic sexual assault scene and Elizabeth’s selfishness kept this could-be fantastic book from reaching 5 stars.

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eglizmas's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Everything was perfect during Calvin & Elizabeth's love story, but right after that I was kind of let down :// The book eventually picked back up though :)
This whole book was a treat! It's a story about women, for women, by a woman. Even though the events of this book take place in 50s/60s America, you can still relate to all of the women's experiences (which says a lot). The imagery the author used is amazing; I could see it all in my head; the dresses, the food, the homes and the offices, the characters and the cars.
Anyway, this was a phenomenal debut for Garmus (who's madly talented). I hope to see her taking on more stories in the future.

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caitlinvdj's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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


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outer_books's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad 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

3.5

PLEASE READ THE CONTENT WARNINGS BEFORE DIVING INTO THIS BOOK!!!! (another to add amongst the others from below, 'BIRTH AND LABOR')


Short summary: We follow Elizabeth Zott, a chemist, where she faces the challenges of loss, gain and different paths that she takes in her life to make a change for herself and others in the sixties where women where not seen as equal as men.

Likes:
  • the flow of the writing is beautiful. it's too descriptive in my eyes while too short and abrupt. I could still feel the characters' behaviours and how they feel from them showing it without telling. As well as having not too long description which made it easier for my head to paint a picture of the world and the characters.
  • the characters have very varying personalities and behaviours.
  • its not so realistic that its super fun to read. like having an overly smart dog that could learn over 900 words from the vocabulary and has the attention of a human being.
  • I love that the chemical terms were not that complicated to understand.
Dislikes:
  • I did chuckle on some instances in the book but it wasn't much despite it being marketed as a 'Humorous' book.

Final thoughts:
This is book is unrealistic in the aspect of 'every single man was sexist and unaccepting of women back in the 60s'. But there were topics that were very interesting and realistic that still exists today such as sexism, misogyny and people are ingrained to refuse to put the first foot at the door for change due to fear. I love the little humours here and there but it wasn't a lot. It was fun and emotional to watch Elizabeth's hard journey from what she wanted to something completely beyond her imaginations but still did what she loved. I know I gave it a 3.5/5, it doesn't mean it was bad I really enjoyed the book whether somethings are realistic or not. It was such a fun read for me!

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pixie_d's review

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

1.5

The book seems to be fighting against bigotry towards women, but it unapologetically, and probably unconsciously, exhibits massive bigotry towards Catholicism, which the author treats as nothing more than a cheap way to fill out a melodramatic plot with cartoon villains. 
There is also unacknowledged racism and sexism. Like The Collected Regrets of Clover, which I also read this month, this author signaled "bad" characters by their looks. Ladies, describing someone as having a "hooked" or "prominent" nose to indicate bad characters or villainy is racist. I'm sure you weren't even aware you did that, but someone on the editing team should have called it out. In this book, she signals the rapist villain by the looks of his wife  (not a typo. He's a rapist. The author is unconsciously racist by how she describes the wife's looks.) In that chapter she also signals the antagonist secretary by her fat hips. That's sexist because women should not internalize and then judge other women by those standards, particularly not to signal bad character. Later the main character gives a speech about how you shouldn't judge women, and incidentally people of color, but to throw that in as just a phrase in your speech doesn't make you not a racist. It was a weak attempt to draw that in, where it wasn't integral to the rest of the book. Bleh.

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vanessatombolini's review

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

5.0


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kwthor's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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celestecurls's review

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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uranaishi's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • 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

4.0


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