Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

39 reviews

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

bbmaan's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Abandonment, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Homophobia

mikk16's review

dark sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

Didn’t really know anything about this book going in but it seemed to be marketed as a very funny light book. Completely false. Less than 20 pages in there is a rape described in great detail. Throughout the book there is rape, suicide, pedophilia, abuse. I did not find it funny or light at all. This is also very much a white feminism book. There are no characters of color in the story. The one LGBTQ+ character dies by suicide. In the book being a housewife is compared to slavery. The daughter reads a book about the Congo cannibals. Many more problematic things to comment on but not going to list them all out. 

Not sure how I felt about a good chunk of the book being narrated by a dog who understands language and can communicate with fetuses and the dead. Definitely wasn’t expecting fantasy elements. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, and Rape

alisafrancyne's review

dark hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

I wanted to read this book bc it seemed to be a good story with a little bit of romance and some humor. There was no humor. Elizabeth Zott is an oh so serious character and has gone through a lot. Nothing in the book was funny, not even darkly funny. Calvin Evans was the best character

I wish they didn’t kill him off so early. His death was confusing I had to read it a few times…did he get shot or ran over?

. Her daughter Mad is the second best character. If she had a spin off book, I’d probably read it. Just with a little bit less of Elizabeth Zott. I just don’t like her as the main character. I really wish I could have gave it more stars but it’s hard to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Rape, and Religious bigotry

xoxocasreads's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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: Suicide, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Sexism, and Rape

thespinnychair's review against another edition

informative inspiring fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicide

lillianannivey's review

Hated it.  Did not care to finish.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, and Physical abuse

missinfermiera's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Rape, Suicide, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

abundance_of_fiction's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I hesitated to start this thinking that it was intended as more of a romance, and my only regret is not starting this book sooner.

Yes there is some romance, but not in the typical sense. In the words of Elizabeth Zott, they are “soul mates”. Not in the cheesy meet-cute fashion but the real-life, messy, laugh and cry sense.

This book was empowering, heartbreaking, and everything in between. I cried so much in the last hundred chapters because I had gone through this journey. I was Elizabeth Zott and I was all the other women. You would think a novel set in the 1950/60s wouldn’t have so many parallels to the modern world but that was the beauty of it. As sad as it is, many of us are still  Elizabeth Zott. Maybe not in the most direct sense but in spirit. 

Even if you can’t relate to Elizabeth Zott’s story, you know someone who can.

Overall, a 5 star read through and through.


*slight spoilers*
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You will be crying by 30% into the book, so just be Prepared.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Ableism, and Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Pregnancy, Child death, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia

Minor: Cannibalism

nesilla's review against another edition

inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Misogyny

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Suicide attempt