Scan barcode
A review by pagesfromhome
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
4.5
Lessons in Chemistry is one of those books that makes you chuckle, sigh, and groan within the same paragraph. Garmus has an absolutely fantastic writing style, making her a future auto-buy author. The characters are incredibly well structured, and even in moments where you meet characters for just a sentence (like the glimpses of the at-home viewers of Supper at Six), you feel you know them so well so quickly. Garmus also does a spectacular job with realistic but polished dialogue, which is hard to nail in fiction.
Beyond that, the plot is intriguing and propulsive in a way I wasn't expecting. I mostly planned to read this one slowly, but I could never put the book down.
My one major qualm lies in that the moments of sexual assault are incredibly graphic and out of nowhere (although short), but then the moments of positive love and sexual experiences felt glossed over until some of the final pages. It felt a little like Garmus thought that we had to experience the assault to feel for the characters when we would have respected what the characters had faced without the details.
I also would have loved to have been in Zott's head more. However, that's purely out of my own curiosity. I fully respect that Garmus chose to keep her a bit of a mystery to the reader while diving into the headspaces of many other characters as a character choice, which is undoubtedly effective.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good mix between plot and character and is a fan of (in Six-Thirty's words from the bonus content) characters in a "constant state of outrage." Although, be aware of the content warnings!
Some lines I loved:
Beyond that, the plot is intriguing and propulsive in a way I wasn't expecting. I mostly planned to read this one slowly, but I could never put the book down.
My one major qualm lies in that the moments of sexual assault are incredibly graphic and out of nowhere (although short), but then the moments of positive love and sexual experiences felt glossed over until some of the final pages. It felt a little like Garmus thought that we had to experience the assault to feel for the characters when we would have respected what the characters had faced without the details.
I also would have loved to have been in Zott's head more. However, that's purely out of my own curiosity. I fully respect that Garmus chose to keep her a bit of a mystery to the reader while diving into the headspaces of many other characters as a character choice, which is undoubtedly effective.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good mix between plot and character and is a fan of (in Six-Thirty's words from the bonus content) characters in a "constant state of outrage." Although, be aware of the content warnings!
Some lines I loved:
"...wasn't that the very definition of life? Constant adaptations brought about by a series of never-ending mistakes?"
"'One of the things I like about cooking...is it's inherent usefulness. When we make food, we don't just create something good to eat - we create something that provides energy to our cells, something that sustains life.'"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Blood, and Vomit