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A review by tessa_talks_books
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
5.0
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is my favorite book so far this year and, I dare say, one of my top 20 reads of all time. It has everything I could ever ask for in a book and more. It's timely, poignant, witty, and empowering. I could easily read it repeatedly and find small nuances that make it even more special.
The story's first half puts the book in time and place, explaining a point in our recent history that most of us were not around to remember. It paints a 1950's world that is incredibly misogynistic, where women were made to feel like inferiors in every way. But along comes Elizabeth Zott, who does not buy into the social norms. Her journey to becoming a chemist is so poignant and horrifying it moved me in ways I can't even begin to explain. Reading the first half, I couldn't believe that people called this story funny because I was not laughing. I was angry for Elizabeth and had a low opinion of every male in the story except for Calvin. Calvin was the one man who respected and encouraged Elizabeth at every turn. Even when he didn't understand things like her reluctance to marry, he accepted her and her thoughts and feelings unconditionally, being happy just to be with her. Their story brought me to tears more than once.
Then along comes the second half of the book, where the wit and wisdom had me chuckling my way through to the end. Happenstance leads Elizabeth and her daughter, Mad, on a journey that still empowers me when I reflect on it. Elizabeth became a tv personality, a chef who used cooking to teach chemistry to women everywhere. And, by sticking to what she believed in - by not giving in to the powers that be that wanted her to bend to the social norms - she not only taught women who had been told they were not intelligent enough to understand such complex topics as science, but she empowered them to follow their dreams, and they did! Her power as a tv personality brought about changes that made me smile, and the way she did it tickled my funny bone. The ending was not that big of a surprise, but I loved it, nonetheless. It is the perfect ending to an imperfect tale full of hardship, degradation, and a voice that needs to be heard.
Technically, the story keeps a reasonably fast pace and immerses the reader from the very first page. It stays focused most of the time, only straying when a back story needs to be told, as is narrated from a third-person perspective. Elizabeth is my favorite character, followed closely by her dog, Six-Thirty, and daughter Mad. Six-Thirty stole my heart on more than one occasion. He's the dog everyone would love to have, but nobody does. All of the characters are so well-developed that even if you can't relate to them, you can feel emotions because of them.
If you are looking for a poignant and witty reflection on what it means to be a woman, Lessons in Chemistry will give you that and more.
The story's first half puts the book in time and place, explaining a point in our recent history that most of us were not around to remember. It paints a 1950's world that is incredibly misogynistic, where women were made to feel like inferiors in every way. But along comes Elizabeth Zott, who does not buy into the social norms. Her journey to becoming a chemist is so poignant and horrifying it moved me in ways I can't even begin to explain. Reading the first half, I couldn't believe that people called this story funny because I was not laughing. I was angry for Elizabeth and had a low opinion of every male in the story except for Calvin. Calvin was the one man who respected and encouraged Elizabeth at every turn. Even when he didn't understand things like her reluctance to marry, he accepted her and her thoughts and feelings unconditionally, being happy just to be with her. Their story brought me to tears more than once.
Then along comes the second half of the book, where the wit and wisdom had me chuckling my way through to the end. Happenstance leads Elizabeth and her daughter, Mad, on a journey that still empowers me when I reflect on it. Elizabeth became a tv personality, a chef who used cooking to teach chemistry to women everywhere. And, by sticking to what she believed in - by not giving in to the powers that be that wanted her to bend to the social norms - she not only taught women who had been told they were not intelligent enough to understand such complex topics as science, but she empowered them to follow their dreams, and they did! Her power as a tv personality brought about changes that made me smile, and the way she did it tickled my funny bone. The ending was not that big of a surprise, but I loved it, nonetheless. It is the perfect ending to an imperfect tale full of hardship, degradation, and a voice that needs to be heard.
Technically, the story keeps a reasonably fast pace and immerses the reader from the very first page. It stays focused most of the time, only straying when a back story needs to be told, as is narrated from a third-person perspective. Elizabeth is my favorite character, followed closely by her dog, Six-Thirty, and daughter Mad. Six-Thirty stole my heart on more than one occasion. He's the dog everyone would love to have, but nobody does. All of the characters are so well-developed that even if you can't relate to them, you can feel emotions because of them.
If you are looking for a poignant and witty reflection on what it means to be a woman, Lessons in Chemistry will give you that and more.