A review by jenny_bean_reads
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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

4.25

This book hurt. Elizabeth is so relatable as a main character it is unreal. As a woman in STEAM I am constantly having people (usually men) question my work and worth in the field. Also like Elizabeth, my partner (unlike Elizabeth, my partner is my spouse) is in the same field of work. And again, people (again often men) assume he did my work for me, and not that I did it myself. Of course, if anyone took half a second to compare our styles, they would see that we are completely different. It would be obvious had he written it for me. But I digress....

Aside from the infuriatingly accurate description of what it is like to be a woman in a "mens" field and world, this book did a wonderful job gripping the reader and not letting go until the end. I suppose there was enough foreshadowing that had I bothered to think about it, I would have figured out a couple things before the author told us. But alas, I did not.

I felt everything Elizabeth was feeling, and I loved Frask's character arc. I wish that more things happened like Frask's arc happened every day. This story was certainly not an aberration but could easily have been me, or any number of my friends in STEAM fields. If you want to know what it is still often like for a woman in science, read this book. 
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