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A review by amyvl93
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
Lessons in Chemistry is another much-hyped book of last year, which whilst an enjoyable read didn't quite hit the heights I had hoped for.
It's the 1960s, and Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist who isn't taken seriously in the male-dominated world of science. Her encounter with fellow brilliant chemist Calvin Evans changes both of their lives; and years later, Zott finds herself again fighting to be taken seriously as the host of an afternoon cooking show, now unmarried with a young daughter.
Garmus does a great job at building the back stories for both Elizabeth and Calvin, which give you as a reader a clear understanding of why they've ended up in the corner of California they now find themselves in, and what may contribute to their slightly difficult to like personalities. She is also pretty unflinching in her portrayal of sexism in this novel; from assault to stolen research to fighting to wear trousers, it may feel overwraught to a modern reader but is unfortunately accurate to the life that many women lived during the period.
However, I did find the book's tone seemed to dive between upfront confrontation of gender roles, to whimsical passages about dogs understanding Proust, which felt a little heavy handed. Likewise, Mad, Elizabeth's daughter, is often a compelling character but is given a slightly strange ability to almost read minds. As a character, Zott also seem bizarrely uninterested in interrogating the world she lived in; she knows that the traditional split of roles is wrong but doesn't seem to consider how or why they are there - likewise, bar one sentence it's strange to read a book set in the US in the 1960s with a reasonably switched on main character and have no conversation about race at all (it is interesting to me that the TV adaptation has cast two black actors in two supporting characters). I also found the ending a little too neat and tidy for my liking.
Overall, I do find Garmus pretty inspiring in releasing her debut novel in her 60s, and this is a fun read with a bit more substance - I'll be interested to see how it translates to the silver screen.
It's the 1960s, and Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist who isn't taken seriously in the male-dominated world of science. Her encounter with fellow brilliant chemist Calvin Evans changes both of their lives; and years later, Zott finds herself again fighting to be taken seriously as the host of an afternoon cooking show, now unmarried with a young daughter.
Garmus does a great job at building the back stories for both Elizabeth and Calvin, which give you as a reader a clear understanding of why they've ended up in the corner of California they now find themselves in, and what may contribute to their slightly difficult to like personalities. She is also pretty unflinching in her portrayal of sexism in this novel; from assault to stolen research to fighting to wear trousers, it may feel overwraught to a modern reader but is unfortunately accurate to the life that many women lived during the period.
However, I did find the book's tone seemed to dive between upfront confrontation of gender roles, to whimsical passages about dogs understanding Proust, which felt a little heavy handed. Likewise, Mad, Elizabeth's daughter, is often a compelling character but is given a slightly strange ability to almost read minds. As a character, Zott also seem bizarrely uninterested in interrogating the world she lived in; she knows that the traditional split of roles is wrong but doesn't seem to consider how or why they are there - likewise, bar one sentence it's strange to read a book set in the US in the 1960s with a reasonably switched on main character and have no conversation about race at all (it is interesting to me that the TV adaptation has cast two black actors in two supporting characters). I also found the ending a little too neat and tidy for my liking.
Overall, I do find Garmus pretty inspiring in releasing her debut novel in her 60s, and this is a fun read with a bit more substance - I'll be interested to see how it translates to the silver screen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Car accident