A review by jbellomy
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

funny fast-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? No

2.5

I get the hype, but this was annoying. If MC so smart, why CONSTANTLY SURPRISED by basic sexism? It tries to toe the line between realism & whimsy in a way that did not work for me. (The dog is the exception to this for the most part.) I'm often not a huge fan of the revisionism inherent to fictional icon stories. I've enjoyed some of those stories in the past -- RWRB and Queen's Gambit come to mind -- but when the characters start making waves on a national/international level, I get peeved. There are plenty of real icons to work with. Making new ones up feels wish-fulfillment-y in a way that I find difficult to articulate. It triggers my disgust reaction, worsened in this book by the fact that every character in the first half is terrible except the lead and her romantic interest. Like, seriously, every single person, just full-on evil.

Most importantly, there's an actual ~and then everyone clapped~ moment made all the more unhinged by the fact that it's a slow clap. And it's played straight!! In the year of our lord 2023!!!

However I was still somehow hooked and the magic dog ruled so it wasn't a complete waste.