Book Review : Lessons In Chemistry

Book Name: Lessons In Chemistry
Author: Bonnie Garmus

Publisher: Penguin

Genre: Society & Culture, Historical Fiction

Format: Paperback

Print length: 400 pages 

Rating: 4.5/5



Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry is a thought-provoking novel set in the 1960s. It features a brilliant chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who finds herself navigating a world dominated by men. 


Blurb on Amazon


'The most charming, life-enhancing novel I've read in ages' Sunday Times


‘A page-turning and highly satisfying tale’ – Maggie Shipstead, author of Great Circle


Your ability to change everything - including yourself - starts here


Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, she would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.


But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality.


Forced to leave her job at the institute, she soon finds herself the reluctant star of America's most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.


But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn't just teaching women to cook.


She's daring them to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.


Review


Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnies Garmus is a delightful novel with a blend of humor, spice, science, patriarchy, and feminism, breaking the biases through the lens of the protagonist, Elizabeth Zott. The story's setting is in the 1960s, which depicts the struggles of a woman who faced criticism and pulled back when she chose to pursue her dreams. The plot revolves around Elizabeth, who was forced to resign from her Research Institute and ends up joining as a host in the cooking show Supper At Six after trying multiple things and confronting her daughter's friend's father, who offered her to teach cooking to the women on the cooking show. She used her skill in a revolutionary way, attempting to collaborate cooking with a pinch of scientific and rational approach, bringing the housewives to change the status quo by taking inspiration from her.


The character development is smooth and detailed. The protagonist Elizabeth Zott is a complex and relatable character. Her passion for science and her unwavering determination to succeed in a male-dominated field make her an inspiring figure. Her witty commentary and unique approach to cooking add a touch of humor and charm to the story. Her daughter Madeline, reflected her mother's impression. As a child, she was fiercely independent and determined to develop her path. Each character has a story to tell to grab the attention of the readers letting readers relate and reminisce from the life of the characters.


The author's writing style is thought-provoking and attention-grabbing. Readers would fall in love with the way the author boldly addressed serious topics of the 1960s that still prevail in many workplaces and society. Though the pace may seem uneven at times, and the end felt a little rushed the overall impression of the story would allow readers to soak in themes like love, feminism, the power of knowledge resilience, and motherhood.


It is a must-read for all readers as this book gives food for thought to question oneself and society as to why we need to set biases against gender. Also, it is a witty, empowering, and thought-provoking novel that will stay with readers long after they have finished it.


Buy it from Amazon - Lessons In Chemistry

I’m participating in #TBRChallenge2024 by Blogchatter.

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