Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Book Title: Lessons in Chemistry (*Amazon affiliate link)
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Genre: Historical fiction
Published: March 31, 2022
390 pages
My rating: 5/5

 “Whenever you start doubting yourself,” she said, turning back to the audience, “whenever you feel afraid, just remember that Courage is the root of change – and change is what we’re chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back.”

 Elizabeth Zott has one goal and one goal only: to work as a chemist. The all-male team at Hastings Research Institute where she works, however, has other ideas: she should make coffee, act as an assistant, and behave like any other woman. Only one person respects her for her accomplishments: the brilliant scientist Calvin Evans. Their unconventional relationship raises not a few eyebrows at the Institute. When Elizabeth is forced to resign due to her unwed pregnancy, she accepts a job as the host of the TV show Supper at Six. Her scientific approach to cooking glues women in front of the TV five days a week, while her revolutionary social commentary challenges the viewers to change the status quo.

Lessons in Chemistry is a great example of the perils of going in blind. I don’t read reviews and try to stay out of spoilers before reading a book. And so, I started reading this thinking it seemed like a fun and charming read. But then on page 18, there is a rape scene.

I put the book down and I must admit for a minute or two I considered DNF’ing it. I didn’t, but it took me a while to be charmed by the book again. Nevertheless, I’m glad I gave this book another chance because I ended up loving it. So if you decide to pick up this book, be warned not to be fooled by the light-hearted tone. The book carries some heavy subject matters: besides the rape scene, there’s sexism, homophobia, death, and implied pedophilia. Lessons in Chemistry is marketed as fun and witty, but if you’re not a fan of dark humor, I suggest you go for another book, truly light-hearted read.

From the point of view of intersectional feminism, this book has several issues. The main character supports the civil rights movement, but not a single woman (or person) of color appears on the pages of the book. Elizabeth’s views are so ahead of their time that it’s almost as if a 21st-century woman is dropped in the world of the 1960’s. She’s supposedly a feminist, but she’s also “not like other girls” and puts down other women if they like traditionally feminine things or if they are religious. Even cooking seems to only be okay for women because Elizabeth considers it science.

Another problem is that the majority of the male characters are misogynists or at least complicit to the chauvinist pigs harassing women. The only exception was Calvin, and to some extent Walter Pine, the cooking show’s producer and Elizabeth’s friend. I would have preferred to see more variation from the male characters, but I did love Calvin’s and Elizabeth’s relationship and found it sweet.

Let me be clear: this book is pure fantasy. The story implies that if you only stand your ground, you can outsmart systemic misogyny. Although set in the historical context of 1950’s and 1960’s USA, it also features an anthropomorphized dog who understands over 900 words and a precocious child who reads The Sound and the Fury at the age of five. The dog, Six-Thirty, was my favorite character, and I wish we would have had the entire book from his point of view.

I’m giving this book five stars solely because of how I felt when I finished it. I loved the final lesson in chemistry that Elizabeth gave on her TV show, and although I had guessed the mystery surrounding Calvin’s family (a relatively unnecessary element in the plot), I found the resolution nice. After some time away from the book, I can see the problematic aspects more clearly. I understand the mixed response I’ve read in some reviews, but I still enjoyed the book (if one can “enjoy” a book dealing with such heavy topics).

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