Fiction – paperback; Doubleday; 390pp; 2022.
I tend to avoid over-hyped books, particularly if they clutter up my social media feeds, which is why I had decided, rightly or wrongly, that Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry was NOT A BOOK FOR ME. (Yes, the capital letters are important.)
And then I saw Brona’s persuasive review and borrowed the book from the library. I ate it up in a couple of days and realised I’d been wrong to cast judgement based on over-exposure to other people’s enthusiasm when I hadn’t even read the novel myself.
It’s a compelling, fast-paced story set in 1950s America about a female chemist who falls in love with another chemist but because he is famous and successful everyone assumes she’s riding on his coattails. Later, when she accidentally falls pregnant, she is sacked. After the birth of her daughter, she reinvents herself as a TV chef, who inspires women across America to find their true calling and pursue it.
Unfortunately, it wears its feminist agenda too heavily on its sleeve (it’s written with a modern mindset that would have been out of place at the time the book is set) and features some irritating quirky elements, such as an anthropomorphised dog and a precocious, super-intelligent child, but I had a fun time reading it anyway. It’s an enjoyable romp, full of comic moments, great characters and a delightful plot, the type of book to get you out of a reading slump or keep you company on a rainy day.
And yet, it deals with some dark subject matter, including the theft of women’s academic work and systematic misogyny, rape and sexual assault (in the workplace), but it never dwells on these: they are presented as fait accompli, just something that the average woman in 1950s America has to put up with if she flouts societal obligations and expectations, which are limited to running a home and raising children.
[…] she only ever seemed to bring out the worst in men. They either wanted to control her, touch her, dominate her, silence her, correct her, or tell her what to do. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t just treat her as a fellow human being, as a colleague, a friend, an equal, or even a stranger on the street, someone to whom one is automatically respectful until you find out they’ve buried a bunch of bodies in the backyard.
Along with the constant commentary about how difficult it is for women — in this case lead character Elizabeth Zott — to be taken seriously outside of the home, it’s littered with witty one-liners to add a level of “sass” and impudence (which I, for one, appreciated). Here’s an example:
Like so many undesirable men, Mr Sloane truly believed other women found him attractive. Harriet [his wife] had no idea where that specific brand of self-confidence came from. Because while stupid people may not know they’re stupid because they’re stupid, surely unattractive people must know they’re unattractive because of mirrors.
The word that best springs to mind to describe Lessons in Chemistry is “hyperreal”. Everything seems slightly exaggerated – the dialogue, the tone of voice, the setting, and the ridiculous nature of the TV cooking show hosted by a woman who uses chemical names for ingredients.
It feels like something dreamed up by author Anne Tyler, the creator of the period drama series Mad Men and film-maker Wes Anderson. But it’s a winning combination. I can’t wait for the TV adaptation coming later this year…
Reading Matters 
Yes, yes and yes! I was the same and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Also generated good discussions in our book club.
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I went into this one expecting to hate it… and for about a quarter of it, I did find a lot I didn’t like. But then I made a conscious decision to just go with the flow and loosen up about it… and then found myself getting quite caught up in the story.
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I was eager to read your review, as when our book group tackled this book, only two of us gave it the thumbs down. I disliked it. I was a teenager during the action-period of this book, so of course I recognise the stereotypes – and they were stereotypes if you went to a girls’ grammar school where you were expected to achieve on the same terms as your brothers, while recognising that the Real World was a somewhat trickier place. I disliked the knowing and arch way in which the story was written, and especially the dreadful child. Though I had a soft spot for the dog. I disliked the ‘stock’ male characters, straight out of Central Casting. You can see… I just had a Sense of Humour failure.
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I completely understand where you are coming from, Margaret. There’s a lot about this book that would normally wind me up. I particularly detest novels that are written with a modern mindset but are set in the past when those mindsets would not have been common — and this whole book is written like that! But I decided to forgive the author this one (major) failing, particularly when I cottoned on that it wasn’t supposed to be real, but hyperreal, and for that reason, I think the story worked on an entertainment level, not on a historically accurate level… if that makes sense.
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It makes sense, but sadly it didn’t even work at that level for me. My loss, no doubt.
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Well, it would be boring if we all liked the same things!
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Oh I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed this as much as did (despite the few flaws) – hyperreal is a very descriptor. The quote your selected about unattractive people made me lol all over again 😀
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This book was full of quotes like this… I had difficulty choosing which one to include here! Thanks again for tipping me off about this book… I would have just continued to ignore it (and screw up my nose) were it not for your review.
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Thank you. I felt the same towards my book group who picked this for our April read. I’d still be screwing up my nose if not for them!
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I’ve been avoiding this because, well, the hype. But you’ve convinced me that it lives up to it.
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I was at least half-way through before I decided I was enjoying it! I think I sometimes need to suspend my editor’s brain / critical faculties a little and just go with the flow. If you have read and liked Anne Tyler you will probably like this.
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I very much agree with your review – really enjoyed this (especially the first section) but hated quirky child and dog!
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Oh the dog and the precocious child were very irritating. To be honest, I’m not sure what the point of the dog was except to indicate the story was hyperreal and shouldn’t be taken too seriously
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Hmm, I wasn’t considering reading this one before and I’m still not sure I want to, but it does sound appealing on some levels. I don’t like it, though, when people act more modern than their time.
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I wouldn’t add it to the top of your TBR but if you are looking for a palette cleanser or just something a bit quirky, then maybe give it a go.
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Good suggestion!
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Very good and useful review. I want to read this but have been concerned by seeing such vehement positive and negative reactions. Now I think it will be a worthwhile read, whether I love it or not.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
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Thanks, Tracy. It’s a fun read (if you don’t mind a few quirky elements) and don’t take it too seriously.
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Okay, you have convinced me to have another look at this one. I had read a sample chapter when it was first released and thought it wasn’t for me but…
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If you go in with an open mind and don’t mind a few quirky elements, then it’s a fun read. I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much but it did take me awhile to warm to the tone of voice and the surreal nature of some of it. It will make a terrific TV series.
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Great review! I can see where you are coming from but sadly I didn’t approach it from that angle. I felt lead and manipulated throughout the story and could not grasp it as anything other than fantasy even in the way Calvin dies, etc. I thought it was just an airbrushed compilation of events. This is of course my personal opinion which also shared space with thousands of yay and nays on Goodreads 🙂 G.
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Oh, I do agree the story is a complete fantasy/concoction and there’s an agenda at play, which you either rail against or just accept. I accepted it (but with caveats) and think I enjoyed the story more than I expected to partly because I normally read a diet of fairly heavy novels and this one felt sufficiently different to be refreshing. I appreciate the book doesn’t work for everyone, but what book does? 🤷🏻♀️
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So true!
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I’ve read so many reviews of this, so much hype on Twitter. After reading your review, I idly wondered if the local library had it; much to my surprise, they did, so I cycled straight over to get it. First addition to my already overlong 20 books of summer.
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Funnily enough I’ve only read two reviews, but I see the book pop up all the time in Instagram and Facebook. I recently deleted my Twitter account, but it used to pop up there too. Hope you enjoy the book when you get to it… it’s a bit over the top but once you relax into the style it will work its magic
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I saw the comment about the obnoxious child and, having read only the first page, I can tell they have the potential to be gloriously so.
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I really enjoyed it, but I did have to think of it as a fairy tale so I completely get your hyper-real comment. Also it was a bit more violent/graphic than I’d expected given all the cutesy marketing – I had it early, though, so wonder if they’ve honed that a bit since. My review here https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/05/03/book-review-bonnie-garmus-lessons-in-chemistry/
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Admittedly I was shocked by the sexual assaults in this book … they are so casually mentioned … but that’s what life has been like for so many women for generations and generations. It’s really only the #metoo movement that has brought it out into the light, I think. I’ll pop by and check out your review.
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Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that aspect, completely au fait with the level of sexual assault that goes on, and I thought those aspects were portrayed realistically but not gratuitously, and how people do see them sadly as woven into their lives (I bet all of us could list at least a few, I certainly can) and it’s good to see that talked about, but the pencil detail and the accident were quite graphically portrayed for something marketed as light and cutesy. Of course I can’t find them now but I did see some reviews when it was out on NetGalley etc where people were shocked by that.
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