Book Review - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Title: Lessons in Chemistry
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2022
 
Description: Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view on equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with – of all things -  her mind. True chemistry results
 
Review: A feminist in the 1960s? There were plenty of them. But none like Elizabeth Zott. This feminist debut novel by Bonnie Garmus paints a stunning portrait of a woman in the male-dominated world of science and chemistry.
 
Meet Elizabeth Zott, a chemist who is ahead of her time. She wants nothing more than a career in chemistry and above all, to be taken seriously by her male colleagues. Unfortunately, as a woman during this time, she is incredibly opposed. By everyone except for Calvin, a colleague who has a crush on her. Elizabeth therefore takes on the role of teacher, by presenting a cooking show that secretly teaches women the intricacies of chemistry.
 
Elizabeth is a powerful, confident woman who knows exactly what she wants. She has contemporary standards that contrast sharply with the ideas of the other characters. A large cast of characters passes by, but despite the many names, it remains easy to properly recognize everyone.
 
“Lessons in Chemistry” begins with a small section in present day, and then goes back several years, following both eh highs and lows of Elizabeth’s career. in doing so, Author Bonnie Garmus nicely highlights the struggles of women in the 1950s / 1960s. Women belonged at home, taking care of her family, something Elizabeth strongly disagrees with. She resists this by actively pursuing her career in chemistry.
 
The writing style is comfortable to read and immediately draws you into the story. The story is told mostly from Elizabeth’s perspectives, but also from other characters, like Calvin, her daughter Madeline and even her dog Six Thirty. I loved Garmus’ style.
 
Elizabeth eventually has her own cooking show, Supper at Six, after her daughter Madeline was born. This cooking show is meant to teach the average housewives new dishes. But Elizabeth actually gives the show something extra. She cooks real dishes, but explains everything in such a way that it might as well be a chemistry lesson. And she never talks down to her audience, telling every woman who’s watching, they are not just housewives or average women.
 
“Lessons in Chemistry” is a novel that gives you an insight into the life of a woman in the 1950s/ 1960s. It beautifully highlights the hardship women have to endure when they want something different from what society dictates. It grabbed me from the start, Elizabeth Zott is an inspiring character and I loved every minute of this book. “Lessons in Chemistry” is definitely a new all-time favorite.
 
Rating: 5/ 5