Headlines:
Here for Six Thirty
Raging misogyny
Gratitude to all the feminists before me

What an utterly brilliant read Lessons in Chemistry was. It was funny, with so many lines making me laugh out loud, it hurt my heart in numerous parts, it made me feel angry but it was overall wonderful. A read for all genders who are feminst.

This era of feminism (1950s) isn't one I've reflected on much but life was damn difficult for those crossing very set boundaries. Elizabeth Zott, chemist, feminist and one prone to bold, frank speech had her work cut out. The tale took us through her life in a male-dominated academic profession, falling in love, family and fighting to find her place again. It was sweeping, captivating and full of immense hope. Zott never meant to be funny but she was.

This read was equally challenging as it was amusing. Elizabeth Zott experienced things one never should, as did other women in this piece. I want to say nothing about the other character in this book that sold the story one chapter at a time, because if you read this, you need to discover this character as it arises (sorry for the mystery).

I finished the final pages in utter tears. I've been thinking ever since about how I have strode on in academia, yes facing misogyny, but nothing like Zott did. I was able to apply for and complete a PhD and be respected for my work and contribution to knowledge without thinkng there's a man behind it. I am grateful to every women that has strode before me on this journey.

What a book, a total must-read.

Thank you to Transworld books for the review copy.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF from me.

I really liked the premise - an intelligent and independent female scientist in the 50s trying to make her way in a male dominated environment who becomes a TV icon.

The novel started out well but quickly deteriorated with seemingly irrelevant sections that just dragged (the most prominent one being the rowing - what was the point of this?). The sexism was rife throughout and extreme in parts, with a sexual assault occurring within the first 30 pages. I also wasn't very invested in the romance.

I have seen so many positive reviews for this and perhaps I will come back to it, but with over 300 pages still left and not much happening, I am putting it aside for now.

Wow. This book was amazing. From start to finish, I was hooked to finding out more about Elizabeth's story. Even though this book was set in the 50s and 60s, the story's gritty and poignant messages are still relevant today (which is kind of sad) which means that this book is such an important and eye-opening read and I think it would be relatable to any woman but especially those that work in STEM.
I think one of the real joys of this novel was the fantastic characters. From Elizabeth herself and the hilarious dog Six-Thirty to the brilliant Calvin and they're inquisitive daughter, I just absolutely adored all of the characters and I found them so charming and entertaining.
The writing itself was fun and quirky whilst also being so heartfelt and emotional. I teared up while reading this book at multiple points which is really rare for me.
Definitely recommend this to people who love women's fiction and books about strong women.

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist.
She’s also a mother, a rower, a dog owner and an inadvertent new face on TV, but let it be known that she’s first and foremost a scientist.

The whip-sharp Lessons in Chemistry follows her unlikely journey to starring on a cooking show (but she knows it’s really a chemistry show) and her struggles for credibility in a male-dominated industry.

Chronicling experiences both Hilarious and frustrating, this book set in the 1960s feels luckily removed from society today, but even so we still feel the echoes of a time when women in STEM were virtually unheard of, unwed mothers were ostracised while the men brazenly took all the credit.

If any of this sounds familiar you’ll love this book and feel enraged on behalf of Zott.
Not least because of the super quirky ensemble cast of this fab book. Elizabeth’s young daughter Madeline, and Six-Thirty, the most perceptive dog in literature, are amazing characters, among many others. It’s also that rare and wonderful combination of an easy read that doesn’t skimp on substance.

Lessons in Chemistry is on the whole a very fun, faced paced escapist read, written with perpetual humour as well as huge amounts of credibility.

I loved it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Well that was deeply satisfying.

Bonnie Garmus's novel Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabeth Zott. Friend. Mother. But most importantly she is a scientist. Time hasn’t been kind to Elizabeth Zott. She was born in the wrong era when women were meant to be subservient and they certainly weren't meant to practise the sciences. But Elizabeth Zott breaks the mould. When she gets the opportunity to present her own cookery show she takes on the challenge in the only way she knows how…by making it an experiment.

Lessons in Chemistry is up there as one of my favourite books of the year. I took my time with this novel, I didn’t want to hoover it because I had heard so many amazing things ad I am so glad that I did because it was a phenomenal look at the expectations of society and how if you give people a chance they can surprise you.

Lessons in Chemistry is an absolutely corker of a novel and one I know will be in my top ten of the year.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is available now.

For more information regarding Bonnie Garmus (@BonnieGarmus) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Random House (@ramdomhouse) please visit www.randomhousebooks.com.

With echoes of Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler, this has to be the debut novel of the year. Featuring the mesmerising and strident character of Elizabeth Zott, Garmus has created a hugely affecting and perceptive book that is both evocative and life affirming. Steeped in the atmosphere of the period and the narrow opportunities available to women, this is a beautiful rendition of one woman's life and obstacles.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Elizabeth Zott is a unique and fascinating protagonist for a novel that centres around empowerment of women. Whilst she is, in the main, anything but empowered during most of the narrative it remains her ultimate quest. I loved everything about this book the quirky characters and a genuinely novel storyline that kept me hooked from start to finish.

I found it difficult to put the book down and finished in just over the day. Bring on more books like this

I think Elizabeth Zott is probably about to become everyone's new favourite heroine. This lively novel is clever and engaging and heartfelt – and, like it's delightful protagonist, it's absolutely no-nonsense. The story follows the remarkable Elizabeth Zott as she navigates the male-dominated world of science in the 1960s. A family tragedy leaves her bringing up her daughter solo, while career challenges lead to her becoming the very unwilling star of a TV cookery show. Full of wit, warmth and good humour – and a lot of science – this book is bound to become a big favourite.

An absolutely wonderful book. I thought the end was a little silly and that the benefactor would have tried harder but overall it was brilliant and I am in love with EZ.

I really wanted to like this book. THe story seemed fascinating, and sadly still relevant-the difficulties of women being taken seriously in STEM, a change of career, and the difficulties of having it all. In the 50s! THe book started off very well, and Garmus doesn't pull her punches about the discrimination women faced, the near-constant objectification, the danger of sexual assault and the improbability of justice being served. I found the characters well-written, and the story gripping, till around 50% of the book, when it started becoming tedious, and the protagonist, Elizabeth, comes across as a self-righteous prig. The book then unfortunately turns into one of those "not like other girls" books, while also preaching against discrimination against women. Garmus seems to actively dislike women apart from her impossibly beautiful, genius protagonist with a genius daughter who reads Nabokov and Mailer at 5 ( also, interesting that the protagonist doesn't mind her daughter reading Mailer while she rails against misogyny and how racist The Mikado is-didn't know Mailer was that acceptable to proto-feminists. ). For all the virtue signalling attitudes Elizabeth harangues the reader with, and all the supposedly profound literature her daughter reads, her only reference to anything remotely involving BIPOC characters is "Five days with the Congo cannibals'. Of course. How incredibly inclusive of her . None of the women characters are particularly well-written, they all fall into tropes: gossip, the vindictive one who has a change of heart, the lonely neighbour who's really a saint and provides ELizabeth with unpaid childcare. ELizabeth gets a job hosting a cooking show, and manages to be incredibly condescending to housewives, while also preaching about the value of housework. THis is presented to the reader as a devastating come-down for her, a genius chemist-however, this isn't really a bad option since she seems to get to pretty much run the show the way she chooses, and not just use chemistry while she's at it, but communicate her love of it to a wider audience, and get paid much better than she did as an underpaid researcher. Most other women wouldn't even have been given this option-Black women in the 50s, for instance. I expected the book to explore the nascent TV production industry in the 50s, the effect of a new medium and how the people involved navigated it, and in some cases, how those decisions had influences that lasted till today. It was also a time when there were several women TV producers, and writers ( Madelyn Pugh being amongst the most well-known, of I love Lucy fame)-I expected the book to name-drop some of them and for them to be instrumental in ELizabeth's career but strangely enough, for a book that's so preachy about feminism, not a word about it, no even about Lucille Ball or Julia Child as an inspiration! The book also had some mixed messaging- ELizabeth exhorts women to not pull each other down, be constrained by stereotypes, go out and get what they wanted and so on, but it's not as easy as that-there are systemic issues for why women are still under-represented in the workforce and fields such as STEM. Garmus makes it seem like ELizabeth was the only feminist doing anything at all or trying to empower women, and it's all tell, and not show-I'm not sure someone shouting at me to do better when I'm already exhausted is going to motivate me. I'm not sure about the point of multiple tragic backstories for each other characters either-they all seem to exist only to help Elizabeth and none of the other characters are fully formed, or even properly developed in their own right, apart from given trauma in their past-that isn't sufficient as a character arc. The ending provided more eye-rolling opportunities, and I was only too glad it ended. SUch a disappointment-my rating went for 5 solid stars till the halfway mark, when it went so downhill that it's now barely a 1 star. If you want a book about the difficulties women face in the field of STEM, read 'Female innovators who changed the world' by Emma Shimizu. If you want a book about TV production and its nuances in the 50s, please read the excellent 'THeir own best creations: Women writers in Postwar Television by Annie Berke, compelling and so insightful. Skip this book!

I couldn’t get into this book. Maybe if I tried another time I’d like it but in this occasion it wasn’t for me.

#Zott4President! After finishing I'm already missing Elizabeth and Six-Thirty! A courageous, witty joy of a read laced with the frustration of what women have had to fight and still permeates our experience today. I love Zott's no-nonsense focus and the rational certainty of her inner voice. A stand-out feminist icon unwittingly rallying a community of over-looked women by refusing to be side-lined from the STEM career that runs deep through her DNA.

A fun, easy read, it is clear why this is a TikTok and social media favourite. Elizabeth Zott is a fantastic protagonist, who is well fleshed out and engaging, despite being a little reminiscent of The Rosie Project’s Don, with a less well-drawn cast of supporting characters. I really thought this would be a rom-com as the relationship between Calvin and Elizabeth is superb, but the twist genuinely made me gasp. I loved that Elizabeth then moves on to a career in TV, with a huge impact on American female audiences, which was really engaging and empowering with the non-romance path that was surprising and enjoyable.

This has to be my favourite read so far of 2022. What a beautiful book! I don't need to tell you the story as you can read that for yourself. The emotions provoked by this book were quite something. Heartwarming, devastating, clever, witty, weird (a dog that thinks and understands!)funny-it has all emotions in equal measure. I wanted to get to know Elizabeth and her family-the characters were developed beautifully and all in equal measure. This is a book that will stay with me for some time. I was gutted when it ended! I think this would make a wonderful film!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started seeing rave reviews before I began the book and now I understand why. A completely unique perspective, integrating science with storytelling, coupled with charming, quirky characters and an unpredictable, uplifting storyline.

Set in 1960's, Chemist Elizabeth Zott has never let the conventions of the time limit her. She is a strong, independent woman, carving her own path and doing her best to break down the limitations placed on woman. She does this not because she believe it is moral, but because she can. Plainly speaking she is extraordinary. The men around her try to pigeon hole her and keep her boxed, but this is one Pandora that cant be kept hidden. And she meets her match and soulmate in Calvin Evans, a brilliant and famed scientist with a complicated past. But fate is never fair and the two take us on an incredible journey.

Elizabeth is inspiring and represents all that women (and men) can be. She beats to her own drum, she doesn't let the opinions on others affect her own self image, she has incredible self belief and her potential knows no limits. She is a partner, a mother, a role model and her own person. There are life lessons in this book, over and above the entertaining storyline. "No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to other opinions of what you can achieve". Truly motivational! Parts of Elizabeth's journey is so relatable and identifiable. May this inspire real woman to achieve their dreams too.

I wasnt sure if i was going to like this one but I found it to be really witty and although set in the past it was really interesting.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I don't read much from decades past, but this one had such universal themes and an underlying current of bold and strong women that I absolutely loved it. A good story with good characters, just a lacked a little pace in some stretches for me.

A pinch of salt ★★★★☆

When smart and literal Elizabeth Zott becomes the accidental face of teatime television, she also becomes an unexpected beacon for ordinary women.

Elizabeth’s character is unique. Her lack of social cues and niceties and her ideas about sex, marriage, and motherhood are brave and inspiring. The 1960s is not ready for Elizabeth Zott.

Yet as well as a strong and quirky feminist, we see a woman struggling with grief and defined by her home life and cooking show rather than her chemistry skills. Elizabeth is first and foremost a chemist but faces terrible ignorance and misogyny by both men and women in the male dominated world of science.

Gradually Elizabeth makes her voice heard and finds some justice in the world, whilst giving many women the opportunity to have a voice and speak the truth. Whilst times have changed, they have not changed so much that Elizabeth’s experiences don’t resonate.

A powerful, original and ultimately empowering read which I very much appreciated and enjoyed (despite the talking dog).

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock then you’ll have heard lots about Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry already, and with good reason. Featuring one of the most brilliant female characters I’ve ever read, it’s a sharp, funny and unforgettable novel.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, almost as much as I loved its main protagonist, Elizabeth Zott. Her constant battle for some kind of gender equality, particularly in the workplace and in science but also just in her general life, is written really well, and with warmth and humour.

It’s a love story, a story about family and how grief and loss affect those relationships and the life story of a remarkable woman. I loved it!

With thanks to Doubleday for gifting me a digital copy to review.

I have been hearing about this book for a while so was really pleased to get a copy via netgalley.
Elizabeth Zott is a talented chemist but in the 1960's women working let alone working as a chemist is not the done thing. When she falls in love with a fellow chemist things start looking up. A number of years later Elizabeth accidentally finds herself in lead role in a TV cookery show where she starts to inspire her female viewers that they can maybe have more.
Really enjoyed this book and I can see what the hype is about.