Elizabeth Zott is as strange as she is funny, I devoured this book and loved every moment. Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is an absolute delight. Elizabeth Zott is such a refreshing character and so well written she completely comes to life. I loved all the main characters and was so sad when the book ended - I was not ready to leave the world of the Zotts and find myself missing them. Absolutely recommended.

Really enjoyable book. Funny and sharp, the main character Elizabeth Zott, chemist and TV cookery superstar, is a unique and unforgettable creation. As is Six Thirty, her remarkable dog, as intelligent in the dog world as Elizabeth is in the human world. This is also a moving, if tragic, love story. Highly recommended.

Elizabeth Zott’s lot is not easy. The product of dodgy parenting, Elizabeth Zott possesses a remarkable level of determination and focus as she powers through some pretty nasty setbacks thanks to the patriarchy of the 1950s. At her all-male California lab she is subject to theft, bullying, assault and innuendo that might get you a nice holiday courtesy of Her Majesty nowadays. A dramatic chance meeting with a lab mate, however, brings her a run of luck that means she can get on with her ground-breaking investigations into abiogenesis.

She and the lab mate, the revered scientist Calvin Evans, are of an ilk and soon enjoy domestic harmony with a dog, a child, and rowing until Calvin comes a cropper under a cop car’s wheels. Elizabeth descends back into the world of male-on-female harassment and bullying until her daughter’s packed lunch saves her life when a TV exec offers her a dream job as one of the first TV chefs.

The story picks up dramatic pace from there as Elizabeth brings innovative cooking, chemistry and empowerment to the downtrodden American female. With a delectable supporting cast, I found it natural to cheer for Elizabeth to win through adversity. All the characters are sketched thoroughly, and I found the set of her TV show as effortless to imagine as her daft DIY lab/kitchen.

The writing is staccato and punchy, like that in the ‘Rosie Project’ or ‘Where’d you go Bernadette?’ echoing the effervescent Ms Zott’s own blunt matter-of-fact way of interacting with the world. There are moments of heavy-handed description ‘conflict of an early spring’, ‘she looked at him like a battlefield medic assessing whether or not he was worth saving’. But the author also gives us a little sprinkle of magic, using deus ex machina to bring our heroine a little respite. The first half of the book is heavily narrative, offering back stories for Elizabeth and Calvin. I was hooked into reading the book by the promise of mixing chemistry and a TV chef, and it is the second half that delivers. If anything, I wished there had been more chemistry and more recipes. (I’m sure that spinach casserole was delicious!)

If you are looking for victory through adversity, then this is your book. The tragedy and comedy are harmonious, and you are sure to find a baddie to boo and a hero (or two) to cheer. Thank you to NetGalley UK and Penguin Random House for the eARC. I really enjoyed it.

This book is going to be one of the hits of 2022, linking everyone’s least favourite subject Chemistry with social change, women’s rights and the best way to train your dog!

The heroine of the story, Elizabeth Zott, is a research chemist and, as everyone knows, scientific research has always been a male preserve to the extent that men appropriate discoveries made by women. Elizabeth needs to be resilient in this environment – especially when her story starts in 1952.

The book opens with her casually being exploited by the laboratory, Hastings Research Institute, where she works but a lot more happens after she becomes involved with their star scientist, Calvin Evans, and then something awful happens to him, and then a lot more things happen, some awful some good. It’s a long read but it includes giving birth to an exceptional daughter and owning an exceptional dog, as well as Elizabeth being saved on occasions by the sisterhood and ending up presenting a cookery programme on TV – where chemistry is king!

Yes, it’s weird but it is also funny and much of it is simply about a tough resilient woman taking on the patriarchy while also discovering who she is at a number of different levels. It’s fair to say that some bits work better than others and it involves some convolutions to achieve its happy ending but, there again, it does at times read a bit like a fairytale – a Grimm one!

That isn’t a criticism and the book knows what its targets are and pursues them relentlessly. The style is fast, snappy and journalistic which will get right up the noses of some readers as will Elizabeth’s tendency to, firstly, be in the moral ascendancy and, secondly, to always win her fights! It’s a good read.

Sometimes you come across a book that you just love from the outset. This is one of those books!

A fantastic debut novel that is sure to be a hit and one of the most talked about books in 2022.

Set in the 1960's, Elizabeth Zott is a law unto herself, chemist and fighter for women's rights. This is a heartwarming, funny, intelligent, sad and absolutely brilliant read., but don't take my word for it just read it, you won't regret it.

Lessons in Chemistry was a joy to read. Refreshingly different, it tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist working in a man's world in the 1960s. She meets and falls in love with Calvin Evans, and in them we see two people unwilling to accept the conventions of their time and the prevailing discrimination.

Their story will touch your heart and make you angry for the injustices that Elizabeth has to endure. But it will also make you laugh out loud and care deeply about each of the characters.

Elizabeth moves from the lab to the TV studio to present her own programme, "Supper at Six'', where she explains her recipes through chemistry (someone should be thinking about commissioning this programme, it would have a huge following). Elizabeth is always true to her instincts and values, refusing to be told what to do or how to do it. Her programme encourages and inspires women to stand up and do what is right for them, not what others want or expect them to do.

I thoroughly recommend this quirky, funny, warm book. A feminist tragicomedy with characters that will stay in your mind long after you have turned the last page.

Thanks to Bonnie Garmus, Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow, this one was really good, I hope it will have the love of the audience which it deserves. Sharp wit mixed with seriousness, memorable characters and awesome narration

Calvin and Elizabeth are scientists. They each had an unhappy childhood. When their paths cross, it is not with mutual respect, but when a chance meeting a short time later forces their hand, they get to know each other and love blossoms.

This book has comedy and tragedy. It is very funny, but also very sad. Elizabeth is a highly intelligent woman who is determined to overcome the 60’s prejudices and prove that a woman’s place does not have to be in the kitchen, or if it does it’s under her rules! Although the ending was predictable, in no way did it spoil the plot, all finished off beautifully.

This is a good 4.5*, brilliant for a debut novel.

Thank you NetGalley.

"Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself."

This novel is, in one word, phenomenal. A absolute dream debut novel for author Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is a must read for those who love strong female character led novels.

It's the 1960s, and Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, a TV chef, a single unmarried mother, and is determined not to let her gender get in the way of the work to be done. It is simply impossible not to immediately love Zott, a fiery woman who has no time for the patriarchal structures embedded in 1960s society. She is unashamedly herself, and through her weekly cooking show, "Supper at Six", she inspires a generation of women who have been ignored and overlooked by men, to commit to themselves and their own dreams, rather the roles handed to them by society.

I adored the characters in this novel, including the multitude of side characters who regularly stole the show, and I am incredibly upset to have finished reading and to leave their world behind me. The writing is fantastic, and I didn't lose interest for one second throughout the novel. It is fast paced, educational without being preachy, joyful, inspirational and above all, beautifully moving.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone. I am also excited to train my own dog to be more like Six Thirty!!


Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For me, Lessons in Chemistry is the Goldilocks zone fiction debut. Much like Eleanor Oliphant it has something to appeal to many readers depending on what you love about reading fiction. There’s plenty of plot to keep you turning pages; the characters are memorable and intriguing; and the writing has that special way of articulating something you’ve felt but couldn’t put into words, so perfectly that you’ll end up with highlights all over the pages.
Secondly, it has the rare and exceptional blend of being joyful, funny and uplifting whilst also being clever and important. It’s unashamedly feminist but it’s not heavy. It tackles some serious subjects but it’s not bleak. It’s a bit quirky without being twee. I’ve already ordered it for multiple people and I can’t wait to talk about it with everyone!

Oh my! I LOVED this book. It was quirky, funny, heartbreaking, challenging, warm and so engaging. It was a story of equality, family, love, loss and being unapologetically oneself. I really didn’t want it to end - highly, highly recommended!

I wish Elizabeth Zott was real so that I could watch her scientific cooking show.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is set in 1960s America and and the world around chemist Zott tells her that her place is officially in the home or at most only supporting the work of a man. Zott though is fiercely intelligent and has the same approach to honesty as Sheldon Cooper. This causes friction in the male dominated world, but Zott refuses to dumb down for anybody.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I can see why the publisher, who gifted me access, is so excited about it. This book will appeal to a wide audience and I predict that this is going to soon become a readers favourite once it is published in April. I think it would be a nice one for book clubs, and certainly one that Richard and Judy should be considering.

If you like an intelligent but easy read book with a fantastic strong female lead then this is one to add to your tbr.

I dare you not to fall in love with the richly drawn main character. She's an icon ahead of her time, a powerhouse of new thought and ideas and I loved this novel. I want to watch the tv show she developed into her own soundbox and I want a dog like hers to keep a look out for me too. So many fantastic scenes, so many wrongs that take decades to put right all set in an unusual location with a beautiful thread of chemistry setting the scene I am now interested in chemistry and I now let the butter foam in the pan so it evaporates the water content.

3.5 Stars

This book follows the story of Elizabeth Zott, a woman navigating the struggles of being a female in the 1950s/60s trying to be taken seriously as a scientist.

I loved the author’s writing style and presentation of the characters, particularly Elizabeth’s dog Six-Thirty! Some scenes are presented from his point of view, and he regularly commentates on human’s stupidity and feelings which is a great perspective. You really feel Elizabeth's frustration trying to be taken seriously as a chemist, and anger at the male scientists’ obvious sexism discrediting her and even stealing her work.

I gave the book 3.5 stars because I did find myself losing focus in places and not being fully immersed, but I easily pushed through and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the characters next. Perhaps it was a bit faster paced or shorter I would have enjoyed it more.

Brilliantly entertaining.

This is a book that although written in the past, is definitely still for the modern ages.

Taking a look at gender equality (with a brilliant bunch of science thrown in), Garmus has written a story that is both funny and meaningful.

I absolutely adore Elizabeth and Mad.

A mother daughter duo like no other. They had me laughing away with their matter of fact way of speaking and no nonsense approach to life.

Witty and charming, Lessons in Chemistry was a pure joy to read.

A great read, really gave you a sense of place.
Loved the dog - six thirty was a brilliant character.

Reading on my Kindle, at just 9% of the way through, I already decided I didn’t want this story to end. And what a story!

Elizabeth Zott, an extremely clever, gifted chemist, is determinedly pursuing a career in science, despite her difficult upbringing with nightmare parents, and despite encountering the uncompromising sexism of the 1950s and 1960s. I was rooting for her every step of the way as she fought to have her work taken seriously and acknowledged. I was frustrated and infuriated at the obstacles and injustices she faced, rejoiced when she found her soulmate in Calvin Evans, cheered her on when she found success in an unexpected (and unwanted) career in TV, cleverly using her airtime to encourage her audience to appreciate the significance of what they do, recognise their own worth and dare to strive for their dreams. I feared for her when once again she faced spiteful opposition, and admired her unwavering steadfastness and commitment to what she felt/knew was right, come what may.

We know from the beginning that Elizabeth is a single mother of a young daughter, Mad (Madeline); we just have to bide our time a little until we discover the circumstances which brought this about. As we might expect from her character, her style of parenting is unique; I particularly loved the little notes she left in Mad’s lunchbox.

Elizabeth is a very serious-minded person, and there is much to be serious about in her story, but it is told with a seam of humour running right through. The account of how Mad gets her name is just gorgeous!

Although the book is written in the third person, the characters’ own voices are expressed in such a way that it feels like first person writing – we’re right there inside their minds. I especially loved how the dog’s viewpoint is given in just the same way as the humans’.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Elizabeth and will definitely keep an eye out for more books by Bonnie Garmus.

In 'Lessons in Chemistry' Bonnie Garmus takes us to 1960’s America as we join the staff at Hastings Research Institute. We meet Elizabeth Zott and learn of the strife and resilience of women in the workplace as she forges ahead with her scientific ambitions despite the best efforts of some (though not all) to thwart them. Offering insights into chemistry and social history, Lessons in Chemistry is by turns comic and tragic. The cast of characters is quirky and the plot well rounded and satisfying. This is an ultimately uplifting read and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Elizabeth Zott is a single mother in 1960's America. By accident she becomes the host of a daytime cookery show. Using her background knowledge as a chemist as part of her cookery demonstrations, Elizabeth offers a wake-up call to thousands of under appreciated housewives.

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful character; beautiful, intelligent, outspoken and refuses to conform to societal norms. Unfortunately Elizabeth lives in 1950's/1960's America where the role of women is to run the home. Throughout the novel Zott refuses to conform to cultural stereotypes and despite repeated set-backs she is determined to succeed.

The novel deals with a number of difficult topics, women's role in society, homosexuality, unmarried mothers, sexual harassment and domestic violence to name a few. At times you are screaming because of the way in which society dealt with those issues at the time and then you are questioning how far we've actually progressed in 60 years.

We meet a wide range of characters, some who enhance Elizabeth's life and some who relish the chance to undermine her. In most cases karma is waiting in the wings to deal with each character as they deserve. The way that the characters are introduced over time and then revisited, along with the quirkiness of having asides from a dog, is reminiscent of early John Irving.

Although the story is set in 1950's and 1960's it offers a very modern message, we need more "people who refuse to accept the status quo, who aren't afraid to take on the unacceptable". I predict this book will be a massive hit and it doesn't surprise me that it's been picked up by Apple TV to become a series.