This is an unusual and fascinating book set in the 1950s to 60s that tells the terrible truth about sexism in those days in a witty and unusual way. The female characters are feisty and strong and the dog, six thirty, an inspired witness and participant in all of the fun. In some ways it reminded me of a John Irving book - funny and a bit daft but with sadder and more serious undertones.

There's not much to say other than - this is the perfect book. My favourite read of 2021 thus far. Spunky and joyful, I was devastated to turn the last page knowing that my time with Elizabeth was over. I cannot recommend this enough.

Never have I ever read a book so fast in all my days! I absolutely just loved this awesome book. I mean this needs to be in every single school library up and down the UK, and in fact it should be a curriculum read, lord knows they need some updating (not even kidding my high schoolers are learning about of mice and men) but that's by the by

You must read this book, that's an order! I wasn't expecting anything major from this book but to be fair, I'd just come out of reading something quite heavy so this, whilst touching on important topics, was exactly what I needed.

Elizabeth Zott is not your average person, she is in fact a highly trained scientist, but because she's a woman, she hasn't been able to succeed further in this role, and that's the truth of it. She's working a job at the Hastings Insitiute that's way beneath her and she is completely over qualified for. It's heartbreaking actually.

She falls in to a TV role of all things hosting 'Supper at Six' but cooking is Chemistry, its a science right? Elizabeth is far from your average woman, she's a single mother to her daughter, and dog mom to Six Thirty (you read that right), a highly intelligent dog who failed as a bomb sniffer dog but successfully knows thousands of words! I want this dog to be mine lol

This book is one of the most uplifting, funny, sad, quirky, witty books I've read all year. It perfectl captures the patronising way in which women are treated, it also perfectly capitulates the sexism too, which will be like a punch to the gut, but that's because we know it and recognise it, because we live it every single day.

I quickly connected to all the characters in this book, it really captured my love for science, which let me tell you, I was better at in school than many of the boys but the boys were championed! This is an amazing debut novel, its going to be a complete and utter hit in my opinion.

I am afraid that this book just didn’t have enough chemistry for me to be drawn into it. I found that the characters didn’t gel for me and abandoned it at 25%... just didn’t work for me.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I read it well into the night, long after I should have gone to sleep, but I just kept thinking "one more chapter" (famous last words). I can't wait to see the Apple TV series, but as wonderful as it could be I'm not sure it will live up to how great this book is. Garmus' writing is intelligent, but not to the point that her audience can't keep up. I learned, I laughed, I cried. Seriously, this book absolutely lived up to and exceeded my expectations, and I was VERY excited to read this. Thank you so much for the ARC!

It’s hard to know how to summarise this fresh and idiosyncratic novel but I really enjoyed it.
Elizabeth Zott is a scientist in the 1950s - a time when women were expected to be homemakers rather than high-flying professionals.
Elizabeth finds unexpected success on a TV cookery show with a twist that inspires a generation of browbeaten American women.
There are some great characters in this book, not least Elizabeth’s daughter - the precocious and endearing Madeline - and her fiercely intelligent dog.
There is absurdity and humour but pathos as well in this story of the coming of age of feminism.
Recommended. I’m positive this totally unique take on 1950s gender politics will go down a storm.

Well , it took me a little while to get used to the writing style of this book, set in 1950's and 60's America, but once I got into it, I enjoyed this book very much. It is a love story with a difference, an unusual couple who go against the norms of the time and society and it is about women making a mark in the masculine based world of science and research in that era.
Elizabeth is a feisty character who is not easily put down, but floored at different times by her superiors (men) . I found some of these incidents quite shocking but they do give you food for thought and make you realize that lives and work conditions in these times have improved for women.
All in all a great read which gives you lots to think about. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I wasn't sure what to make of this story. It's unique, that's for sure and if you can suspend disbelief, then it's a great read with a wry sense of humour. the central character, Set in the 1950's, Elizabeth Zott is a feminist in an age when that isn't easily possible and you end up really rooting for her as she ploughs her way through the misogynist establishment, accompanied by her precocious daughter, Mad and incredibly intelligent dog, Six-Thirty. the book is chock full of great characters, both good and bad and the ending was just right.

Stunning, addictive and totally fresh, Lessons in Chemistry and the characters within is a joy to read. I was completely invested in the characters and Elizabeth Zott’s fight for freedom, feminism and even cooking real food. One of those books you think about whenever you’re forced to stop reading and you can’t wait to get back to, I wish I could read it for the first time all over again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a story of how a woman chemist came to be a TV cookery star, and what happened after she did.

Elizabeth Zott is not your typical protagonist, but this didn’t stop me from becoming caught up in the story. I felt a whole range of emotions whilst reading this – happiness, sadness, anger and hope. Most of all it made me feel grateful that I live in the 21st century and not the 1960’s. It captured the feel of the time for when the world was a very different place for women, though particularly in the workplace. It reminded me that whilst things are still not perfect and that gender equality still exists, it’s a far cry from how it was back then.

The characters are interesting, if not always likeable. Although that is part of what made it feel plausible, as people aren’t likeable all the time. It explores a whole variety of relationships – romantic, family, friendship and workplace.

The author had a style of writing that drew me in from the beginning, and whilst I am in no way a scientist, it didn’t matter. The parts about chemistry were well explained and were important strands of the story.

My favourite character was Six Thirty, the dog. I thought this was an unusual use for an animal, but it was cleverly done and I liked it.

This book certainly gave me food for thought, and is one that I will remember for some time. Loved it.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the advance copy in exchange for this honest review

This book is a triumph! It is such a very unusual story, like nothing I’ve ever read before, and is actually quite difficult to review, as it does not fit into any particular genre.
Suffice to say that I am filled with admiration for the author of this spell- binding tale. It is so beautifully written, with outstanding characterisation of all the main players, even the dog Six Thirty.
The more I think about it, the more I realise how clever and original this book is, and so very enjoyable. I did not want to put it down, just a really good read that drew me back to it at every opportunity.
Do not miss the chance to experience this book, just read it for yourself.
I will be watching for more from this brilliant author, for sure.
My thanks to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title, I am sad to have come to the end of the book.

The shit women have gone through, go through, and the fight to keep us moving everything forward for a fair and equal recognition in work and life to help change the world.

Living a 1950’s life, Elizabeth Zott is everything the man’s “ideal” 1950’s woman is not, educated, in science, a chemist, career driven, and doesn’t want to marry nor have kids. She is not interested in the “norm” and is more than happy about it, in fact, even through the sexual assaults, lower salary, denial of her female status, denial of investor money in her research, and male ego knocking her and other women down, it doesn’t phase her, she just keeps driving forward to be taken seriously and recognised as a woman chemist. Her research interest, Abiogenesis.

Until, Calvin Evans, an esteemed chemist, the sought after man, well published, award winning, horrible childhood, not after the money (is has it thrown at him), but after a comfortable good weathered life, falls absolutely in love with Elizabeth and she with him. The difference to other relationships Elizabeth has experienced with men, Calvin has a deep and mutual respect for her as a woman, for her career, her ambitions, and drive (though there is an element of backwards thinking when he wants to marry). But then, tragedy strikes.

Career over, a baby in tow, what Elizabeth does to not lose her sense of self, with some harm done to her dignity and the hard work she has done to be taken seriously as a chemist put on the line, she becomes a TV cook to earn money. But, she teaches cookery as it is chemistry and through it empowers, encourages, and educates woman that they do not need to believe the “norm” and to change the status quo. Now, “Children, set the table….Your mother needs a moment to herself.”


Read, read, read!

I really enjoyed this book and found Elizabeth an amazing role model considering the time and place. She used kept calm and used logic which really frustrated the men in the book. It was very funny, especially the incident with mushrooms, as I had got mushrooms for tea on the day I read that incident. Six-Thirty was a genius character to introduce.

This was a beautiful story of love, loss, growing up, being true to yourself and the level of a dog's understanding! I just loved Six thirty!

This is a beautiful story about Elizabeth Zott - a scientist, a feminist, a tv presenter, a mother and a lover - but despite these roles and her strength what grates is the different ways she is taken advantage of during the story because she is a women and an unmarried one at that.

I don't want to give too much of the story away in this review so I will keep it brief and say it is well written, thought provoking and I personally found it a gripping read - I enjoyed escaping into her world.

What a unique original novel. I loved it! A wonderful feminist tour de force, told with humour. Such an original plot, I have never read anything like this, I would never pick up a book about chemistry, but cooking, why yes! Wonderful characters, I'm tempted to get a dog so I can call it 6.30.
I will recommend this book to everyone
Fabulous!

Absolutely gutted to have finished this! Bonnie has done an incredible job with this book and I’m pretty sure they are already looking to develop this into a full blown TV series! How exciting..

This book had me feeling all the emotions for Elizabeth, set between the 50’s-60’s in America, it shows just how much sexism, racism and inequality that women had to deal with.. and in some cases are still dealing with now.

Elizabeth, Mad, 6:30 and Harriet, were all incredible characters and made the book everything that it was. Such a funny range of characters with incredibly good character development!

Genuinely could not put this book down, and cannot wait for the release date.

Many thanks to Netgalley/Publisher/Author for an advanced copy of this book!

Wow. This book was absolutely mind blowing to read. I was utterly enthralled by Elizabeth’s story. The tenacity and determination and fight she needed to survive each day and the impact she had on those around her was mind blowing. It was a very humbling read- I’m guilty of thinking the fact women were admitted to university etc meant things were moving in the right direction, but this story demonstrates how much inequality, abuse and entrenched sexism there was across American society in the 1960s.
I devoured the book in record time because I was so invested in what happened to Mad, Elizabeth, Harriet and 6:30. All the characters were so realistic and I raved about the book to absolutely everyone while I was reading it! Have added Bonnie Garmus to my list of authors to follow- I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

“Chemistry is change.”

Lessons in Chemistry is an absolute must-read. It is set in the period between 1950s and 1960s and follows the story of Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant scientist who finds herself single, pregnant and out of job. When an opportunity presents itself, Elizabeth takes an offer to host a cooking tv show — but, believe me, this short summary is just the tip of the iceberg.
I’ve heard they’re already developing Apple TV series but reading this book is pretty much like watching it play out on your mind screen. It is full of colour, humour, sadness, oddness, genius... chemistry. Bonnie Garmus has done an incredible job. I loved everything about this book: the characters (Elizabeth and Six-Thirty, and their bond in particular), the way the story’s told, the setting and plot twists. Six-Thirty stole the spotlight numerous times. I especially appreciate the role and the voice the author has given him.
I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll end with this: Lessons in Chemistry deserves all the praise it gets. I can’t recommend it enough.

I have never read a book like this before - it was funny, fresh and so full of joy. I was bereft when it was finished but will be looking out for more books by the author in the future.

I loved this - in the main. Bonnie Garmus has written a funny, wise and original book about how women were expected to 'be' in the 1960s - and what happens when one woman, Elizabeth Zott, fights against the expected convention.

Zott is a successful, career-minded chemist - she is not interested in domestic life, having a family, getting married - but when she meets fellow, very successful chemist, Calvin Evans, things take a turn. Tragedy strikes - but Elizabeth ends up with 'Mad', her somewhat precocious and intelligent daughter, and becomes ones of the most talked-about women on TV in America.

Garmus has written a book which puts the woman at the fore, something that would have not been typical in the 1960s. The novel follows Zott's life, from learning to row, through to presenting 'Supper at Six'. It's funny; it's cringeworthy; it's certainly memorable. The characterisation is superb, particularly of Zott, Harriet Sloane, her neighbour, and the dreadful Mrs Mudford. Aside from this, and the reason I am holding back from 5*, I wasn't sure it was completely convincing of 1960s America - it just felt too current, at times, to be a realistic representation of the period. And... Six-Thirty, the family dog, although a key character... I am just not sure his viewpoint necessarily works. Yes, I can see how his role is important, considering what happens to Calvin, his master, but his contributions jar for me and often seem surplus to requirements.

'Lessons in Chemistry' is clever and will do well - as will the TV adaptation which I am very much looking forward to. Read and enjoy!