This was a refreshing read! I still remember the manual of the perfect housewife from the Sixties in my house, with the typical elegant, accomplished housewife on the cover that has managed to pull if all together with a smile, perfect house, perfect dinner, perfect looks. Enter aspiring scientist Elizabeth Zott to challenge all this from within. Humorous, ironic, comedic, light-hearted and damn serious at the same time. Great plot, definitely accomplished writer and totally understand the hype. My only grievance is that it is a naïve, simplified form of feminism that is represented here, but nonetheless interesting and a page turner, hype and bestseller status is totally understandable, great women’s fiction.

Sadly after all the hype around this novel I found myself disappointed with Lessons in Chemistry and found it to be a slow read that I could not engage with. I loved the period setting and the novel covers important themes that would normally resonate with me. I love strong female characters and the author does a good job of portraying the sexist world of the time and in Elizabeth Zott she has created a strong woman. The majority of readers have adored this book and Elizabeth, so please do give it a go !
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I have been itching to read this since I got hold of it, and I saw the rave reviews pouring in.
I know my concentration isn't at its highest lately, and I have needed stonker reads to keep my attention. Warm, cute reads would normally do that, so I was excited to get stuck in.
This started well, and had strong likeable characters, but soon enough my attention waned, and I found myself reluctant to pick it up and get back into the story.
I know my personal mindset is affecting my ability to read, but there have been books that have gripped me through their entirety, and I thought this would do it, but I was left disappointed.

I loved it. Elizabeth Zott makes a compelling hero and unlike many books I read, I can’t wait to see it on-screen.

The hype for this book is real and very well deserved, let me tell you. Think Gertrude Elion (or any other inspiring female scientist) meets Wandavision meets Julia Child.

Spanning through the 1950s and into the 1960s, we follow Elizabeth Zott as she attempts to make her way as a scientist during a time when women were expected to be homemakers. Facing disgusting sexism every day, Zott perseveres and even finds her soulmates to believes in her work as much as she does. Life is good for the pair until tragedy strikes, and Zott finds herself caring for a newborn on her own, and undermined and undervalued once again in the lab. Through a story involving school lunches, she end up becoming an accidental TV superstar and teaches watching women science through the art of cooking.

I absolutely loved this book - it was so funny and charming, while at the same time I was kind of simmering with rage at how Elizabeth was treated by almost every male character in this book. I think this book might actually have everything from an inspiring, strong female protagonist, a tragic love story, simple class and elegance and a found family dynamic. What more could you want?

Zoot bounds off the page and I feel like I could see her and hear her educate me on the world of science, and even though she doesn't exist in real life, I was so proud of her existing in this book. Bonnie Garmus just blew it out of the world with not only Zott as a character but the addition of Mad, Harriet, Walter and my favourite Six-Thirty. If you would die for Six-Thirty, get out of here now.

This book is comedic and light-hearted for the most part but also touches on some serious issues such as the blockages women faced in the world of science (and the world of anything outside of the home tbh), how undermined and undervalued women (not to mention underpaid) were in these environments, how their work was stolen and if they did anything deemed immoral, they were let go - or even did the moral thing of marriage and babies, would still probably be fired. It's also important to remember that everything Zott was dealing with as a pretty, white woman would have been a million times harder for a woman of colour in the same position (read Hidden Figures!).

I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I can't wait for the movie adaptation of it - it was made to be adapted in my opinion and hopefully will do well. I'm very excited for what Bonnie Garmus does next.

Sometimes books are just perfect and Lessons In Chemistry is definitely that!

I absolutely loved Elizabeth Zott and how she didn’t let being a woman hold her back. The exploration of life in the 50s was truly eye opening and there were many times I felt disgusted at others treatment of Elizabeth.

I also really liked the other characters and enjoyed the role they played in Elizabeth’s life. The way this book was written really kept my attention and the short chapters allowed for a fairly fast paced read. Also big shoutout for named chapters - more of this please authors/publishers!

Loved it and Six-Thirty you have my heart! Can’t wait for more from this author.

I loved this book, A sparkling cast of characters and a winning story. One of my favourite reads this year.

I was looking forward to reading this book because of all the high praise it has received. I found it readable enough but a bit too feelgood in a rather contrived sort of way.

Elizabeth Zott is a woman with a degree in chemistry, trying to build a career on her own merit in the 1950s when a woman with any career at all, never mind one in the sciences, was regarded as an eccentricity at best. Her world is one of rampant misogyny, with humiliation after humiliation heaped upon her by a succession of inadequate men in positions of power who feel threatened by her superior intellect. When her partner dies and she discovers she is pregnant, she is forced out of her job in a laboratory and ends up presenting a TV cookery show which she turns into both a series of chemistry lessons, and a lesson in female solidarity and empowerment.

This is a love story between two misfits, a reminder of quite how terrible a deal women had of it in the 1950s, and a tale of female empowerment, told with a light touch. However, I found it curiously dissatisfying. Elizabeth remains unformed as a main character - she is cartoon-like rather than being complex and rounded and realistic. The whole tone is quite childlike in its slight overstatement, and larger-than-life characters, and plotting. The best thing about it is the dog, Six Thirty, a wonderful creation with a voice all his own. Also very cartoonish as a conceit, but definitely the one that works best.

This is an enjoyable holiday read, but very slight over all.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is set in the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott struggles with the world - she is a briliant chemist in a time where women are overlooked.  She falls in love and through a series of events, she ends up on tv as a cook with a popular tv show.

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful character, full of zeal and ready to overturn and not accept the norms, or the way people feel she should act.

This is being made into an Apple tv series, starring Brie Larson, and I imagine it's going to be great!

Lessons in Chemistry was published on 5th April 2022 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Bonnie Garmus on Instagram and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House.

Elizabeth Zott is a scientist struggling in a man's world, but ends up finding herself as a popular TV cook, as she adds science to the kitchen.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think I read a different book from everyone else.
As a huge fan of Mrs Maisel, and someone with a passion for science, this seemed like a perfect read for me!

Unfortunately, it completely lacked humour.

It also had some hard-hitting parts that could have done with trigger warnings.
I only got a third of the way through, but it starts with the vivid rape of our main character. It also brushes on suicide, homophobia, various psychological abuses as children, bullying in the workplace, death of a loved one...

I know that these topics and funny stories aren't mutually exclusive, but there wasn't a single fucking funny line or moment in what I read.
It was like a poorly written tragedy.

I didn't particularly like or dislike Elizabeth. I found her very bland, full of feminist ideals, rather than actual character traits.
The only thing that stood out about her was her stubbornness.
Her levels of stubbornness were fine to begin with, but it quickly got tiring, that she doesn't want help, and she wants to do everything on her own. She's so naive to the world around her, but won't listen to anyone's advice. It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends.

Her partner Calvin is equally bland. We're told that he's temperamental and holds grudges, but he's completely banal.
For someone who is built up to be socially awkward, and never had a relationship, is of course the perfect partner; perfectly attuned to Elizabeth's every need.

Between the two of them, it felt like they were constantly trying to one-up the other on counts of misery. It was one shitty thing after another without any gleam of humanity or hope, and after trudging through a whole third of it, I couldn't go on.

Wow! I’m not sure where to start. This book completely took me by surprise, it was smart , funny, emotional and wonderfully written. I found it hard to put down. Set in the Late 1950’s and 1960’s, Elizabeth Zott is a female scientist who is struggling to be taken seriously in a field that is dominated by men. She is an inspiration!
I loved reading her story, it was so laugh out loud funny at times. Especially her dog! I loved the wit and dry humour. I also loved Elizabeth’s grit and determination. This is a book everyone should read! Without doubt 5 stars for me!

My book of the year! Nothing will beat this. The humour, and heartbreak sucks you in, its a page turning tale of a 1960's female heroine fighting for her place in the science lab. the tale is fast moving, emotional, with the decade vividly created before your very eyes. Asa debut I will look for anything else she writes, it is a satisfying read with unforgettable characters reminding us that we should pursue our dreams and do not ever be stopped by the restrictions others place on us. Also, the DOG! lovely.

I was lucky to get a an early copy and this book lived up to the hype in the bookish world

It took me by surprise because it is very funny and witty to read. But it also does touch on some serious themes but is so well written that the book is well rounded in delivering the plot.

Funny feminism with a message.

This book has been so widely reviewed it's hard to add anything new.

Loved it for its wit and feminist message. A male colleague read it too and asked were things really like that for women- the casual sexism, groping, being ignored at meetings etc etc. Sadly some of this still goes on which makes the book even more valuable.
It will obviously make a great TV series/ film (please get a female director)
It's witty , smart, a page turner with mass appeal and I have handsold lots of copies to our customers who have loved it. A great book.

One of my favourite feelings of picking up random genres in succession, without paying attention to the blurb, is the thrill of meeting the unexpected. that might be too far-fetched a description, so I will try to explain it a little better. Obviously, I read the blurb before requesting to read advance review copies, but by the time I get to them, I do not have the exact details in my mind, something that I usually appreciate. In this case, I certainly did. I started reading this at night, not knowing I would struggle to put it away. I ended up sitting with it the first thing after my morning routine and not getting up till I was done. I was left with a mild headache, but it was totally worth it.
This story begins through the voice of a precocious child. Her mother is unhappy, as people close to her can see. She was born a little too early for her inclination (or maybe it is easier now, thanks to actual people like this). It is the 1960s, and our leading lady does not want to be a leading lady. She wants to work in Chemistry and be taken seriously for the things she knows she does well. Given the way things started, I did not expect the love story that I got. The narrative moves to a flashback to show us how the Elizabeth Zott we see now came to be here. The change in pace between the times did provide an additional depth to the narrative.
Elizabeth Zott fights tooth and nail to carve out a place for her and her daughter. There is sadness in the background but imparting knowledge the best way she sees fit is satisfying to her. The story feels like it would make a perfect series on TV (given that a chunk of it revolves around television). Their dog Six-Thirty is someone to watch out for as well.
The lead character is not perfect and has her own flaws, sometimes being as inflexible in her behaviour as some of her opponents in the narrative, but the overall writing effect and the characters made for an engrossing read.
There is violence mentioned that is hard to get past, something that feels very real and lingers throughout the book even when we hit the high notes towards the end. It is a fact that most average readers should know to watch out for.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley, and the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

What an incredible book. Set in the late 1950s, Elizabeth Zott is a chemist who is battling sexism and misogyny in her every day life. I don't want to say too much about the plot line, but I can tell you that I was gripped from the start. Brilliantly written, funny and also heartbreakingly sad in some places. It brought all my emotions including anger and pride. The central character is a force to be reckoned with and I think that every woman still needs an Elizabeth Zott in their lives. Strong, feisty, and never giving up in the face of adversity, she is truly inspiring. I just wish she were real!

I would recommend this to anyone, it's a must read for 2022. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not just a lesson in Chemistry, but a lesson in humanity, character, integrity, faith, determination and love. An absolutely fantastic debut novel from Bonnie Garmus. This book nourished my soul.

Elizabeth Zott is a female scientist fighting for her place in society, in a workplace dominated by chauvinists and doing what she can to nuture the one relationship she has had in life that is actually good for her with fellow scientist Calvin.

On the surface you think the book is a love story, but it's the perfect kind of book, it's an onion.....peel back layer after layer and you get juicy stories of friendship, prejudice, class divides. social constructs and a woman fighting to live a life she more than deserves. It's a book that made me laugh, made me cry, made me shake my head in rage, but it filled my soul with hope, empowerment and determination. I think this book will speak to a lot of women on so many levels, as a worker, as a friend, as a mother.

I fell in love with six thirty the minute he walked up the street, dogs can sense "good" people and Elizabeth Zott is a fictional leader I wish I could follow into the workplace in real life.

A book that I would recommend to everyone I meet.

There was a lot of pre- publicity hype for Lessons in Chemistry which can be bad news for a book if it doesnt live up to expectations. I'm so pleased that in this case, my worries were unfounded - a triumph of a book!

In the late 1950s, Elizabeth Zott is a research chemist at Hastings Research Institute in southern California. Her male co-workers refuse to take her seriously except for Calvin Evans with whom she eventually begins a relationship. Her constant strive to be taken seriously and have equal rights is something that we should all be grateful for. She stands her ground, challenging people's stereotypes about what women should or shouldnt do, Her career moves on and she becomes a successful TV chef.

The book is fastpaced and witty, with messages to be taken away for all of us about the fight for equality and to be seen as who we are.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read the advance copy

Elizabeth Zott is a research chemist. Or at least, she would be if this wasn't America in the early 1960s. So, because she's a single mother with a child to support, she finds herself the reluctant star of the new cooking show "Supper at Six". But whilst you can take the woman out of the labartory, you can't take the scientist out of the woman. Change is something we are chemically designed for and it's a lesson Elizabeth is going to make sure everyone learns.

Books set in the 1960s are one of my brands of literary catnip, and all the praise this book is recieving is wholeheartedly deserved. Reading it, there are many moments where if you're a woman, even if you've not experienced much, or any, systemic sexism, you'll find yourself relating to (the "handling" of those with short/difficult tempers - related to that HARD) and you'll be f***ing glad that we've moved on since the 1960s (I know that there's still work to do - there will (probably) always be misogynists and those determined to roll the clock back - but to imply we haven't moved on at all since then is rubbish).

Elizabeth Zott speaks her mind and is not afraid to challenge the staus quo just because it's hard, but she's also respectful of others' rights to hold opinions and beliefs different from hers, even if she's not afraid to challenge them. She's not asking for special treatment, just to be afforded the same rights and choices as everybody else (i.e. men), really just that we treat each other as decent human beings, which is not much to ask. We need more people like her.

Lessons in Chemistry is both genuinely moving and genuinely funny, with great writing and characters that you'll love, others you'll love to hate and others that will surprise you. And you may even learn something about chemistry.

For me, this book has suffered due to too much hype prior to release. I personally thought it was good but I was expecting more.

I was excited that this book was about empowering women and changing the status quo, but it missed the mark with this topic for me. The main character, Elizabeth Zott was fantastic in that she stayed true to herself and encouraged those women around her, but I felt there was so much for scope for the author, that she just didn’t explore.

It’s the late 1950s and Elizabeth Zott is a research chemist at Hastings Research Institute in southern California although her male co-workers refuse to take her seriously. All except Calvin Evans with whom she eventually begins a relationship. A few years later Elizabeth is surprised to find herself the mother of a young child and the host of a cooking show on TV.

I liked Elizabeth in the beginning and felt badly about how she was treated in her male-dominated world but by the time we got to her cooking show she was starting to wear on me. No matter how intelligent she was, I couldn’t believe how oblivious she seemed as far as social niceties and appropriate behaviour were concerned. It seemed to drag on and just wasn’t as interesting of a storyline as I hoped. I didn’t feel any real excitement reading it but I was happy with the ending.

I had such high hopes for this debut novel. I wanted her to have a happy ever after, I really did, but I also knew this was impossible given how realistic to the time the majority of the book was written. That is likely the reason why the ending feel flat for me.