Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Well, this book is a delight and a thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s funny, sharp, thought-provoking, heart-breaking, inspiring, infuriating, endearing – I could go on! Bonnie Garmus has done such a fantastic job of combining witty humour with an often frustrating drama which encompasses inequality, tragedy, grief, motherhood, chemistry, and love.

Elizabeth Zott is a mother, and TV star, presenting a popular cooking show and raising her daughter in early 1960s California. As the narrative moves back through her past, you learn that Elizabeth has an affinity for chemistry and has attempted to forge a career in this field, only to be met with prejudice and discrimination at every turn. Meeting her soulmate, Calvin Evans, whilst working at a research facility does nothing to help her reputation, as jealousy abounds and gossip prevails, but he respects Elizabeth and her work, encouraging her to pursue her ideas and using his influence to ensure the funding she needs. There are so many infuriating moments that are a stark reminder of the abuse women had to endure to work in male-dominated fields; Elizabeth is sexually assaulted, dismissed from her PhD programme, drummed out of a job due to her pregnancy, and these are only the more serious of the humiliations that she must contend with.

Her love of chemistry permeates all areas of Elizabeth’s life, including her cooking, and when she becomes a single mother an opportunity to host a cooking show presents itself, which she takes to pay the bills. In her role as a TV presenter, Elizabeth encourages women to pursue their dreams and seek more from their lives than what has been pre-ordained for them based on their sex. She inspires by challenging the cultural stereotypes that have been passed down through generations and showing that women are capable of all the things men are if given the right opportunities.

Garmus’s writing is stylish, and the narrative perspective changes with each chapter, which I enjoyed to an extent. There was a lot of jumping around between people and time, which takes a bit of getting used to and some of the chapters are narrated by Elizabeth and Calvin’s dog, Six-Thirty, which at first, I was sceptical about as it seemed a leap too far, but I actually ended up loving his chapters as they are funny and sweet. The ending is also extremely satisfying. If you like stories about strong women persevering and succeeding in the face of adversity, then I highly recommend this book!