Book #20: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist, but living in the 1960s she has to deal with sexism at work, and being the only woman in an all-male team. Eventually, she loses her job for being pregnant while not married.
Offered a job hosting a cooking show, "Supper at Six", she starts coming up with ideas of her own, even being a bit of a loose cannon at times, adding chemistry into her recipes, and she becomes an instant hit.
At first I wasn't sure about this novel; it opened with a flash forward about Elizabeth hosting the "Supper at Six" TV show, but after a few chapters, I was hooked. I can imagine a lot of women going through the same struggles as Elizabeth in the 1960s, being overlooked in favour of men despite their own intelligence and talents. There is even a shocking episode involving sexual assault that happens quite early on, but despite this, most of the book is quite light-hearted, with some humour, while also subtly satiring the attitudes of the day when the book is set.
Elizabeth was a character who I wanted to read more about, as she managed to persevere despite her struggles, even managing to get one up over her male oppressors on more than one occasion. There were also some great side characters; for example, Elizabeth's dog, who is hinted at being one of the smartest characters. The book often mentions what the dog is thinking, and even switches to the dog's point of view a few times. There is also her character Madeline (Mad), who in a sub-plot starts researching her family tree, hinting that she has inherited her mother's intelligence.
The ending was not quite what I expected, but did tie up some of the loose plot threads, due to a new character who appeared on the scene. It felt almost open for a sequel, and I wonder if Bonnie Garmus will write another book soon about Elizabeth Zott.
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