I also wish I could have actually watched her cooking show. Elizabeth’s character is very likable (reminded me some of Eleanor Oliphant). The humor expresses the ridiculousness of people’s views but especially in the rape scene, which happened almost immediately in the book, it was a little like whiplash, not knowing how I’m supposed to feel from moment to moment- smiling or frowning or both?Įven though I didn’t agree with some of the views held within the book (see sections below), I still really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it. Some of the serious things like rape, death, unwed pregnancy, sexism, and discrimination, seemed to happen abruptly or succinctly so it was a strange tone of writing. There was humor throughout, but some of it does seem a bit exaggerated or written to make a point. I found it to be an interesting satirical exploration of the inequalities and stereotypes of women during this time in history.

A society that believed men went to work and did important things- discovered planets, developed products, created laws- and women stayed at home and raised children.” “ were mainly reserved for a patriarchal society founded on the idea that women were less. But her personality is no-nonsense and confrontational and the reaction to her show is unexpected and unconventional. It’s definitely a different feel of a book than Love, Theoretically.Įlizabeth Zott is a chemist, basically denied a doctorate after abuse, fired from her job for getting pregnant, and ends up depressed, putting on a cooking show for all those housewives who just want to get dinner on the table for their husbands. Lessons in Chemistry takes place in the 50s and 60s- a time when women in the workplace did not have equality. And the book I started after this (An Affair of Spies) has a female chemist main character as well. I just finished Love, Theoretically before this which is about a female theoretical physicist.

Courage is the root of change- and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.”Īpparently I’m on a ‘women in STEM’ kick.

Lessons in chemistry reviews