by Bonnie Garmus
This book has been on my TBR pile for quite a while, and I finally picked it up at a Costco in Colorado Springs this summer. I was in the middle of my romcom kick and this one would usually come up as a recommendation, so I jumped it.
First thing’s first. This is not a romantic comedy. It is in the genre of women’s fiction, but I think it incredibly sexist/misogynistic for it to be categorized with romantic comedies. It was frequently recommended with Ali Hazelwood’s books which were absolutely romcoms but with women in STEM. Lessons in Chemistry follows no trope, does not have a happy-ever-after kind of ending, and generally isn’t the feel-good read one expects from romantic comedies. Now, this is nothing against the book, but with the marketing. Seriously, Elizabeth Zott would be furious. That being said, enjoyed this book. It is an exploration of a woman in STEM during the mid-20th century, a time well known for its openness to women scientists. NOT.
Elizabeth Zott has pursued science her whole life. She is held back from obtaining her PhD, which holds back her career motivations; encounters many instances of sexism and outright sexual assault in the workplace with little or no consequences for the males, of course. Throughout it all she perseveres, knowing science will win the day. At her job she meets Calvin XX. Their practical workplace relationship turns into love, and Elizabeth finds out she’s pregnant. Through heartbreak and triumph Elizabeth ends up hosting a science based cooking show, giving advice to women all over the country.
It's hard to go into more details of the story without spoilers, but that was the gist. Elizabeth is autistic-coded, and I loved her all the more for it. She is not good with social cues, and she struggles to understand the motivations and actions of others. She does have a disdain for her own sex for a good chunk of the book, which I did not enjoy, but that too was something she overcame. She learned more about the women around her and realized how much she had in common with them, even if their goals in life were different from hers.
The story jumps through time and heads, even ending up in the head of her smart dog. This writing style is generally frowned upon in the literary community these days, but Garmus does it so expertly, she might just inspire a new literary trend! If you are looking for a light-hearted romcom, this book is not for you; but if you are looking for a feminist historical fiction of women in STEM then put this one on your TBR pile!