Elizabeth Zott is a chemist. Although technically she winds up a popular television chef teaching people cooking through chemistry because people suck and hey sometimes that’s just how the world shakes out.
I actually loved Elizabeth and would totally watch her cooking show even though I know nothing about chemistry! (Or cooking depending on who you ask but I do try!)
Lessons in Chemistry was a great read but also a little hard to describe because it’s one of those rare books that I think can just be summed up by saying…
It’s life.
It’s funny and charming and sweet and also brutal and heartbreaking. Violence and loss is sudden and deep. Trigger warning for a sexual assault and so much misogyny that I wanted to break something as 50’s and 60’s era Elizabeth fights for the right to work in the field of her choice while her work is belittled and often stolen.
And sometimes the other women are just as bad.
And then despite finding love with another scientist that whole life thing I mentioned leaves her a single mother to a rather precocious child called Mads.
Plus there’s an adorable dog POV 🙂
And Elizabeth is a great character. I admired her optimism and determination and her ability to totally be herself despite some horrible things in her past and how simply being herself wound up helping other people.
Recommend: Yes.
Definitely a good read for spring and summer!