Reviews

Chimie by Weike Wang

borblettareads's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

maggiebook's review against another edition

3.0

The book does a good job of showing a person in the depths of a mental breakdown and dealing with depression. I didn't feel like it got to know any of the characters but felt the author did a good job just showing what it looks like and may seem like to deal with this mental issues.

moniipeters's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

ammartinez86's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

coffeebooksrepeat's review against another edition

4.0

Chemistry is a 211-page rant of a woman in STEM academia, a daughter of a Chinese immigrant family in the US, a daughter of a depressed mother and career-driven father, a grown-up woman who never got to play when she was a child because she had to excel in school, and of someone who is not used to giving and receiving affection.

While people still dismiss childhood trauma as pointless and futile, this doesn’t change the fact that as they reach adulthood, those who experienced trauma growing up become different and indifferent toward other people. As adults, most are often on the extreme ends of the spectrum — sometimes unsuspecting and other times extremely distrustful. They always seem to doubt not only themselves but also those around them.

This book screams trauma from start to end. I couldn't recommend this enough!

whatsellorareading's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

Chemistry is narrated by a young Chinese woman who is going for her PhD at a Boston area college (presumably Harvard since she refers to it as the "best college in the US"). Our narrator is anxious, neurotic, and unsure. She is studying chemistry and works in a lab at the college for an intense professor. She meets her boyfriend at the lab but she is about as unsure of him as she is of her chemistry.

The novel is told in a stream of consciousness style which clearly displays the narrators emotional state. She is clearly highly intelligent and talks about science a lot. She jumps from thought to thought...memory to memory. She shares her issues with her parents and of growing up as one of the only Asian kids in her grammar school class.

This is a good look inside a stressed out mind. I will keep my eye out for other books by this author.

tugboat56's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

charlennekayla's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

nickscoby's review against another edition

4.0

Excellent book by a promising writer. Look to forward to more from her.