Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

56 reviews

miranda_is_reading's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.25

I really enjoyed this book. While traveling I brought it with me and so many people commented on it that had also read it. There was one lady who told me she hadn’t cared for it compared to all the raves I was hearing. So as I continued reading I kept waiting for the ball to drop. But, the story kept me pulled in wanting to know what was going to happen next.

My only flaw with the book, being a designer, is that the cover design (US) doesn’t fit the book at all. I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but knowing how design still sends a message and subconsciously influences people I was shocked to start reading this and realize it isn’t primarily a romcom type book at all. And romcom is the vibes the design totally gives in my opinion. 

Beyond that this story was captivating to me. I loved the main character, Elizabeth, and all she stands for. I love how people around her could see her as stubborn, when she was just living authentically and in truth.  I also enjoyed the ties to religious discussion in the book.

I can’t wait to watch the Apple TV show of the book and hope they stayed as true as possible to it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Blood, Rape, Suicide, and Sexual content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Child death, Cursing, Bullying, Car accident, Grief, and Homophobia

sweill803's review against another edition

emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexism

Moderate: Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Sexual violence

melchncookies's review

challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I read along with the audiobook. I don’t typically love the last few chapters of books, but this one had me rapt until the last sentence. It ended at the perfect time, all hope and wonder, but I also wish it had gone on. I also recognize the book would have ended badly if it had. So, 5⭐️ doesn’t seem good enough, but it’s what we have. Best read of the year so far.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, and Sexual violence

katjacatbeans's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I can't believe this is B.G.'s debut novel. 
Elizabeth Zott is an inspiration of meticulous tenacity. I'm honestly speechless; the care and craft of all the characters is phenomenal. 

i also love how Six Thirty was inspired by a dog the author owned.

S-T is now my favorite supporting character ever; he's pushed Bob* out of the #1 spot (*from T. Kingfisher's book A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking) 

I also deeply appreciate the unrelenting & uncompromising commitment to social justice throughout the text. There's a lot to take from that. 

IT'S SO GOOD. I'm immediately watching the show on Apple TV.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Death and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

I have seen that this book continues to be popular, and I wanted to try it for myself. I adored the characters and the writing. I thought the book was paced well, but there were a few threads that were started and never went anywhere. For example:

Walter's crush on Harriet and Elizabeth's participation in the rowing team after her pregnancy

. I also felt that, although it was in character for Elizabeth to be antiracist because she finds racism and all other forms of bigotry to be illogical, there are no Black characters or other characters of color in the book. Finally, the author employs some words turns of phrase that were definitely not used in the 1950s/1960s: e.g. "fast forward to now."

Even with all these caveats, I enjoyed the book very much, and I would highly recommend it. The author does an excellent job of showing how structural sexism harms all of society, not just women. The tragedies in the book feel very complex and human.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Cursing

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Blood, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Outing, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Suicide, and Abandonment

Minor: Slavery, Sexual content, Gun violence, War, and Animal cruelty

hedgehogreads01's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Abandonment, and Rape

Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Body shaming, and Child abuse

laurens_beanbag's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

This book seemed so promising, but unfortunately I did not like it as much as I thought I would. First, I don’t think the book should have been marketed as funny or witty. It could be funny at times, but not to the point where that’s what it’s known for. I would not call this a humorous book. In the first half of the book alone, there is a graphic scene of SA, mention of suicide, and lots of familial death. And these dark topics are dropped out of nowhere and then the characters move on. It’s very jarring and I wish there was a content warning in the beginning of the book, especially for the graphic SA scene. 

With that aside, the actual content of the book was not what I expected either. I wish we could have explored more about how Elizabeth Zott came to form her feminist views, because her beliefs are similar to current 21st century feminism. While that’s not a problem by itself, we don’t explore how Elizabeth Zott came to figure out these views or how she was so ahead of her time. We just have to believe she’s not like everyone else. The rest of the characters in the book just aren’t on her level of understanding, but we don’t get to learn how Elizabeth got to this point. Where did she learn all these things? Why are the other female characters shown to be catty and superficial? Why isn’t Elizabeth given more positive relationships with other female characters?

This book did make many good points about feminism, and I did enjoy reading it, but considering this is historical fiction that takes place in the 50s and 60s, I wish the author did more to immerse us into the setting aside from just making every other character misogynistic and Elizabeth Zott the enlightened one. Despite this book’s flaws, I still did like reading it, and I think I should have gone into this book blind instead of placing so many expectations onto it. This is the author’s debut novel, and it’s well done. Had the book been marketed differently (which I understand is something the author doesn’t have much control over) I think I would have enjoyed reading it even more for the first time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism

Minor: Death and Suicide

effervescent_4909's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I really enjoyed this read. It's equally as much about the main character's male partner which I didn't realise when I started reading but I enjoyed both parts of the story. 

Readers should DEFINITELY check the trigger warnings before reading – there are some quite graphic and confronting scenes but these could be easily skipped (if you choose) and the rest of the story can still be followed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

readingelli's review

funny lighthearted reflective medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Misogyny

Moderate: Suicide, Murder, and Death

Minor: Sexual content

bbmaan's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Abandonment, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Homophobia