I finally read a book that’s on the adult fiction New York Times bestseller list! Well, okay, I’ve read books that meet that criteria before, but it was usually before or at the same time they hit the list, not after seeing it listed there for months and months on end.

(Also, hitting the New York Times bestseller list doesn’t mean as much as people think, considering it’s curated and not solely based on sales numbers, and I have other opinions, but I won’t get into it here.)

In Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, Elizabeth Zott is a chemist. Not a woman chemist, a female chemist, or a lady chemist. She’s a chemist. However, her male-dominated research facility doesn’t take her seriously. Only her coworker Calvin Evans does, and after getting to know him, Elizabeth discovers a new sort of chemistry. However, a few years later, Elizabeth has ended up as a single mother to a precocious little girl, and also the begrudging star of the wildly popular television cooking show Supper at Six. Her wit and no-nonsense attitude has swept the nation, though the show isn’t without its detractors. As controversy builds, Elizabeth has to figure out how to stand firm in who she is, especially against those who are upset she’s trying to change the system.

Firstly, this is a very impressive first novel! Garmus weaves a skillfully told story that drifts back and forth through time on occasion but is never confusing in that regard. She also has such an interesting narrative voice, with dry humor and lots of quips, but also with lots of emotion. The pacing is excellent too, as are the characters. However, there are lots of changes of POV in this, which does allow for a lot of insight, but I imagine that this would be a rather difficult audiobook. The POV changes happen quite rapidly, and I bet if one weren’t seeing the page breaks, it might become hard to follow.

That aside, the characters are what really shine in this. Elizabeth Zott is a fascinating woman—very determined and logical, but also stubborn and emotionally distant. She’s easy to root for, though, because you see what she’s gone through and what she’s still up against. She’s also quite witty, and of course brilliant.

I also quite liked Harriet and Mad, who—with Elizabeth—make up a fantastic pseudo-family unit. I didn’t have much emotional investment in Calvin, or in Walter, though. They were fine, but I feel like most of the character-building was given over to Elizabeth and Mad.

The best character, though, is easily Six-Thirty. I love a good dog’s perspective, and this was such a clever one! He’s such a good character, and brings an interesting view on certain events. 

The themes about feminism and gender roles are also wonderful. This book never gets too preachy, but it doesn’t shy away from tackling these topics, either. The uneven power dynamics between men and women in the workplace, particularly in the 1950s and 60s, are examined and critiqued with great insight. I also enjoyed the explorations of faith and religion, and though those are perhaps secondary themes, they’re still handled well.

In the end, Lessons in Chemistry was an impressive book. The protagonist is fantastic, and the plot is engaging. The themes are excellent, and the tone is full of charm and feistiness. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s still a pretty great one. Definitely worth reading!

Content: There is a scene that depicts sexual assault, as well as references to suicide and abuse in various other scenes.