Ceecee's Reviews > Lessons in Chemistry

I don’t think anything I can say will do this book justice. I love it from beginning to end and it will most certainly be in my top five reads of 2021.

It’s November 1961 and chemist Elizabeth Zott, who works at the Hastings Institute, has fallen into a TV role hosting ‘Supper at Six’ and has become an unlikely star in the ascendant. Cooking is chemistry, chemistry is life. Elizabeth is far from your average ‘60’s woman. For a start she’s a single mother to Mad Zott, shock, horror, especially to Mad’s odious teacher. Have I mentioned the dog, Six-Thirty? A divine canine, a failed bomb detection dog of remarkable emotional intelligence. Ten years earlier, same Institute, Calvin Evans, introvert, grudge holder, a genius, an exceptionally good rower and desperate to find a girlfriend meets Elizabeth Zott, also a grudge holder especially against the patriarchy. Chemistry in every sense of the word.

Ok, here goes. It’s inspiring, heartwarming, sad, joyous, intelligent, funny, witty, quirky, original,highly entertaining, life affirmingly brilliant and genius in my opinion! It captures the times, the patronising way women are treated ( can you see my lip curl and a developing snarl?) the assumptions, the blatant sexism and way worse which shocks you to the core even though you know it’s all true. She uses chemistry to reveal the dangers of a lob sided society which is completely one sided and to demonstrate the false limits on the potential of 50% of the population. It’s so cleverly done and I’m a science dunce but it made sense to me! The dialogue is excellent, at times it’s laugh out loud funny as it’s so well phrased or the mastery of a put down or understatement. Elizabeth is quite simply fabulous, I love her and want to be her but I’ll certainly need to mug up on the chemistry! Equally amazing is Mad and yes, let’s go back to the dog. As a massive dog lover to have Six-Thirty as a character in his own right is admirable and it works so well. I adore him and want to adopt him. The relationships are excellent too, some are a meeting of minds or to nurture, of love and admiration, of kinship and some are of professional jealousy or sabotage.

Overall, you’ll have gathered that I think this debut is amazing and I urge you to read it. It has every ingredient of a book that fascinates, delights, charms and engages. If for nothing else read it for Six-Thirty ... and to find his out he gets his name cos I’m not saying!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially huge thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Doubleday for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.