Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Elizabeth Zott is a single mother in 1960's America. By accident she becomes the host of a daytime cookery show. Using her background knowledge as a chemist as part of her cookery demonstrations, Elizabeth offers a wake-up call to thousands of under appreciated housewives.

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful character; beautiful, intelligent, outspoken and refuses to conform to societal norms. Unfortunately Elizabeth lives in 1950's/1960's America where the role of women is to run the home. Throughout the novel Zott refuses to conform to cultural stereotypes and despite repeated set-backs she is determined to succeed.

The novel deals with a number of difficult topics, women's role in society, homosexuality, unmarried mothers, sexual harassment and domestic violence to name a few. At times you are screaming because of the way in which society dealt with those issues at the time and then you are questioning how far we've actually progressed in 60 years.

We meet a wide range of characters, some who enhance Elizabeth's life and some who relish the chance to undermine her. In most cases karma is waiting in the wings to deal with each character as they deserve. The way that the characters are introduced over time and then revisited, along with the quirkiness of having asides from a dog, is reminiscent of early John Irving. 

Although the story is set in 1950's and 1960's it offers a very modern message, we need more "people who refuse to accept the status quo, who aren't afraid to take on the unacceptable". I predict this book will be a massive hit and it doesn't surprise me that it's been picked up by Apple TV to become a series.

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus will be published on 5th April 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Books for a review copy.