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Bonnie Garmus’s text “Lessons and Chemistry” was a book I could not put down until I finished it. I related to the protoganist mainly because we both love to cook and to do research of chemistry.

The impetus to write my perspective comes in contrast to several reviews I have read on the novel.

To begin, I disagree vehemently with the critique in “The New Statesman” by Pippa Bailey who describes this novel as a “predictable…fantasy.”

As a chemist in 2024, I found the fullness and complexity of Elizabeth Zott’s character in the 1960s liberating, because Elizabeth may appear to be a strong woman on the outside- a single mom, with a full time research job and a masters degree- but inside, she is human- she needs love, support, and a job just like the rest of us. When she was at her most vulnerable after the sudden death of her soulmate (arguably), she demonstrated the agony I have felt when it feels like the world and its oppression will not cooperate with our plans and timeline. Nothing about the premature death of a partner is predictable, only an unfortunate reality some humans must face.

Another review I found inaccurate was published in the NYTimes by Elizabeth Egan, stating “feminism is the catalyst” of this novel.

My instinct was horror at the lack of feminism in Elizabeth’s decision not to continue her doctoral degree due to the environment created by her rapist at her university. Why did she not sue the university? Is it because it was the 1960s, a different time? Title 9 didn’t exist yet right? In an ideal world merit should be the only limiting factor in achieving honors in our society, or so I have been taught as a white, financially priviledged and educated female.

Thankfully I have been doing the work of unlearning, which is how I have come to learn that feminism as it is used commonly was created for white women with economic security. However, reading Bell Hook’s “Feminist Theory from margin to center” has helped me understand the limitations in describing the oppression faced by women of intersecting identities as it relates to financial and racial opportunity. Further reading of “A Renaissance of One’s Own” by Rachel Cargle reveals the complexity of intersectional feminism for a black woman in 2024.

Both the fictional character Elizabeth Zott in the 1960s and the real person Rachel Cargle in the early 2000s chose not to pursue their PhDs, even with both women having both merit and financial access to this education.

In both cases, these women have not felt safe to thrive within academia, so they have chosen a different path.

For Elizabeth, academia did not protect her from gender-based violence, and for Rachel, academia refused to protect her from intersectional gender-based and racial-based violence.

My takeaway from “Lessons in Chemistry” is that society forces women to choose between protecting themselves and achieving merit, leading to creative career solutions. The “straight and narrow path” to success is not accessible to everyone, depending on the intersectionality of their identity.

I was inspired to find my own creative career solution by starting my own technical consulting business, and I hope similar inspiration comes to other women with intersectional identities who read this inspirational fiction (that could easily be non-fiction) book.