December 2025 Book Discussion - Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Thread starter Grace.
- Start date
Grace.
Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise Team {Lead}
anyone else reading this book? how are you coming along?
soon we will be reading The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society: A Novel by Darien Gee (goodreads description)
all the details January 2026 Book Choice
I hope several of you will choose to join us!
Wonderful New Year's Eve everyone!
soon we will be reading The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society: A Novel by Darien Gee (goodreads description)
all the details January 2026 Book Choice
I hope several of you will choose to join us!
Wonderful New Year's Eve everyone!
lizziej
Member
I'll be reading the January book. I just checked it out of the library.
Grace.
Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise Team {Lead}
Awesome! I can't wait to read your commentsI'll be reading the January book. I just checked it out of the library.
A-M
Well-known member
I cannot find the post I thought I had shared so I will share it again.
This book never grabbed my attention so I have put it aside to read others I want to read on my kindle. Also I have some paper books waiting for me to read. The January book also does not really appeal to me to spend money on purchasing as my budget is very tight right now.
Thank you Grace for looking after the Book Club. I hope that February will bring along a book I will enjoy reading.
This book never grabbed my attention so I have put it aside to read others I want to read on my kindle. Also I have some paper books waiting for me to read. The January book also does not really appeal to me to spend money on purchasing as my budget is very tight right now.
Thank you Grace for looking after the Book Club. I hope that February will bring along a book I will enjoy reading.
Grace.
Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise Team {Lead}
A bit late, but I'm finally back to share my thoughts!
After finishing the book I binged the Apple TV series too Here are my thoughts.
On the book:
I absolutely loved Lessons in Chemistry. Elizabeth Zott is one of those characters who really stays with you. She is brilliant, stubborn, socially awkward, and completely unapologetic about who she is. The book handles woman empowerment in a way that feels honest rather than idealized. Elizabeth does not magically become accepted or softened. She simply keeps going, even when the world repeatedly tells her she should not.
The character development is what really sold me. Not just Elizabeth’s growth, but the way everyone around her slowly changes because of her presence. The book balances humor with real anger and heartbreak, especially in how it shows sexism in academic and professional spaces. It never feels preachy, but it also never backs down from showing how exhausting it is for Elizabeth to exist in that world.
I finished it feeling both inspired and frustrated in the best way.
Now for the Apple TV series:
I really enjoyed the show, but I did not love it quite as much as the book. That said, I think it was a strong adaptation overall. Brie Larson was great as Elizabeth, and I thought the show did a nice job capturing her intelligence, emotional restraint, and quiet defiance.
One of the biggest changes for me was the softer tone. The show feels more emotionally accessible and less sharp than the book. Some of the harsher realities Elizabeth faces are either condensed or removed, which makes the story easier to watch but slightly less impactful. That said, I did appreciate how the show leaned into relationships and community more than the book did.
I also really liked the added storyline around Black rights and community activism. It was not in the book, but it added important historical context and broadened the idea of empowerment beyond Elizabeth’s individual experience. For me, that was a change that worked.
Overall, the show captured the heart of the story even if it smoothed some of the edges. It felt empowering, emotional, and well acted, even when it took creative liberties.
After finishing the book I binged the Apple TV series too
Here are my thoughts. On the book:
I absolutely loved Lessons in Chemistry. Elizabeth Zott is one of those characters who really stays with you. She is brilliant, stubborn, socially awkward, and completely unapologetic about who she is. The book handles woman empowerment in a way that feels honest rather than idealized. Elizabeth does not magically become accepted or softened. She simply keeps going, even when the world repeatedly tells her she should not.
The character development is what really sold me. Not just Elizabeth’s growth, but the way everyone around her slowly changes because of her presence. The book balances humor with real anger and heartbreak, especially in how it shows sexism in academic and professional spaces. It never feels preachy, but it also never backs down from showing how exhausting it is for Elizabeth to exist in that world.
I finished it feeling both inspired and frustrated in the best way.
Now for the Apple TV series:
I really enjoyed the show, but I did not love it quite as much as the book. That said, I think it was a strong adaptation overall. Brie Larson was great as Elizabeth, and I thought the show did a nice job capturing her intelligence, emotional restraint, and quiet defiance.
One of the biggest changes for me was the softer tone. The show feels more emotionally accessible and less sharp than the book. Some of the harsher realities Elizabeth faces are either condensed or removed, which makes the story easier to watch but slightly less impactful. That said, I did appreciate how the show leaned into relationships and community more than the book did.
I also really liked the added storyline around Black rights and community activism. It was not in the book, but it added important historical context and broadened the idea of empowerment beyond Elizabeth’s individual experience. For me, that was a change that worked.
Overall, the show captured the heart of the story even if it smoothed some of the edges. It felt empowering, emotional, and well acted, even when it took creative liberties.
Grace.
Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise Team {Lead}
@GingerScraps what a beautiful and inspiring review of the book and tv-show, thank you so much for sharing 
DaniAlencar (JB Studio)
Designer: JB Studio
I listened to it recently and I loved it! It's my favorite so far this month.
I agree that it was well-written and addressed so many issues and it also made me laugh in some moments. It actually caused a lot of emotions and I love it when that happens.
Besides all the important issues addressed, the dog POV was fun and sweet. I love the found family that was built, it was like Elizabeth and Madelyn were attracting people. It was a relief and a heartwarming piece among all the parts that made me so mad. Elizabeth is such a strong character and her naiveness made it all so unique (I believe she's neurodivergent and that was not addressed because it just wasn't something back in the time). Madelyn's intelligence and curiosity also won me over.
I agree that it was well-written and addressed so many issues and it also made me laugh in some moments. It actually caused a lot of emotions and I love it when that happens.
Besides all the important issues addressed, the dog POV was fun and sweet. I love the found family that was built, it was like Elizabeth and Madelyn were attracting people. It was a relief and a heartwarming piece among all the parts that made me so mad. Elizabeth is such a strong character and her naiveness made it all so unique (I believe she's neurodivergent and that was not addressed because it just wasn't something back in the time). Madelyn's intelligence and curiosity also won me over.
Grace.
Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise Team {Lead}
Thank you so much for sharing your comment.