Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A delight for readers of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, this blockbuster debut set in 1960s California features the singular voice of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show.


Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with--of all things--her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America's most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth's unusual approach to cooking ("combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride") proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn't just teaching women to cook. She's daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

Review:

Although I loved Lessons In Chemistry, by Bonnie Gamus, don't expect it to be  a light-hearted romp, like the novel,  Where'd You Go Bernadette,  that is referenced in the description on Goodreads.  This is a novel about a stubborn, woman who persists in her passion for science, in spite of the crushing misogyny of the 1950's & 60's.  There are very funny moments in the book, especially when she takes command of a silly cooking show meant for housewives.  She actually turns it into a show about empowerment and self-worth for women doing the thankless job of taking care of children and home.  But there are also moments of sexual violence, and degradation that are difficult to read.  This is especially true because I just love the character of Elizabeth.  Overall, this was a very worthwhile read, and I highly recommend it.

What I Liked:

Characters:

This is a highly character driven book.  What I mean by that is that the author created these wonderful (and sometimes infuriating) characters and then put them in situations to see what would happen.   

Elizabeth, having no family to speak of, makes her way in the world without the judgement, or guidance, of anyone.  So she sees no reason why she shouldn't be able to do things like be a chemistry major in college, or become a scientist.  She doesn't have the awareness to understand that what she wants is going to be nearly impossible during the 1950's, when the book begins.  Calvin, is similarly clueless.  He has grown up in a boys home for orphans, and also doesn't have a family.  Both Elizabeth and Calvin are genius-level smart, and look at problems without any social context.  But, because Calvin is a man, he is praised for his quirkiness and allowed to do whatever he wants.  But when Elizabeth acts the same way, she is told she's a troublemaker, and immediately shut down.  I was glad they found each other and had a chance at happiness.

The supporting characters fall into one of two groups:  those who perpetuate the status quo, and those who's views are changing.  Every boss in this book definitely is a chauvinist, and sees Elizabeth only in terms of her beauty and what she can do for them.  But, there are also characters who are showing the beginnings of awareness that what is happening to Elizabeth is wrong.  As they get to know her, they rally to support her, creating a kind of alternate family.  I loved this.

Themes:

The book is all about facing injustice head on, even when there is a price to pay.  Elizabeth doesn't seem aware, at first, that there are virtually no opportunities for intelligent women in the workforce, in 1952.  She has a very modern outlook on how things should be.  If she is smart enough to do the work, she should be given the opportunity to do so.  But society has put women firmly in the role of wife and/or mother.  People look at her as unnatural (or even immoral) for not wanting marriage and children.  Some of the people who give her the most trouble, are actually women.  I think these women feel like, if they had to give up on their dreams, all other women should have to as well.  As my mother was in this generation (and also majored in chemistry in college), it gave me a great appreciation for what women faced in this period.  

Story:

I can't go into the story much without giving too much away.  I will say that I loved that there were several little mysteries that we hear about that are resolved by the end of the book.  The story also shows how unpredictable life can be.  Even when we find a safe harbor, it may not last.  Sometimes life changes on a dime, and then we have to pick up the pieces.   

The Dog:

I loved, loved, loved the character of Elizabeth's dog, Six-Thirty.  He has thoughts, dreams, and an immense love of Elizabeth and those around her.  Whenever Six-Thirty was in a scene, I immediately wanted to know what he was thinking.  This is just a wonderful aspect of this book.

Trigger Warning:

This book does include scenes of sexual violence that may be triggering to some readers.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 5th, 2022

Author:  Bonnie Gamus

Publisher:  Doubleday

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Length:  400 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  Once you get to know the characters you won't want to put this down.  I highly recommend it.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

You were never the smartest child, but even you should know that when a dead woman offers you a cigarette, the polite thing to do would be to take it. Especially when that dead woman is your mother.

The St. Bernard women have lived in Morne Marie, the house on top of a hill outside Port Angeles, for generations. Built from the ashes of a plantation that enslaved their ancestors, it has come to shelter a lineage that is bonded by much more than blood. One woman in each generation of St. Bernards is responsible for the passage of the city's souls into the afterlife. But Yejide's relationship with her mother, Petronella, has always been contorted by anger and neglect, which Petronella stubbornly carries to her death bed, leaving Yejide unprepared to fulfill her destiny.

Raised in the countryside by a devout Rastafarian mother, Darwin has always abided by the religious commandment not to interact with death. He has never been to a funeral, much less seen a dead body. But when his ailing mother can no longer work and the only job he can find is grave digging, he must betray the life she built for him in order to provide for them both. Newly shorn of his dreadlocks and his past and determined to prove himself, Darwin finds himself adrift in a city electric with possibility and danger.

Yejide and Darwin will meet inside the gates of Fidelis, Port Angeles's largest and oldest cemetery, where the dead lie uneasy in their graves and a reckoning with fate beckons them both. A masterwork of lush imagination and immersive lyricism, When We Were Birds is a spellbinding novel about inheritance, loss, and love's seismic power to heal.

Review:

Books, even fantasy books, often teach me about cultures I know nothing about.  Such was the case in reading the wonderful debut novel, When We Were Birds, by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo.  Set on the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, the story centers around two very different people, Darwin, a Rastafarian who's mother warns him to have nothing to do with the dead, and Yejida, who can see spirits and help them transition to the afterlife.  Within this context, the book is about family traditions and expectations, dashed hopes, and a love that can transcend everything to be all that matters.  This was a beautifully written novel, and I loved it.

What I Liked:

Setting:

Trinidad is part of the dual island nation of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.  Although the names of the places are fictional, the author goes to great lengths to describe the urban settings, as well as the lush countryside.  There are also lots of mentions of the foods and traditions that make up this vibrant island.  This feels like a place where you could be in a large city and just minutes away are mountaintops with wild parrots and other animals.  It also seems like a place where the traditions of one's family are of the upmost importance, and striking out on one's own is discouraged.  

Story:

The story is set in Trinidad among two very different families.  Darwin and his mother are struggling to make ends meet.  His reality is that, although his religion strictly prohibits dealing with the dead, he must take a job as a grave digger in order to survive.  He feels terrible guilt over this.  Yejida has an expensive family. Her mother has the ability to see the dead and help them along to find peace after they die.  She passes this gift onto Yejida, who soon learns that this ability is also a curse.  Her life will never be her own.  And she resents it.   Both feel hopeless.  When they each see the other in a vision, they know they are meant to be together.  There are many obstacles along the way.  I loved the hope they were able to have once they found each other. 

Characters:

Both Darwin and Yejida have complicated relationships with their mothers.  Darwin has deeply disappointed his mother by taking a job digging graves at a cemetery.  This goes directly against their Rastafarian religion.  You can also tell that his mom is bitter about his father abandoning him.  It's probably hard on her as she sees the likeness of him in Darwin.  Of course, he can't help that!

Yejida also is estranged from her mother.  Yejida never felt loved by her mother.  Her mom was distant and always treated Yejida as a burden.  Also, Yajida's mom was supposed to train her in how to work with the dead to help them along after death.  But her mom refused to help her prepare.  So when her mother dies, Yejida is feeling more resentful than mournful about it.

Both Darwin and Yejida just want to feel loved and cherished.    They somehow know that they are meant to be together and this gives them strength to face their challenges.

Themes of Death:

The story takes a good hard look at death.  How people react to death, funerals, and what may be after life, are key components of this book.  Darwin's traditions surrounding death include not holding funerals.  It is terrible to even go near a dead person.  So Darwin's mother tells him to not go to her when she is about to die, and not to set foot in the house again, if she dies in it.  Since this is the only home he has ever known, he finds this deeply upsetting.  When he takes the job at the cemetery, he has no idea about what happens at a funeral.  His fellow gravediggers have little regard for the bodies of the dead.

Yejida sees death as another phase of life.  Each of the women in the family have inherited the ability to see and hear the dead.  This gives her a deep connection to her ancestors.   Although she did not have a good relationship with her mother, Yejida still has great affection for the other women in her family.  One of the things that Yejida sees most clearly is that people are in pain when they lose a loved one.  She sees the profound loss that one feels when they lose a spouse.  Even though she hates her mom, she automatically wants to comfort her stepfather.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  March 15th, 2022

Author:  Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

Publisher:  Doubleday

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  304 pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  This was a beautifully written debut novel that was both tragic and romantic.  I loved it.  This is a definite must read.