Between The Covers

Book Review: Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Posted on by Libby Price

I am lucky enough to get to read lots of advance review copies of books – and consequently I sometimes miss books that have hit bestsellers lists. ‘Lessons In Chemistry’ was on my radar – not least because it featured on the Sara Cox TV programme ‘Between The Covers’ – but I’d never got round to buying it. I was then given it as a Mothers’ Day present! I thought my husband (or kids) had been super clever, and read back through my blog posts to see what I had or hadn’t reviewed – but seemingly it was a lucky suggestion from a lady in Waterstones Solihull!! Anyway – it was a very thoughtful gift, and it leapfrogged the contents of my TBR pile. Here’s the blurb:

“Your ability to change everything – including yourself – starts here.
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.
But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take 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.
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.”

The book starts with Elizabeth and her daughter Madeline at home – but then jumps back in time to when Elizabeth first met her soul mate – Calvin Evans. The descriptions of the Hastings Research Institute and it’s overtly sexist atmosphere was excellent. I also loved the rowing descriptions (whilst my kids don’t row – lots of their friends do – and there was lots of recognisable rowing shenanigans, and I found out why an erg is called an erg (a rowing machine to most of us, but a friend had mentioned the erg in their kitchen and I hadn’t had a clue what she meant)!)

The chapters then fill out the intervening period – and carries on with the story of Elizabeth and Mad.

Whilst the story is primarily about Elizabeth Zott and her fight against the patriarchy (although it’s never actually called that!) the supporting cast of characters such as the neighbour Harriet, whose husband is abusive, and the ‘secretary’ Miss Frask also have their own awakenings. I enjoyed all of this additional group of characters – and not just the women – but also the TV exec Walter Pine, the clergyman Wakeley – and, of course, the dog Six-Thirty.

Whilst in my own working life since the mid 90s – I’ve seen huge change in the attitude to working women, it’s shocking that in my own Mum’s working lifetime things were as described in this book – just totally unimaginable to young people today!

It was a great book – with a storyline I enjoyed, and at the same time well written, with interesting characters and lots to learn. It’s definitely worth all of the accolades it has received. I’ve just seen it’s being turned into a TV series by Apple – and I can see that being a massive hit too (although I’m already nervous as to whether it will do the book justice or not!) I would recommend reading the book first – in fact that is pretty much a motto for life!

Book Review: The Frequency Of Us by Keith Stuart

Posted on by Libby Price

Last year I loved the BBC2 Book Club programme “Between The Covers” presented by Sara Cox. Recently she revealed the books which will be featuring on the upcoming new series – and ‘The Frequency Of Us’ really appealed, and NetGalley were lucky enough to grant me an advanced review copy. Here’s the blurb:

“In Second World War Bath, young, naïve wireless engineer Will meets Austrian refugee Elsa Klein: she is sophisticated, witty and worldly, and at last his life seems to make sense . . . until, soon after, the newly married couple’s home is bombed, and Will awakes from the wreckage to find himself alone.
No one has heard of Elsa Klein. They say he was never married.
Seventy years later, social worker Laura is battling her way out of depression and off medication. Her new case is a strange, isolated old man whose house hasn’t changed since the war. A man who insists his wife vanished many, many years before. Everyone thinks he’s suffering dementia. But Laura begins to suspect otherwise . . .”

The book follows two timelines – firstly back during the Second World War and the romance between Will and Elsa, and then 2008, where Laura is assigned Will as a client for the care agency that she’s working for.

(This did actually make me realise that it would be difficult to write a book in the present day with people having memories of the Second World War. My Grandmother – who died at the age of 90 two years ago – was an evacuee during the war. My children have been so lucky to be able to talk to their Great Grandma about her experiences when they’ve studied evacuees at school. As the last few people of her generation pass away, so do the real life stories of the war, which has made me quite emotional.)

I enjoyed both timelines a lot – and I have to say the city of Bath was a character in the book in its own right. The descriptions of it were excellent – and it’s made me want a weekend break there (when we’re allowed again, obviously!)

The relationship between Will and Elsa was beautifully written – and I wanted to find out more about them. Equally the very different relationship between Laura and Will is also interesting, if not conventional. Laura has so much ‘stuff’ going on in her own life, and her struggles with her own mental health – that being able to focus on helping Will seems to help her too.

The comparison of young Will (radio geek, passionate about his work. madly in love with Elsa) and old Will (grumpy, rude, loner) were excellent – and as the story develops you realise why this has happened.

The book also looks at Laura’s past and her relationship with her every present Mother – and absent Father – and why this has made her the person she is today. It’s not been an easy life for Laura or Will.

The run up to the ending was really unusual – and not what I’d expected at all. I don’t even want to compare it to anything (although I have a book and a TV programme that I could easily reference!) but I think it’s better reading it without any spoilers at all.

Overall I enjoyed the book and a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC – but you don’t need to worry, as if you like the sound of it, it’s out now so you can order it immediately!