Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus ------------- 3 Stars

I had heard a few people have very positive things to say about the recently released Lessons in Chemistry. And while the cover should have given me pause about what I might be getting into; ultimately, I appreciated reading this novel.

Lessons in Chemistry came out last year and was a popular book. Set in the 1950s, the book makes a strong statement about feminism and questions so many of the archaic decisions and policies that existed half a century ago. The main character, Elizabeth, is a highly intelligent and impressive scientist who, mostly because of her appearance, has to settle for a television show to demonstrate her intelligence, rather than a science lab, or classroom, or many other more appropriate places that she lacked access because of her gender.

On a positive, the book is fairly short and a moderately entertaining story. There were memorable twists and turns and the author did a good job of rounding out most characters. The book also offered enough mystery to keep the reader interested until the end and wanting to understand why certain actions were taking (or taken) place. Also impressive was how thoughtfully the author checked so many of the poorly created, or just plain stupid, rules and norms that existed many years ago.

Unfortunately, while I did enjoy the ending and general story of the book, I found the pace to be a bit slow for me. There we multiple chapters where I struggled to keep my interest as, I found the plot slowed to a nearly standstill. I do think that my gender may have something to do with this. As this book takes on gender norms and deals with the joys and challenges of motherhood, some of those experiences did not resonate with me as deeply as other experiences might.  My other observation that made this book less desirable was the change in constant change in style. I found that much of the book was playful and "fun" yet there were other very serious parts (rape, death, etc.). It seemed confusing to me, though, as to what type of book this was trying to be (in defense, when I offered this critique to someone else, they countered that this is what life is like too!).

As a whole, I think this book may be enjoyable for many. It's a fairly accessible plot and the author tells the story in an entertaining way. While there are gaps that the plot and storyline slow down notably, the highs more than make it up and the high praise this book received from many readers seems genuine. 

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak ----------------------- 3 Stars

A popular book that has been on my list to read for a while, I was happy to finally pick up and breeze through The Book Thief. Beloved by many, I was a bit split on how much I enjoyed it but understand the allure the book provides to many.

While less than 20 years old, The Book Thief has as solid reputation and made a great impression on many readers. Often a required text in some classrooms, it tells the story of an orphaned girl in Germany at the beginning of World War II. To make even more interesting, as you could likely glean from the title, she enjoys stealing books and the narrator of the story is Death. While a bit quirky, the novel is actually a fairly easy read that is fairly linear and clear.

On a positive, it's an intriguing book to read and written in a playful manner. The characters are beautifully crafted and the general premise of the story keeps the reader's attention.  While I had some frustrations about the pacing (more below), generally, I found the story moved forward appropriately and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I also thought the author really nailed the ending, which could have gone a much darker way with some of the competing themes throughout the novel.

On the downside, I didn't actually feel this book had that much take place. While there were some big, notable and highly impactful parts, much of the novel read as a description of "normal" life of a young girl (albeit in pre-WW2 Germany). Going to school, playing with friends, making the occasional bad choice - none of it was boring per se, and it added more roundness to the characters, but I felt parts were either repetitive or weren't written in a way that was an enduring as other parts of the novel. Also, to be candid, I find it hard to enjoy novels about the Holocaust. While it added much depth to the novel, it created a level of emotional commitment that can be hard.

As a whole, I didn't really love this book. While I got through it and ultimately earned an average 3 stars, I stuck with it with the understanding that so many others do love it. After finishing, I did review different viewpoints about this book on the internet. Not surprisingly, most were quite positive, and I found this one notable. Besides making strong arguments about the power of words and stories, I thought one of her final lines to be accurate- "Whether you love or hate The Book Thief, I don’t think many can deny the emotional power of the novel."