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Chemistry by Weike Wang - 4* - My Review

An unnamed Ph.D. student in chemistry lives with fellow chemist, Eric, who has asked her to marry him. She is under pressure to succeed from her traditional Chinese parents and fears the commitment of marriage. Faced with the daunting task of producing cutting-edge research, she breaks down and abandons her Ph.D. program without telling her parents. This crisis triggers a reevaluation of her life. The storyline depicts her attempts to balance academic performance, relationships, and self-image.

One of the aspects I most enjoyed about this book is the narrator’s use of a scientific lens to analyze her experiences, with many references to chemical reactions, chemical properties, the periodic table, and manifestations of chemistry in everyday life. It helps her make sense of the world. It is humorous in places, as well as introspective. The narrator has her issues, but it is easy to root for her. It seems she does not think she deserves to be happy. It is a wonderful reading experience that engages both the head and the heart. Weike Wange is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. I can also highly recommend Joan Is Okay.

Great review Joy. I never really looked at this one before (despite the bright cover), but I really now I want to read it. Thanks!

Based on what I know of your reading taste, I think you will enjoy it, Nancy!

Great review, I'm a big fan of books on science topics in general. Back at university, I was very interested in the exact sciences, especially chemistry, although my specialty is not very related to it, but it was very interesting to do various projects and papers on chemistry. I will definitely read the book!

I really enjoyed this one too. I enjoyed her voice and how the story unfolded. Great review!