I ask, “Watch the movie or read the book? Which one do you prefer doing first?” Imogen replies without hesitating, “Read the book.” Then she adds, “Unless the book is based on a movie.”
Maybe most people would agree with my daughter. I might be the odd one out because if I’m going to sample both versions, I always choose the movie or miniseries first. Whenever I’ve done things the other way around, I’ve given up on the movie in a matter of minutes.
Several weeks ago, I watched the Apple TV series Lessons in Chemistry and enjoyed it enough to want to read the book. I knew the story would be more extensive in the novel: many details are left out when turning a book into a film. I hoped by reading the novel, my enjoyment would be multiplied.
So, I bought a paper copy of Lessons in Chemistry:
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, she 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.
Forced to leave her job at the institute, she soon finds herself the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.
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. One molecule at a time.
One molecule at a time. I know about molecules. I studied biochemistry for two years at university. I chose this subject even though all my friends avoided it. They preferred the other option, zoology, and couldn’t understand why I wanted to do a subject we all agreed was difficult. But I guess that’s why I wanted to do biochemistry. I like a challenge. I also like being different and not following the crowd.
Elizabeth Zott was undoubtedly different: a female chemist in a male-dominated lab. In the 1960s, men expected women to be attractive, have children and provide them with beautifully run homes. There was no place for a clever woman like Elizabeth who wanted to have a career.
I liked how Elizabeth dared to be different. When she was fired from her job in a research lab because she was pregnant and unmarried, she set up a lab in her kitchen. Then, when Elizabeth needed money to support her child, whom she loved dearly despite declaring she never wanted to have children, she got a job as a presenter on a cooking show, doing things her way, much to the dismay of the TV producer. Elizabeth turned cooking into chemistry, and her mostly female audience soaked up the science. She used her show to encourage women to value themselves, use their talents and follow their dreams.
Lessons in Chemistry is a bestseller. Most people love it. And, yes, it is, on the whole, a delightful story. But it wasn’t a 5-star read for me. Its anti-religious flavour spoilt the book. The main characters are atheists, which is okay. I don’t expect novels to be populated with people just like me. I like seeing the world from unfamiliar angles. But I felt Bonnie Garmus used her book to bash the Catholic Church. Of course, the Church isn’t perfect. At times, it deserves its criticism. But it isn’t responsible for all the world’s problems. Garmus’ one-sided picture of the Catholic Church is a problem. Her Church isn’t the one I know.
As I read Lessons in Chemistry, I kept hoping Garmus would leave a little space for God in her story. Perhaps her characters would realise science can’t explain everything. Maybe the complexities of the world, revealed by scientific research, would point the way to a Creator. But that didn’t happen. By the end of the book, even the sympathetic religious characters were questioning their faith.
One last thought: the characters in Lessons in Chemistry used God’s name a lot in their speech, which is strange considering they didn’t believe He exists.
Images
A 1960’s kitchen that’s also a lab.
A kitchen at a film studio.
Created by me with the help of AI!
So, what do you think?
Book or movie first? Have you read or seen Lessons in Chemistry? What did you think? If you’re a mother, do you have a dream that extends beyond motherhood? Is there something you’d like to change, step by step, ‘one molecule at a time’? Perhaps you’re already using your talents to change the world?
I agree, Sue, I choose the movie or miniseries first, but when I was in high school I would have said the book. I thought then that I wanted to see my vision of the characters before seeing them on a screen developed for me, but now with limited time as I raise kids, I would love to read more, yet I love film and watching someone else’s character development is exciting, too. Oftentimes, one of my kids has read the book if there was one before the film or series and can express what they see as similarities or differences which is helpful. Sometimes I look it up online to hear what reviewers think of the comparisons.
I do not think I will read Lessons in Chemistry because as an ex-extreme-feminist, it would bother me to see someone making deep mistakes in their faith life and proclaiming those choices proudly in book form. I appreciate other viewpoints, even drastically different ones or dramatically opposing ones, but I usually find non-fiction accounts to be easier to stomach than fictional ones as living in someone else’s shoes can never be completely empathized with, so it helps me process my own life as I learn about others lives. I like your point about using God’s name when the characters do not think He exists!!
I have dreams that extend beyond motherhood, and sometimes it is hard to trust that God will give me the time to see some of them through. But step by step, one molecule at a time, is a great way to look at accomplishing those goals!
Staci,
Oh yes, it’s interesting to see how filmmakers interpret books. I love watching different versions of such books as Jane Austen’s. They always provide us with lots to talk about. I think film versions are a good place to start for more complex and difficult books. Watching a Shakespeare play or a miniseries of a Dickens novel first can inspire us and our kids to tackle the book version.
I read ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ hoping the author would allow faith into her book. Would her characters start to wonder about God and the origin of our world by the end of the story? The miniseries version gave me this hope. It wasn’t as anti-faith as the book. The scriptwriter changed the story in some ways.
I love how you have dreams beyond motherhood. One day, God may turn them into reality! I think He has plans for each of us that extend beyond motherhood. When we’re no longer involved day to day with our kids, our missions aren’t over. While I’ve been pondering what I should do next, I’ve imagined God saying, “You’re not finished yet. I have plans for you!” It’s not time to spend my days watching TV and knitting!
I`m afraid my only ambition right now is to get some much needed sleep and rest.. Not very inspirational. But when we are overtired, that`s truly the only thing we need.
Sue, do you ever think about going back to your love of biochemistry?
Luana,
I’m sorry you’re in need of sleep. Oh yes, there are times when we have no energy for anything other than our family. We’re focused on surviving each day, giving ourselves to the people we love. One molecule at a time, parents are changing the world! That’s more than enough for now.
I enjoyed the challenge of studying biochemistry, but I didn’t develop a love for this subject. I don’t have any longings to return to my science days!
Luana, I’ll keep you in my prayers. God bless!
Definitely read the book and have the movie to look forward to as an easy recap and reward. I like reading a lot, probably more than watching a movie(i’m infamous for falling asleep!) but it still looks like something to look forward to. I like to spot the differences too.
Venisa,
I prefer reading to watching a movie too. It’s interesting comparing movie and book versions, isn’t it?
Is there a movie based on a book you’ve recently enjoyed that you’d like to see? I really enjoyed the book ‘Silo’ and, after finishing it, started watching the miniseries version. I wanted to see how the silo world with its multiple underground levels was filmed. Unfortunately, I soon got distracted by another book and didn’t end up watching much of the miniseries. Andy saw it and said it was good!
I love to read but I’m not much of a movie lover. I do watch them from time to time but I would much rather read a book. On the other hand I have never read the Lucy Maude Montgomery books like Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea that type of thing but yet they are my favorite movies of all time I have all of them and then I also purchase the entire collection of the Road to Avonlea series several years ago, all of them on DVD. And I have all of them on repeat I just watch them over and over again. But I did watch a movie recently when I was feeling under the weather the movie was called A Woman of Independent Means and it starred Sally Field that was the first movie I have watched in a very long time and I really enjoyed that. It was made many years ago.
Nancy,
I’d also rather read a book than watch a movie. I get more immersed in books.
I’m sure you would enjoy the LM Montgomery books. I read them aloud a couple of times to my girls, and they’ve read them by themselves a number of times, too. Definitely some of our favourite books!
I haven’t watched A Woman of Independent Means. Thanks for your recommendation. I shall check it out!