A compelling protagonist can make up for a lot. It can make an otherwise tepid book alluring and can make an interesting book truly memorable.

Lessons in Chemistry fell somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum for me. The plot, while sometimes a little too tidy and Dickensian for my taste (the whole latter ¼ of the book, I’m looking at you), moves along at a steady clip and makes for an engaging ride. The characters, particularly Elizabeth Zott, were definite highlights and the odd, offbeat humor did a lot of heavy lifting.

Overall it was an interesting story, great for a weekend as it’s the kind of moreish book that invites you to finish it quickly.