This is an insightful view of chemistry and its place in academia. The protagonist finds herself at sea when her career is turned on its head with parents, boyfriend and friends questioning her choices. She must discover what she really wants in life. The pace moves along, the characters are well-drawn and the science aspect is wonderfully portrayed.

I loved this book! It was such a fantastic look at a typical woman's story - whether to get married, what's her career, how does she relate to her parents - but from a new point of view: it's not usually a Chinese woman, and it's not usually framed by the field of science. Despite this, the unnamed narrator's perspective was still relatable and realistic, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting a look inside her head. I hope to someday see more titles like this one.

Excruciatingly dull, with an unlikeable narrator devoid of emotion or a decent plotline.

I inhaled this book in one day, my favorite way to read a story. I would have given this 5 stars but I have had my fill of complex, conflicted unhappy characters. I always finish a story like this feeling shallow. Why do these women (and it is usually women) turn every decision into high drama? Why can't they ever pick a path and move forward? Fortunately in this story, through the memories and anecdotes related by the narrator to her analyst and her readers, we gain insights into the dynamics of her family life and history. In many ways her relationship with her parents evokes all the books and movies about modern Chinese families I have ever read, for example, The Joy Luck Club. I would like my colleague who came to the United States from China as a young woman to read this and tell me her reaction. Surely not all Chinese marriages are sacrificed at the alter of success.
In general the story was well-written and held my interest. The ending gave a glimmer of hope to,those of us who need closure, but truthfully, I'm not waiting for a conventional happy ending.. I'll put it in a class with Lab Girl and The Signature of All Things, in which women of science reveal themselves, but in this case a love of science doesn't seem as powerful a force as in the aforementioned books.

My opinions are my own.
I chose this book as I could relate the the story line straight away, both from an oriental background and both in the field of chemistry. I found that I related to the characters more ways than one but also pitied the character as well. I enjoyed her journey to try and find her own path in the more ideal situation called life- that sometimes it doesn't always work out. A good read :)

I enjoyed the story, but the writing style was not my style and made it difficult for me to follow a lot of the time.

This novel by Weike Wang follows a twenty-something female chemist who is pursuing her Ph.D. as she has a crisis that can best be described as a failure to launch. At it's best, this novel is funny and well-written and accurately describes the slow downhill spiral of depression. But, at times, it is too navel-gazing and doesn't seem to really go anywhere, plot-wise.

I read a bit of this and then set it aside. The writing style didn't work for me.

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. I devoured it within a day because I couldn't put it down. Weike Wang's writing is a revelation.

The narrator of this book is a doctoral student in chemistry struggling to manage life in the lab, her relationship with her boyfriend Eric, and her relationship with her Chinese immigrant parents and their expectations. These elements work as a catalyst to fuel her growing depression, which in turn destabilizes the entire equation. It is an honest portrait of the interplay between isolation and connection one feels as a student/child/partner trying to find a place in the world, especially when it is difficult to find a place in oneself.

The language is BEAUTIFUL. Poetic and sparing, almost vignette-like in its sequences, and always poignant. The narrator has a train of thought you get swept up in. I look forward to more from this author!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (And I will be honest, it's one of the best books I've reviewed for them. An unbelievably pleasant surprise.)

I disliked the book but couldn't put it down. Kept hoping it would improve. It didn't. Comparisons to Lab Girl are absurd.