Chemistry

A novel

De: Weike Wang

Narrado por: Julia Whelan

Named by The Washington Post as a Notable Work of Fiction in 2017 and by Entertainment Weekly as a Best Debut Novel of 2017
Named a Best Book of 2017 by NPR, Ann Patchett on PBS NewsHour, Minnesota Public Radio, Maris Kreizman, and The Morning News

National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree

Longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize

A luminous coming-of-age novel about a young female scientist who must recalibrate her life when her academic career goes off track; perfect for readers of Lab Girl and Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You.

Three years into her graduate studies at a demanding Boston university, the unnamed narrator of this nimbly wry, concise debut finds her one-time love for chemistry is more hypothesis than reality. She's tormented by her failed research--and reminded of her delays by her peers, her advisor, and most of all by her Chinese parents, who have always expected nothing short of excellence from her throughout her life. But there's another, nonscientific question looming: the marriage proposal from her devoted boyfriend, a fellow scientist, whose path through academia has been relatively free of obstacles, and with whom she can't make a life before finding success on her own. Eventually, the pressure mounts so high that she must leave everything she thought she knew about her future, and herself, behind. And for the first time, she's confronted with a question she won't find the answer to in a textbook: What do I really want? Over the next two years, this winningly flawed, disarmingly insightful heroine learns the formulas and equations for a different kind of chemistry--one in which the reactions can't be quantified, measured, and analyzed; one that can be studied only in the mysterious language of the heart. Taking us deep inside her scattered, searching mind, here is a brilliant new literary voice that astutely juxtaposes the elegance of science, the anxieties of finding a place in the world, and the sacrifices made for love and family.

Loved it

I loved the tone and the simplicity yet complexity of the story and the main character who is not stereotypical or totally likable

Having a tiger mother can really mess you up!

Where does Chemistry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed it...having been a chemistry major myself, I identified with the experiences and emotions that surprised and overwhelmed the nameless main character.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Eric for his steadfastness and calm. We all need someone like this in our lives,

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan – was your favorite?

Julia Whelan did a great job of expressing the everyday experiences and emotions of the main character in a straightforward manner without being deadpan.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud at the main character because she was so honest in describing her everyday experiences and the events that happened to her. Spoiler Alert. .... My heart broke for her when it became obvious that she would not achieve success in her chosen academic path and then the resulting emotionally devastating fall out. I loved that she discovered her true talent.....being able to foster understanding of math and science topics as a tutor.

Any additional comments?

Audible is the best thing since sliced bread.

Poignant and intense

I loved every minute of this short novel that says so much in so few words. I'll certainly be looking for more from the author. Bravo, Weike Wang!

Interesting book!

Enjoyed this book and hearing the struggle of a real woman trying to find her way. Would recommend!

Personal and Professional Chemistry in Conflict

The narrator of this novel is in crisis. She can't succeed in either her personal or her professional life. Are the two parts of her life in conflict, or can they complement each other?

The narrator's crisis arises from her struggle to complete a PhD program in chemistry. She isn't making the necessary progress in her research and is deeply frustrated. Her boyfriend, also in the graduate program, is close to completing his degree. He would like to marry her. After an emotional incident in the lab, the narrator loses her spot in the program. She enters therapy and begins tutoring to make a bit of money.

Therapy helps her sort out the painful history of her immigrant family. Clearly, her parents' angry marriage frightened her, an only child. The struggle to fit into American culture was confusing, sometimes humiliating, and lonely.

Tutoring shows her that she really does love science, and maybe even teaching as well.

The boyfriend? Relationships might be even harder than a graduate program in chemistry.