Chemistry follows a young scientist as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Watch as she comes to terms with the expectations of others, her own idea of success, and ultimately, her own desires in life, over the course of two rocky years. In this inspiring novel, author Weike Wang weaves a witty, quirky, and deeply moving story that resonates intimately with students and young adults everywhere.

The style of Chemistry is sparse and charming. The narrator, as the title suggests, is closely entangled with chemistry, in fact a Ph.D. student specializing in the science, when we first meet her. As such, her narration is filled with references to various laws, facts, and notable figures, which can feel both overwhelming at times and deeply charming. Beyond this, each scientific reference is connected with the themes of the book, and prompts the reader to pause, read back, and reanalyze. This is paired with the simplicity and bareness of the writing, which even lacks the traditional quotation marks to signal the start and end of dialogue and is perpetually in the present tense. The train-of-thought style of narration — interjected with sudden flashbacks, science facts, anecdotes, and existential ponderings — is utterly strange and confusing and gives the sense of being tossed about in this young woman’s tangled, searching mind. I loved every second of reading it, especially the dialogue between the narrator and the other nameless characters; it was always so weird and real and funny, always provoking some deeper consideration of what their words might really be saying.

Something that stuck with me particularly was Eric, the narrator’s fellow scientist and boyfriend, with whom she eventually parts ways. It was absorbing and heartbreaking to see the gradual deterioration of their relationship and of his love through dialogue alone. Pricelessly, Wang communicates Eric’s bright, undying love at the start of the book in his words to the narrator. They are tender, considerate, and forgiving, even when she refuses to answer or even discuss his marriage proposal for pages on pages. As the story progresses, we start to see his feelings dampen; he begins to respond to the narrator’s often thoughtless and unreasonable words more coldly than before, with less patience and undying dedication. To the very end, we see him try again and again to make their relationship work, though ultimately, he must come to terms with the unfortunate reality. It is stunning to watch an emotional progression executed with such subtlety and authenticity by Wang. 

Whether in regards to her treatment of Eric or her other questionable behaviors, the narrator herself often comes off as unlikable. With Eric, it can become difficult for the reader to root for her through all her apparent indecisiveness and lack of consideration for her boyfriend’s feelings. The marriage proposal — around which much of the book is based — provokes countless questions of why? Why does the narrator act with such ungratefulness and even outright emotional cruelty to Eric, who is such a perfectly kind and wonderful boyfriend? Why doesn’t she simply say yes to his proposal, making it a happy ending for all? Wang answers our questions. She fleshes out this often frustrating young woman with insights into her academic career and childhood, shedding light on her deepest personal struggles — her obsession with comparing herself to others, unable to be satisfied with her own achievements when there will always be someone with greater ones.

We see this when she compares herself constantly to the other, more accomplished scientists in her lab, with her successful best friend, and with Eric himself. This is the fundamental reason why she cannot accept his proposal. Eric is white, born into an adoring household that showers him with the love and support that the narrator has never received from her strict Chinese parents, and as a scientist, he is effortlessly successful. The narrator sees him leaving her behind as he completes his Ph.D. and makes plans to advance ahead into a bright future, while she struggles to complete her own Ph.D. and eventually drops out. She can’t see herself making a life with him unless, in her own words, she is able to “catch up” with him. As, of course, we know she will never be able to do so in her definition of the words, so their relationship is sadly doomed to end.

Overall, Wang writes a complex, sympathetic character into existence, which we are able to understand and support even as she appears to turn away from “happiness” for herself and others. Her journey is full of ups and downs, mistakes and questionable choices, but those are what make her so human. Because of her flaws, quirks, and above all, her ability to learn and grow from her experiences, we as readers are able to wholeheartedly root for her when she reaches a degree of reconciliation by the book’s end. 

Through her brilliantly written narrator, Wang tackles a series of difficult and particular themes. One of the narrator’s major personal struggles is her unbreakable habit of judging her success in relation to others, which hinders not only her career but also her relationships with the people important to her. Wang connects this with the narrator’s childhood — more specifically, her parents. Through heart-wrenching flashbacks and dialogue, Wang illustrates the bittersweet relationship of a Chinese-American family, commenting on the often unattainable expectations and harsh ideals imposed upon young Asian-American children by their immigrant parents. While making clear the unhealthy consequences that result from such an upbringing, Wang also explores the nuances in the subject that are frequently overlooked by writers discussing the same topic. The narrator, while aware of the negative effects her parents’ actions have had on her, still steadfastly sees them in a blameless light, even as those around her are bewildered by this. Wang writes about this topic in a way that is understandable only to other Asian-Americans, displaying the deeply flawed and yet inarguably beautiful nature of Asian parents’ relationships with their kids. She explores the relationship between the narrator’s parents as well, and what it means — especially for her mother, a woman — to make sacrifices for the sake of a family, and to achieve success and independence simultaneously. Reading about the narrator’s parents, we are able to understand, at a deeper level, what has made her the way she is, and makes us wonder how she will grow from the damage her childhood has nonetheless wrought. All in all, Chemistry is a masterpiece of a book that is smart, unique, and brilliantly insightful. It is intimately relatable to those navigating young adulthood, discussing everything from experiencing the pressures of being a student, to growing in the relationships with those close to you.