Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

370 reviews

curly_kate94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

lemonyanne's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book feels like you’re invited into the world of well-off socialite New York as a total voyeur. You’d never want to be part of this circle as all the characters are flawed and unlikeable in their own ways. However, Cleo and Frank’s relationship IS interesting and this discussion of how they destroy one another in the mutual distraction of themselves is why you keep reading it. You don’t want to look away from the car crash on the highway. (SPOILERS:) However, Eleanor’s 2 chapters felt really misplaced. First person was the wrong choice for her (esp when then rest of the novel is in third) and felt like an ill-attempt at making her feel normal, relatable or quirky - this I think was the more unsuccessful element of her narrative. I also don’t think she was Frank’s saving grace and I’m unsure if she was written to be. Although, her pining love for Frank could serve as an interesting contrasting how Anders pined for Cleo, as Eleanor’s love showed far more compassion, maturity and self-awareness as opposed to Anders’ vapid, self-absorbed obsession with Cleo was. All in all, this book felt like reading gossip, and for that purpose it worked fabulously. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kristenreads's review against another edition

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death

schorlett's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault

ziggystardust2021's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Homophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Abortion

Minor: Death of parent

vicjp's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

fatfrog's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse and Vomit

v_____'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 

Dezember. Sie stand schon im Fahrstuhl als er Einstieg, er nickte ihr zu und schloss mit einem Rattern das Eisengitter...

- Cleopatra und Frankenstein, 1%

🎧 gehört als Hörbuch

Einerseits war dieses Buch eine berührende Liebesgeschichte gone traumatic.
Andererseits bildet es verschiedene Menschen, die in verschiedenen Beziehungen miteinander stehen ab, die teils problematisch sind, teils liebevoll. 
Und dann ist die Geschichte auch Klischee beladen, aber durch den wundervollen Schreibstil kann man darüber hinwegsehen.

Cleo und Frank sind die titelgebenden Hauptfiguren, aber sie leben nicht isoliert, sondern man bekommt auch die Gedankenwelt der Menschen um sie herum mit. Dadurch entsteht ein schönes, rundes Bild. Was mir hier nicht so gefallen hat war, dass man von Cleo gefühlt nicht recht viel mehr POVs bekommt, als von so manch anderem Nebencharakter. Da hätte ich mir mehr erwartet, da Cleo ja immerhin eine Namensgeberin des Buches ist. Außerdem hätte ich gerne mehr darüber erfahren, was sich Cleo bei so manchen Aktionen gedacht hat (zB

bei der Affäre mit Anders

).

Das Ende war

heilend und positiv. 
Ich fand es einfach super, dass Cleo und Frank sich normal über ihre beendete Beziehung unterhalten konnten, ohne großes Drama. Von dieser Sorte brauchen wir unbedingt mehr! Es gibt leider viel zu viele Beispiele in Filmen und Büchern, wo sich Ex-Partner auch lange nach der Trennung bis aufs Blut hassen, anstatt einfach zu versuchen drüber zu stehen und weiterzumachen. 
Mein Lieblingscharakter war Cleo (Romes Version). Ich hatte wirklich den Eindruck, dass es ihr besser geht, dass sie heilt und sie es schaffen wird.
Von Zoe hätte ich gerne noch mehr erfahren, wie ging es mit ihr weiter?
Dass es für Frank so einfach war mit dem Trinken aufzuhören hat mich sehr überrascht. Meist braucht es bei sowas mehr Anläufe, und natürlich wissen wir nicht, ob Frank es nicht vor Beginn der Geschichte schon mal versucht hat oder er nach dem Ende nochmal rückfällig wird... Aber das Framing "er hat mit dem Trinken aufgehört, weil er ist jetzt in Eleonor verliebt" finde ich nicht nur unrealistisch und unauthentisch, sondern auch sehr problematisch. Jemand der jahre- oder jahrzehntelang Alkoholiker war, hört nicht so einfach auf, unfortunately that's not how the world works...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

shelbyrodger's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Rip Quentin, author did him dirty :/

jennymchugh's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Really enjoyed the book until the end, when it decided to make a judgement about what “trauma” is more painful (alcoholic parent vs. being groomed by an older man). And it also forgives a highly problematic man, giving him a complete pass at the end. Just ick. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment